Bayern Munich have sacked head coach Julian Nagelsmann and have immediately confirmed his replacement as ex-Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel.
The news comes as quite the surprise to many considering Nagelsmann had hardly overseen a dire period while at the helm of the Bundesliga titans, but Bayern's chief executive officer and former player Oliver Kahn has laid bare the reasons behind why the club felt they needed to go in a different direction and dismiss the 35-year-old from his post.
In a statement released by the Bavarian giants that both declared Nagelsmann's departure and announced Tuchel's arrival, Kahn cited the fact that Bayern have played less attractive football since club action resumed following the Qatar World Cup late last year.
Kahn claimed: "When we signed Julian Nagelsmann for FC Bayern in the summer of 2021, we were convinced we would work with him on a long-term basis - and that was the goal of all of us right up to the end. Julian shares our aspiration to play successful and attractive football.
"But now we have come to the conclusion that the quality in our squad - despite the Bundesliga title last year - has come to the fore less and less often.
"After the World Cup we have played less successfully and less attractively," Kahn continued. "The big fluctuations in performance have cast doubt on our goals for this season, but also our goals for the future. That is why we have acted now.
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Nagelsmann lasted less than two years in the Allianz Arena hot-seat having been appointed in the summer of 2021 after an impressive spell at Red Bull Leipzig.
He leaves Munich with some notable honours added to his CV, including the Bundesliga title after his first season at the club as well as successive German Super Cups in 2021 and 2022.
Bayern's sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic echoed similar sentiments to Kahn, as he highlighted the decline in the team's quality of performance was a big factor in the decision to relieve Nagelsmann.
The Bayern official added: "This has been the most difficult decision in my time as a board member for sport at Bayern Munich. I have had an open, trusting, friendly relationship with Julian from day one.
"I regret the parting of the ways with Julian.
"But after a thorough analysis of the sporting development of our team, especially since January and with the experience of the second half of the previous season, we have now decided to release him."
Bayern currently sit second in the Bundesliga table, just one point behind league leaders Borussia Dortmund, who they welcome to the Allianz in their very next game.
