The biggest decision looming over Germany has finally been resolved as the German Basketball Federation (DBB), Bayern Munich and Dirk Bauermann have agreed that Germany’s most successful coach will only be head coach at Bayern Munich starting October 1 on a three-year contract.
Bauermann will remain the German national team for the up-coming 2011 EuroBasket in Lithuania from August 31-September 18 and then forgo the remaining two years on his deal with Germany and step down.
The move gives the green light to Bayern Munich to continue their efforts to become a German basketball powerhouse. Bauermann’s future was in doubt as the German top division BBL did not allow any of its club coaches to serve as German national team coach as well.
The rule did not apply to Bauermann last season as he coached Bayern in his first season to promotion from the ProA second division.
“With our agreement, we assured that the successful Bayern Munich basketball project can be continued,” said DBB President Ingo Weiss on the federation’s website.
“I would like to explicitly praise the major commitment of Bayern Munich, especially Uli Hoeness and Bernd Rauch, and I am certain that this project is important for basketball in Germany and something very special for Bayern Munich.”
Weiss met in Munich with DBB General Secretary Wolfgang Brenscheidt as well as Bayern President Uli Hoeness, Vice President Bernd Rauch and basketball department manager Thomas Oehler.
“We welcome the fact that the German Basketball Federation, Bayern Munich and Dirk Bauermann have come to an agreement – an agreement that gives planning reliability,” BBL CEO Jan Pommer told heinnews.
Bayern’s bosses can now begin planning for next season in the BBL.
They have already secured the Rudi Sedlmayer Halle as their arena for the 2011-12 season, and now they can look at personnel decisions.
Rumors began circulating in late April that former German international Marko Pesic would take over as Bayern Munich’s sports director. Pesic would have a conflicting interest as he also serves as an agent, including serving as the representative for a number of German internationals. Pesic has said he would step down from his agency should he sign with Bayern.
There will also be more and more speculation coming out about how Bayern’s team will look like for next season. A number of German internationals including Jan Jagla and Robin Benzing have been linked to Bayern. Benzing even joined Bauermann for a Bayern Munich football match in early May.
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