No pain, no gain for Heynckes´ Bayern

Jupp Heynckes feels his Bayern Munich will have to learn how to suffer if they are to be successful in the 2011/12 campaign.

Heynckes says the team have plenty of quality among their ranks, but stressed that the mental aspect of the game is equally important.

“The team has to understand and learn that it’s no longer enough to have a lot of quality these days. Everybody has to be ready to suffer to help the team,” Heynckes was quoted as saying by Bild.

“We have some outstanding individual players and a lot of quality. But it’s impossible to relax and sit back when you’re at Bayern. It’s my job to make the players realise this.”

Heynckes then went on respond to Mario Gomez’s criticism that Bayern can be too static to surprise opponents on occasions.

“I can only look at the performances we’ve put in in the past with this season, and the successes we’ve achieved.”

Heynckes also stressed that although Borussia Dortmund are Bayern’s biggest rivals in the title race, the other teams in the chasing pack cannot be ruled out completely.

“We have to show respect to Schalke and Borussia Monchengladbach,” he said.

“They play some excellent football. Dortmund are the reigning champions and are among the top favourites.”

Bayern sit joint first on the table with Dortmund and Schalke – all three sides have 37 points from 18 games.