An evening with Christoph Freund: Bayern Munich's sporting director talks about his journey, transfers and life after Thomas Tuchel

"A lot has changed within the club in recent years. It's not the perfect time but it's important we create a strong management team for the future. We want a coach who works for a longer period - at least for the next three to four years so that we have more continuity. It's important but not so easy for such a huge club."

Christoph Freund might only have joined Bayern Munich six months ago, but the Austrian already has a vision to shape a new era at the Allianz Arena. The decision to part ways with Thomas Tuchel at the end of the season coupled with the fact that Bayer Leverkusen only need six wins from their next ten Bundesliga games to be crowned champions have clearly left a sour taste within Sabener Strasse, but Christoph remains as upbeat as ever, as he sits down with Sportskeeda and a handful of other journalists across south-east Asia to talk about the club's future.

Despite Bayern's current predicament, cautious optimism is the name of the game for the scouting genius, whose work with the Red Bull group needs no introduction. Having served as Red Bull Salzburg's Sporting Director between 2015 and 2023, Christoph cemented his stature as one of the game's finest operators, nurturing players like Sadio Mane, Naby Keita, Dominik Szoboszlai and Erling Haaland, among others.

Talking about his time with the Austrian giants, Christoph believes his experience as a former player played a big part in shaping his career as a sporting director, adding that he always believed he could hone his skills at one of the biggest clubs in world football.

"I worked a long time at Salzburg - a smaller club in a smaller league but we were really successful. I knew I could bring my skills here and my experience as a former player. It's important to have the right mix.

"This is one of the biggest clubs in Europe. I'm from Salzburg, a city which is around 130 kilometers from Munich. I followed the club closely for the last 20 years and liked the structure and history. I felt my personality would work well with the club and that was my feeling when I joined.

When asked about the pressure of dealing with expectations at Bayern Munich, Christoph simply says with a beaming smile on his face "It's not so easy!".

The decision to part ways with Tuchel - although sudden - has turned the tide in the club's favor in recent weeks, with Bayern securing three wins and a draw across all competitions after announcing that the German tactician will leave the club at the end of the season. While Christoph holds Tuchel - who he describes as an intelligent person with a crystal clear plan - in high regard, he believes the decision to go separate ways with him at the end of the campaign is the right one for everyone involved.

"Thomas Tuchel is a really good coach and a person. I worked with him for six months, he's always got a crystal clear plan and his tactical knowledge is really good and detailed. He's very experienced and is an intelligent person who speaks a lot of different languages"

"It's a special decision. It's the first time I think we've made an announcement in such a way that we decide to part ways at the end of the season but we also have to work together for the part of the season that remains."

"We had discussions with the coach in the last days and weeks. We hope the team will play with more freedom between now and the end of the season in the Bundesliga and also in the UEFA Champions League. We hope that there is a bit of new energy and mood for the next three months - we hope we did the right thing for the club!"

"His reaction was really professional. We had a lot of discussions about the club, Thomas and his staff. A decision we hadn't made before, but we have a fair relationship and his goals are crystal clear for the next three months. Everybody within the club - the players and the coaching will fight for the best results in the coming weeks. The atmosphere is okay at the moment."

It's been a season of change on and off the pitch at the Allianz Arena. While a handful of new players like Harry Kane, Kim Min-jae, Raphael Guerreiro, Konrad Laimer, Bryan Zaragoza, Sasha Boey and Eric Dier have been snapped up in the past two transfer windows, Aleksandar Pavlović's emergence in the center of the park has been a silver lining in an otherwise mediocre campaign by Bayern's lofty standards. Off the pitch, two key members of the backroom staff in Hasan Salihamidzic and Oliver Kahn left the club at the end of the 2022-23 campaign, with Christoph and Max Eberl assuming the roles of Sporting Director and Sporting CEO, respectively.

Christoph is aware that the Bavarian giants are undergoing 'a lot of change' and speaks about the need to shape a new era, signaling that the upcoming transfer windows are crucial for the club's future.

"Bayern are built for pressure, if we lose one or two games, there's suddenly a lot of pressure. Eleven titles on the trot is just outstanding and not normal. Bayern are always expected to lead the table by five points or so, but it's also normal that this happens to a club that's undergoing a lot of change.

"A lot of players have been here for a long time and won a lot of titles together. We have good character and energy but we have to think about what we can do with the squad. Can we bring a bunch of new hungry players into the squad for a refresh? We have a lot of work to do in the upcoming transfer windows!"

Harry Kane's move to Germany was undoubtedly one of the biggest transfers of the previous summer. The England captain has taken to the Bundesliga like a fish to water, having notched up 36 goals across 34 appearances in all competitions for the club. Christoph describes Kane as a 'calm guy' who is set to be a big part of the club's new era.

"He's an outstanding player with a lot of experience. He's a calm guy, he's not so loud but he's a big personality on and off the pitch. He's only been here for six months, but he will be one of the big faces over the next years.

Kim Min-jae's solid start to life at his new club has been viewed in close quarters by the Asian fan base, with the South Korean international cementing his status as one of the best central defenders in world football. Christoph dubs the 27-year-old as 'a super character' and speaks in detail about the work ethic of Asian footballers, having worked with a handful of them during his stint with Salzburg.

"Kim is a super character - always positive and very professional. He was a league champion at Napoli and brings a lot of positive energy to this team. He's learning the language and the culture but he's so focused. He's played nearly every game unless he's with South Korea in the Asian Cup!

"Asia is a really interesting market - players from this region are really professional and you know what you get with them. In my former club, I worked with Hee-chan Hwang and Takumi Minamino and they were really good pros. The market there is getting a lot better."

The Austrian confirmed that wheels are already in motion to appoint the next manager as Xabi Alonso's name continues to dominate the back pages in recent weeks. When asked if Bayern have started talks to appoint a new coach, Christoph kept his cards close to his chest and simply said 'yes' with a wry smile on his face.

Whether it is Alonso or another manager in the dugout next season, Bayern Munich absolutely have to get this appointment right. And knowing the caliber of their officials behind the scenes, you wouldn't bet against them.