Bayern Munich really shouldn't have fired Julian Nagelsmann. That much is clear now. The Bavarians were in a weird place when they let go of the German in March 2023 - alive in both the Champions League and Bundesliga, albeit the vibes in the camp were iffy to say the least.
So, they released the manager, brought in Thomas Tuchel, and so should have started an era of resurgence - or at least a continuation of the standard thrashing of the rest of the Bundesliga. And although they eventually won the league after Borussia Dortmund underwent one of football's greatest acts of self-destruction, things haven't improved.
Fast forward 12 months, and Bayern are now on the hunt for a new coach, with Tuchel set to leave within six weeks. The Bundesliga is gone - lost to Xabi Alonso's excellent Bayer Leverkusen side - while Champions League glory seems unlikely. And the search for a new face in the dugout hasn't gone swimmingly, either. Rejections from two big names have rather stalled the process, while movements elsewhere have left the club considering its less-favoured options.
What would historically be considered a dream job for many of Europe's elite coaches, the serial Bundesliga winners now find themselves struggling to hire a manager, and may even have to settle for a coach they didn't really want.
