Honorary Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer does not often speak publicly, but when he does, his comments are usually spot-on, if controversial. Last week, the Kaiser criticised the Bavarian giants for missing the kind of motivator they have consistently been able to call upon over the years.

“None of these players is a
[Lothar] Matthaus,” Beckenbauer told Bild, referring to skipper Philipp Lahm and deputy Bastian Schweinsteiger. “Lahm is Lahm, and Matthaus is Matthaus.”
Beckenbauer instead claimed that Mark Van Bommel, who was club captain before he was forced out of the squad in January, was a more appropriate leader.
“Van Bommel is a real captain to whom the team answered. It may be true that he was not the best player, but he was a man. You need such an alpha male,” he explained.
Ideally, a team should not need a leader in order to play at their best: the prospect of winning should in itself be enough motivation. Being selected for a historically successful club should be a suitable boost of confidence to have players fresh and ready to give their all on a regular basis. And on their best days, few do need such an alpha male: the form of several individual players takes the collective performance to the next level.
The problem is, the instance of many players being in top form during any given game is a rarity. For the other 90 per cent of matches, a team will need a motivator, one who during a clash can bring the best out of his team-mates. And it is in this area where Bayern are lacking.
A typical case in point was the second-leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie with Inter in March. Bayern had a wealth of class on the pitch and after utterly dominating the opening 45 minutes, only needed to avoid being out-scored by two goals in the second half in order to advance.
In the form of Luiz Gustavo, who played two excellent legs against Inter, Bayern perhaps had more quality alongside Schweinsteiger than they could have expected from the ageing Mark Van Bommel. But neither Gustavo nor any of the Bayern players could replace the Dutchman’s leadership, and it showed after the break. On home soil, they were scared, especially over the last half-hour, and conceded unanswered goals in the 63rd and 88th minutes.
In the final, decisive period of the tie, the class of the Bayern squad did not matter. Instead, it was Inter’s desire - and Bayern’s lack of composure - that decided the outcome. Schweinsteiger and Lahm were unable to stabilise the team the way Van Bommel had a year before, when Bayern were 3-0 down to Manchester United at Old Trafford before mounting an epic comeback. Nor were the two able to provide that same effect in a number of important Bundesliga matches, particularly in their consecutive losses to Dortmund and Hannover in February and March.
As they embark on a new campaign, Bayern boast an improved squad. In Manuel Neuer they have their long-awaited successor to Oliver Kahn, and for the first time since the Willy Sagnol days, the Roten have two qualified full-backs in Philipp Lahm and newcomer Rafinha. Before the transfer window closes, they will sign an improvement at centre-back, and perhaps Arturo Vidal. But out of the potential and confirmed signings, the only true on-pitch leader is Neuer, the extent of whose qualities in that role are still uncertain.
Heading into the 2011-12 season, morale is high at Bayern, and the German record champions are hoping to do more than add another Bundesliga title to their trophy cabinet. With their purchases, the Roten have significantly improved their squad and addressed longstanding problems, more of which will be fixed before the end of the transfer window. However, the lack of leadership among players is one that cannot be underestimated and could make the difference between Champions League glory and heartbreak. And given Bayern’s record in the transfer market, it may yet be two more years until they have an alpha male in the dressing room. That is, unless a leader emerges from the pack. Your turn, Philipp and Bastian.
(Source: Goal)