The FCB president has voiced his admiration for the 43-year-old coach, while he has also hailed Xabi Alonso’s contribution to the team following his summer move
Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge believes the presence of Pep Guardiola will help the Bundesliga champions attract more top players.
The former Barcelona coach has helped bring in players such as Robert Lewandowski, Mario Gotze, Thiago Alcantara, Xabi Alonso and Mehdi Benatia since his arrival at Bayern in the summer of 2013 and Rummenigge has nothing but praise for the Spaniard.
“Pep Guardiola is a very good trainer. He works with an intensity I have never experienced and I’ve been with this club for a long, long time now, he added,” Rummenigge told Goal.
“He’s an unbelievable trainer. We can all be fortunate he’s at Bayern. I notice that when I talk to players – he is a factor in why they want to come to Bayern.
“Robert Lewandowski and Mario Gotze moved to Bayern as they wanted to work with him, among other things. That’s a plus for us.
“Sometimes he comes on non-training days, sits five, six hours in his office and analyses matches. On Sunday at Oktoberfest he stayed for two hours and then got on a plane to Italy to watch [Champions League opponents] Roma against Juventus.
“There are coaches who would rather drink the occasional beer more but he flew to Turin to watch our next opponent. He’s a meticulous worker.”
Xabi Alonso was one of Guardiola’s key signings this summer after the departure of Toni Kroos to Real Madrid and Rummenigge is impressed by the experienced midfielder’s performances so far.
Featuring in defence and midfield, Alonso has helped make up for the void left by injuries to the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thiago Alcantara and Javi Martinez, with Bayern leading the Bundesliga by four points after seven games.
“I knew the player Xabi Alonso well but the person off the pitch slightly less. From the first day I noticed that he has a great personality.
“That’s resulted in his style of playing football. He completed his debut at Schalke, having not even trained with the team before. Everyone has figured out that he strengthens Bayern and the transfer was extremely useful.
“I hope he will continue on this path.
“Javi Martinez’s injury was a bad thing, but we turned it into something positive by signing Alonso and Benatia.
“Mehdi Benatia will give us additional quality in the next weeks and months – the stubborn negotiations have paid off. You always need a bit of luck with transfers.”
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