MUNICH – Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge on Wednesday moved to calm the troubled waters at the German giants in the wake of captain Mark van Bommel’s shock move to AC Milan. It has been a difficult week for Bayern after van Bommel, 33, who was out of contract at the end of the season, quit the club in dramatic fashion on Tuesday and revealed he had not said goodbye to coach Louis van Gaal.
Then last weekend, Bayern president Uli Hoeness re-ignited his feud with van Gaal when he questioned the Dutchman’s methods. His comments came after saying last October that van Gaal was difficult to work with. Van Gaal has also come under fire from Bayern’s director of sport Christian Nerlinger, but Rummenigge has moved to calm Munich’s troubles.
“We shouldn’t make life any harder for ourselves,” Rummenigge told Munich newspaper TZ. “There is a motto at Bayern ‘Mia san mia’, that means harmony, loyalty and a desire to work for the well being of Bayern.” And Rummenigge went to pains to make it clear there is no problem between van Gaal and senior figures at the club. But he admitted Bayern’s senior bosses were not happy to see van Bommel go, although compatriot Arjen Robben has said he can imagine a long stay in Munich.
“Certainly, I can imagine a long future with Bayern,” Dutch winger Robben told German magazine Sport Bild.
