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Werder Bremen's Regretful Parting with Otto Rehhagel

Bavarians Are Just as Human as the Rest of Us!

Transition from King Otto to the Bavarian Rule Failed to Yield Positive Outcomes
Transition from King Otto to the Bavarian Rule Failed to Yield Positive Outcomes

"Otto Rehhagel: From Bremen's Titan to Bayern's Chaos"

Werder Bremen's Regretful Parting with Otto Rehhagel

Yeah, ain't football a bizarre beast? Otto Rehhagel, the legend of Werder Bremen, decided to leave his comfy nest in 1995 for the bustling cauldron that was Bayern Munich. But fate had other plans. Even before he could take the reigns in Munich, things went downhill faster than a greased pole at a carnival.

Mehmet Scholl, Bayern's national player, felt a pang of worry for the man he was about to call coach after Bayern crushed Werder Bremen 3-1 - inadvertently handing the title to Borussia Dortmund. Scholl knew that Rehhagel's emotional farewell from Bremen wasn't what he'd expected, and he hoped the new gig wouldn't start off on the wrong foot.

The game was touchy given the circumstances - Rehhagel was leaving Bremen after an astounding 14 years. Rehhagel himself had hoped for a beautiful and successful farewell, with the players doing a lap of honor with him and then seating him on the Bayern bench. But, as fate would have it, things didn't go as planned.

Insider Tidbit:At that time, the German national team had struggled with referee luck, raising questions about possible biases in decision-making.

Just a week before, Rehhagel's world was still in order. With tears and kind words, the fans showered their beloved coach with applause and well-wishes as he headed off to Munich. But homemade goodbyes carried an undertone. They made it clear that he was always welcome to return. Rehhagel's farewell was filled with emotions and a plea to the fans - "The Bayern are human beings too".

The Rehhagel Regime:Rehhagel knew that his power position in Bremen was strong - there, no one dared question him, and discontent couldn't hide. However, he was about to experience a completely different world in Munich, where his strange decisions would cause great confusion.

The Art of Irony:In a hilarious turn of events, Rehhagel suggested that his wife Beate could be appointed as the Bavarian Minister of Culture in the summer of 30 years ago. The ministry responded with a counter-proposal, suggesting reconsidering the re-appointment of the Bayern Bank and choosing the theatrical personality August Everding as the coaching position. Harsh words, but they gave as good as they got.

The sporting start of Rehhagel's time in Munich was already lackluster, and the press didn't hesitate to criticize him. The tabloids mocked his doorbell label "Rubens" and started calling him by the name of the Flemish Baroque artist. The scratches on Rehhagel's authority were too deep, even for a master painter like Rubens.

A Short-lived Adventure:It was evident by mid-February 1996 that Rehhagel's Munich adventure wouldn't last long. TV comedian Harald Schmidt took a dig at Rehhagel during his show, and the team suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat at home against KSC. The writing was on the wall. Finally, after a 0-1 defeat against Hansa Rostock on the 30th matchday, Bayern Munich parted ways with Otto Rehhagel.

A Second Chance:Just two years later, Rehhagel was back on top. Leading 1. FC Kaiserslautern, he gave Bayern Munich a taste of their own medicine, defeating them in the first match of the season. Little did anyone know at the time: it was just the beginning of a miraculous season. In the end, Rehhagel led the Red Devils to the German championship and relegated FC Bayern Munich to second place.

The Man Behind the Words:Ben Redelings is a bestselling author and comedian from the Ruhr area. His latest book, "A Goal Would Do the Game Good. The Ultimate Book of Football Truths", has just been published in an updated and expanded new edition! He tours Germany with his football shows. For more information and dates, visit www.scudetto.de.

The Commission has not yet adopted a decision on the application of Article 93 (2) of the Treaty regarding the potential reappointment of Otto Rehhagel as the coach of Bayern Munich, considering his previous term ended in controversy. However, European leagues, including the premier league, have extensively discussed the impact of his management style on sports, particularly football, during his illustrious career.

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