Former Bayern great Hasan Salihamidžić is new sporting director

On Monday, FC Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, and president Uli Hoeneß, introduced their choice as the new sporting director for the club, former player and fan-favorite Hasan Salihamidžić, 40. The position was vacated in early 2016 by then sporting director Matthias Summer to take care of his health. In the press conference, Hoeneß revealed that Rummenigge approached him about the idea of Salihamidžić as new sporting director, which Hoeneß though to be great, and ultimately signed off on it. Furthermore, both Bayern executives talked about why they chose Salihamidžić. The prevailing theme was that Salihamidžić is a high-energy, hardworking, strong-willed, and positive-minded person, who had been through highs and lows at Bayern as a player. One example of a low was the Uefa Champions League final in Barcelona against Manchester United in 1999, where Salihamidžić came on in the 89th minute with Bayern leading 1-0, only to see that lead turn into 1-2 in two minutes, and a heartbreaking loss at the end. The high, brought up by Rummenigge, was the redemption at last in the Champions League final in Milan against FC Valencia in 2001. Furthermore, both Bayern executives explained that Salihamidžić knows the ins and outs of the club,  and has always kept contact due to the role of club ambassador. Salihamidžić traveled with the team on the recent Audi Summer Tour in China. Salihamidžić himself announced that he is super excited and honored about the job, and that he will give his best everyday to help the club reach great successes.

Hasan Salihamidžić began his football career as a teenager in Hamburg, having fled from former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia due to the Yugoslav Wars in 1992. Soon thereafter he joined the youth team of Bundesliga club Hamburger SV. After three seasons he was promoted to the first team. In 1998, Salihamidžić joined Bayern Munich where he played nine seasons having his greatest successes there, winning the Champions League in 2001. After Bayern, Salihamidžić played for Juventus Turin and later VFL Wolfsburg. Internationally, Salihamidžić played for the national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, earning 42 caps.