Jupp Heynckes hails Hansi Flick: 'I take off my hat' | OneFootball

Legendary former Bayern Munich trainer Jupp Heynckes has sung the praises of Bayern Munich following the club’s glorious treble-winning season.

Heynckes also won the treble as Bayern coach in 2012/13, but the 75-year-old believes Flick’s achievement is even greater than his.

“Never before in football history has a coach had so much success within a year,” said Heynckes in a joint interview with Flick for Kicker.

“I had to wait 34 years to win the treble. It took Hansi 10 months to win it. You cannot learn what he’s done. I take off my hat.

“Hansi has a gift of empathy and ability to communicate. Football is not just about technicality and physicality, the soul is as important.

“Knowing how to deal with the players and the staff is fundamental, and Hansi has excelled when it comes to that.”

Elsewhere in the lengthy and fascinating interview, Flick revealed how his Bayern team took inspiration from Heynckes’s 2013 treble triumph last season.

“Jupp, a part of my staff now already worked with you in 2012/13, the coaches, the physios,” said Flick.

“They help me so that I can focus on the essentials. In addition to the attractive and successful football, our time together is the best thing about working here.

“During the Doha training camp, we showed the players a presentation with the route to the three trophies. And like with Jupp in 2013, we trained three times a day. We took from Jupp’s training plans.

“The team gained confidence and we had a good feeling. And during the preparation, everyone went along really well without any complaints, because everyone trusted the coaching team. Thiago told me back then: ‘Coach, that was damn hard’.”

Heynckes finally retired from coaching after his fourth stint at Bayern ended at the end of the 2017/18 season.

But he jokes that Joe Biden has made him think about getting back into the game.

“When you see the age of the new US president, I’ve to consider going back to coaching,” he said.

“The constellation in Munich is ideal, Hansi, you’ve a collection of top players.

“For every coach it’s a pleasure to work with such a team. It’s a huge task but a wonderful one.”