Effenberg: Dortmund better than Bayern
Former Bayern Munich player Stefan Effenberg believes that Borussia Dortmund are the country's top side currently and called on the Bavarians to make some changes.
By ESPNSTAR.com staff
Effenberg was part of the Bayern side that won three league titles in the 1990s as well as the 2000/01 Champions League. He also witnessed the likes of Michael Ballack and Oliver Kahn continue the domination of the league as Bayern won five league titles in the decade that followed.
In recent years, however, Dortmund have risen to the fore with two consecutive championships and they defeated Bayern in both their home and away games as well as the DFB-Pokal final last season.
To their credit, Bayern did reach the Champions League final on home soil back in May but they failed to defeat an under-strength Chelsea side.
Effenberg called for changes at the club in order to readdress the balance. He is happy that the Bavarian giants recently parted ways with sporting director Christian Nerlinger in order to start the process of renewal.
"Bayern Munich have to make up something. One could even say that Borussia Dortmund have overtaken them," Effenberg told Sport Bild.
"You can't always point fingers at the players, but you have to look at the staff as well. And that's exactly where Bayern have taken measures. I believe in discussing controversial topics to find solutions."
A continual thread over the past season was the many internal bust-ups that plagued the German club. But Effenberg insists that it's all part and parcel of a football club's life and he knows that a season that saw them fail to win some important matches would naturally cause friction.
"Having the occasional argument is part of the job. Internally, within the team, but within the club itself as well," he agreed.
"A season like last term where they ended up being runners-up in every competition drives the big chiefs crazy."
Meanwhile, CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has already declared that Bayern will not be buying any further players. They have already signed Xherdan Shaqiri, Dante, Mario Mandzukic and Claudio Pizarro and tied down Arjen Robben's future at the club.
Bayern start the new campaign with an away match against recently promoted side Greuther Furth on Saturday, August 25.