Bayern shake up medical staff amid injury crisis | OneFootball

Bayern Munich’s rehabilitation and athletic coaching staff has undergone significant restructuring amid an ongoing injury crisis, with key departures and new faces stepping into crucial roles, according to Bavarian Football Works referencing journalist Philipp Kessler (Tz) and @iMiaSanMia.

Long-serving rehab coach Peter Schlösser, who joined Bayern in 2017, and athletic coach Stephan Kerth, with the club since 2018, have both left their positions. Both coaches reportedly departed prior to the Club World Cup. Discussions within the club are ongoing over whether the vacant posts will be filled internally or if outside candidates will be brought in for the senior rehabilitation roles.

In the interim, Jan Philipp Hestermann, who previously served as the under-23 athletic coach, was drafted in to support the first team during their Club World Cup campaign. Schlösser, prior to his Bayern tenure, ran a yoga and pilates studio in Munich and produced fitness content online. Kerth, whose prior experience was with VfL Wolfsburg’s youth setup before stepping up to the Bayern first team in 2022, is now working as an independent performance coach.

These changes mark just the latest chapter of what has been a period of flux for Bayern’s medical and fitness setup. Last summer, Professor Dr. Holger Broich exited as head of performance, replaced by Walter Gfrerer. Around the same time, Bram Geers and Markus Murrer joined the roster. Notably, Geers brings direct experience working with Vincent Kompany from their time together at Anderlecht, providing a link to the club’s new head coach.

The recent string of staff changes comes at a demanding time for the club, as a rash of injuries since March has stretched squad resources and made the work of the rehab and athletic departments more significant than ever. Several first-team players remain in recovery, underscoring the importance of stability and expertise within the staff entrusted with restoring fitness and preventing further problems.

With Bayern’s management weighing their options for longer-term replacements, the effectiveness of the revamped rehab unit will be closely watched heading into the coming season. The hope in Munich is that the latest additions and realigned responsibilities can ensure consistent, effective recovery and help mitigate the persistent injury issues that have complicated the club’s campaign.

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