Bayern Munich is one of the biggest football clubs in European football, winning four European Cup/Champions League titles as well as reaching the 1999 and 2010 Champions League finals.

The club’s basketball team however has lagged behind in the second or third division in Germany for years. But that could change as German national team coach Dirk Bauermann is in negotiations to become the head coach of Bayern’s basketball team.

Rumblings have spread in the German press this week that the football powerhouses Bayern are talking with Bauermann to take over the basketball team, which is currently playing in the ProA second division. 

The main sticking issues are Bayern Munich playing their games at the small gym at Saebener Str near club headquarters and Bauermann’s contract with the German Basketball Federation, which prohibits him from coaching the national team and a first division club side.

heinnews’s David Hein talked to Bauermann to get the details about his talks with Bayern Munich.

Here is the latest in Bauermann’s own words:

“Honestly I think that we’re far from having a final decision. I have talked to them three or four times. And they’re really interested in a project like this. But they haven’t come to an agreement with the city about the gym. They still haven’t come to an agreement with the federation about my situation because I will most definitely continue to coach the national team. I’m not going to give that up. Not even for as interesting a project as this one.”

So what is holding up this deal?

“A couple of big problems have to be solved. And then maybe in a week or 10 days or two weeks, things will get a little more concrete. But at this point in time it’s just a lot of rumors and a lot of heresay. There is some substance to that, no question. But we’re a ways away from any final decision.”

bayernemblemYou mention a project. What exactly is being planned?

“They will be playing ProA next season for sure. That they’ve already decided – but with a budget that is closer to a first division than a second division team.

“So that decision they have already made. They want to build something up from the ground. They have always been kind of mediocre when it comes to basketball – third division, second division. And basically they said either we are going to do this right, and you know what that means for Bayern Munich. Or we’re just going to play fourth or fifth division and make it completely an amateur thing.

“But spending some money on it without having any kind of success makes no sense. If they’re going to do it, then do it the right way and the Bayern Munich way. What that means we both know.

“So if they do it I think potentially it could turn into something really big.”

What would it mean for you to coach at Bayern Munich?

“Let’s wait and see what happens. I’m still skeptical about it all and if they’ll pull it off.”

How did the contact come about?

“The head of the basketball department contacted me and their idea was just needing my advice about some things and recommendations and would like to use some of your experience. And then it went from there.”

+ Bauermann coached the German national team and the Bamberg club for five years before giving up the Bamberg job two seasons ago. But Bauermann appears more than ready to get back into the daily grind of club hoops.

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