Alarmed Hitzfeld: 'We're in it up to our necks'

FCBayernNews · News fetcher Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 1395 votes: 2

18.02.2007

No-one could accuse Ottmar Hitzfeld of not giving his all. The coach sprang from his seat time and again, charging to the touchline to issue instructions and urge his men to fight harder. But his efforts were in vain, as Bayern fell 1-0 on their travels to Alemannia Aachen, their third away defeat on the trot in the Bundesliga, and a result which could not even be described as unlucky.

With the champions now a yawning 12 points behind leaders Schalke 04, no-one at the Säbener Strasse is wasting any time talking about retaining the league title, as the more immediate danger of missing out on next term's Champions League increasingly looms on the horizon.

The Reds currently lie five points off third-placed Werder Bremen, and seven adrift of surprise package VfB Stuttgart in second. There can be no doubt that Munich are mired in one of their biggest sporting crises of the last decade. "We're in it up to our necks," alarmed boss Hitzfeld declared on Sunday morning, expressing grave concern at the almost unimaginable prospect of Europe's elite club competition taking place without Germany's most successful club.

No-one spared biting criticism

Hitzfeld's dismay is not confined to the league standings, as he expressed anger at a clutch of players' attitude. "We're still 10 percent short of total passion and the will to win. All I can do is prepare the team properly. The final spark has to come from the players," he told Sunday's news conference.

"Our nerves are shot. Our body language spoke volumes," the General declared directly after the final whistle at the Tivoli Stadium. Sunday morning's closed team talk was a no-punches-pulled affair, Hitzfeld later told reporters. "You can't always adopt a soothing tone. Sometimes, behind closed doors, you need another set of words, just to make sure everyone's finally woken up."

Profligate in front of goal

The coach's biting criticism will undoubtedly have found an echo with Oliver Kahn. There was a feeling akin to nostalgia at times on Saturday, as the club captain threatened to erupt and explode in a number of situations. "The minimum we can expect is for us to approach every game as if we were battling against relegation. We need this passion and fighting spirit right now, to haul ourselves out of this situation."

Both captain and coach made no secret of their dismay at the Reds' wastefulness in front of goal on Saturday. "You can't always explain it away as bad luck," Hitzfeld raged, calling on his strikers to provide a far greater physical presence in their opponents' penalty area. "I want us to show total commitment as of now."

Turning the corner in Spain?

"I'm still convinced we'll finish third in the league," the boss continued, although this season's Champions League now fully occupies the spotlight as Hitzfeld and his men travel to Madrid on Tuesday for the first leg of their first knockout round tie.

"I'm looking forward to Real Madrid. My optimism hasn't been dented, and I'm certain we have a very good chance," the General insisted. The best thing that could happen to a demoralised team would be a taste of success, "and what could be finer than earning that away to Real Madrid," Hitzfeld concluded.

tracylynn

Walls

FCBinNYC · I'm a chatterbox! Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 335 votes: 4

Read Van Bommel's comment in the "Reaction to Aachen" news bit. That's whats wrong with the team. I honestly think that most of the players somehow think that they can't do anymore, and therefore they can show up and play their game and what happens happens. NOT ENOUGH PASSION.