体坛英语资讯：Report: Kovac to leave Bayern

BERLIN, May 17 -- Niko Kovac will leave his position as head coach of Bayern Munich at the end of this season despite having a valid contract until 2021, a German media report says.

The report, published by the online portals "spox" and "goal", claims the 47-year-old will get the sack even if Bayern win the 2018/19 Bundesliga title this weekend and the German Cup final against RB Leipzig seven days later.

Former Bayern Munich and Netherlands international midfielder Mark van Bommel is mentioned as Kovac's most likely successor. The 42-year-old played for Bayern between 2006 and 2011, winning two Bundesliga titles, and currently coaches Dutch outfit PSV Eindhoven.

Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, president Uli Hoeness, and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic are said to have decided to sack Kovac, as he stands accused of having lost his players' trust and not delivering satisfying tactical advice.

Training sessions are described as monotonous.

Key players such as Jerome Boateng, Franck Ribery, James Rodriguez, Thomas Muller and Joshua Kimmich are said to be against Kovac continuing as Bayern coach.

Rummenigge denied the report. "It is a total hoax," the 63-year-old claimed. "There is no such decision."

The club will announce their decision after the cup final on May 25, "spox" says.

Neither Rummenigge, Hoeness nor Salihamidzic have expressed any kind of commitment backing Kovac over recent weeks.

"We should all concentrate on winning the title and then we will all be happy," Hoeness said. Salihamidzic answered questions about Kovac's future by responding: "We will see."

After Van Bommel, RB Leipzig coach Ralf Rangnick is also mentioned as a possible new Bayern coach. Former German international Lothar Matthaus spoke about Rangnick having the necessary experience and expertise to secure the Bavarian club's position as a powerhouse of European football.

Hoeness is assumed to have changed his opinion about Kovac in recent weeks. Until then, the 67-year-old was regarded as the Croatian's last remaining supporter.

But, like Rummenigge, he now seems to have lost confidence that the former Croatia national coach is the right man to lead Bayern's newly-formed squad into the future. Rummenigge said: "Everyone working for Bayern has to deliver without receiving a commitment every day."

The tabloid Bild reports that the final decision hasn't yet been made by Bayern, but that Kovac is still under heavy fire. The paper says Kovac's reputation has already been heavily damaged, and that it is unlikely he will continue to coach the reigning German champions in the 2019/2020 season.

Bayern's bosses came under heavy criticism themselves after refusing to confirm Kovac as their future coach.

Several media said Kovac deserves better treatment. Some called the Bayern leaders' reactions dishonorable, while "Bild" demanded that they tell Kovac the truth.

Former Bayern midfielder and TV pundit Dietmar Hamann accused the club's leaders of presiding over a failed recruitment policy. "They tried to play with two 35-year-olds on the wings and expected to win the Champions League. Bayern's current squad hasn't got the same quality as this season's Champions League semifinalists. That wasn't Kovac's responsibility," the former Liverpool player said.

Hamann added that Kovac had done an admirable job in a difficult situation. But now it seems even Kovac's achievements are not going to be enough to satisfy Bayern's leaders.