Matthaus praises Bayern-bound Kovac

Bayern Munich great Lothar Matthaus praised the Bundesliga club’s appointment of Niko Kovac, talking up the incoming head coach.

Kovac was surprisingly given a three-year deal to take the helm of Bayern beginning from next season after an impressive stint in charge of Eintracht Frankfurt.

Thomas Tuchel was among those linked with the job at Bayern, where Jupp Heynckes has enjoyed another successful spell.

Matthaus was happy to see Kovac appointed, saying the Croatian had shown he had the skills to succeed at Bayern.

“He [Kovac] has experience, he was a very good player and was the captain of the Croatia national team,” he told Omnisport.

“Bayern was looking for a German-speaking coach who is in this position and Niko Kovac has done a very good job in the last two and a half years in Frankfurt.

“He built this team from close to the second league to a Champions League place in the Bundesliga.

“He has charisma, he has passion, he knows about football. He was a leader as a player and is showing this as a coach too.”