Guardiola agrees three-year deal with Bayern
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Bayern Munich have pulled off a major coup by successfully courting
arguably the most in-demand coach in the world -- Pep Guardiola.
One day after Guardiola
had talked openly of his desire to manage in the English Premier League,
Bayern announced the 41-year-old Catalan had agreed to coach the German
club for three seasons from the start of the 2013/2014 campaign.
"Pep Guardiola is one of
the most successful coaches in the world and we are sure that he can
give not just Bayern, but the German football, lots of shine. We look
forward to working with him from July 2013," Bayern Munich president Uli
Hoeness told the club's website.
The 41-year-old Guardiola
stepped down as Barcelona coach at the end of last season after four
years in charge of one of the world's biggest clubs to take a year-long
sabbatical.
Bayern told CNN there would be no further announcements before the German season resumes on Saturday.
Guardiola enjoyed a
hugely successful spell at the Camp Nou, guiding the Catalan club to 14
major honors including three league titles and two European Champions
League triumphs.
The news of Guardiola's
appointment coincided with the announcement that 67-year-old current
Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes will be retiring from coaching.
"FC Bayern today
announces that head coach Jupp Heynckes has decided to retire when his
current contract expires on 30 June 2013," read a statement on the
German league leader's website.
"In his place, the club has appointed Pep Guardiola as head coach for three years from 1 July 2013."
Heynckes is currently in his third spell as Bayern coach having taken over from Dutchman Louis van Gaal in 2011.
After a second-place
finish in the Bundesliga last season, Heynckes' team lead the table by
nine points at the halfway stage of the 2012/13 campaign.
Guardiola had been
heavily linked with a move to England, with Chelsea, Manchester City and
Manchester United all rumored to be interested in appointing him.
The former Barca captain
seemed to fuel those rumors by telling the English Football
Association's website: "I've always found English football very
fascinating, just for the environment, the crowd and the supporters.
"As a player, I couldn't
realize my dream to play there but I hope in the future, I have a
challenge to be a coach or a manager there and feel the experience of
all the coaches and players that have been there.
"It is unique, to play
in that league. I want to feel the supporters, the environment, the
media and the style of the players and everything.
"I am still young, just 41, so I hope in the future I could be able to train there and enjoy that."
