Will Bayern Munich Regret Letting Mitchell Weiser Leave for Hertha Berlin?
German right-winger Mitchell Weiser, 21, has exercised his Bosman right to a free transfer, leaving Bayern Munich for Hertha Berlin.
Weiser might rue what could have been, and Bayern Munich may wonder if they should have sorted out his contract situation before his purple patch.
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Bad Attitude
Weiser brashly elected to go on holiday rather than make himself available for Bayern Munich II's 2014 Regionalliga play-off against Fortuna Koln.
What was at stake?
A place in the 3. Liga, which would provide a higher standard of play for Bayern Munich's future prospects—Fortuna Koln prevailed over two legs.
Since joining Bayern Munich from Koln for €800,000/£644,688 in 2012, Weiser's personal wealth has grown, and he is living a luxurious lifestyle.
Off the field, Weiser is winning at life.
On the field, his development as a footballer stagnated.
Up until the waning months of his expiring contract, he was a social loafer content with riding the coattails of Bayern Munich's success.
Father Knows Best
Patrick Weiser, who played 270 Bundesliga games, noticed his son's complacency.
"Mitch," Patrick said, per Bayern Munich's website. "Even now I regret not giving it absolutely everything earlier in my pro career."
Translation: Son, leave everything on the field, because years later you might look back at your career with sadness like me.
"I spent a lot of time thinking things over. Am I really giving it 100 per cent in training?" the younger Weiser said, per Bayern Munich's website. "Does [Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola] know the real Mitchell Weiser?"
Guardiola didn't know the real Weiser because he was a squad-filler who didn't push himself to change his status.
Inspired by his father's self-reproach, Weiser dedicated himself in training while also playing for a new contract.
It worked.
"[Guardiola] talks a lot with me now, and it feels good," Weiser said, per Bayern Munich's website. "I sense he has me on his radar now."
Better late than never.
A victim of ankle and knee ligament injuries in the past, Weiser benefited from Bayern Munich's injury crisis.
Despite Bayern Munich announcing Weiser's contract would not be renewed, per Kicker (h/t Clark Whitney at Bleacher Report), he was given one last chance by Guardiola.
Playing 13 Bundesliga games this past season enabled Weiser to showcase his form entering free agency.
Jens Hegeler, Genki Haraguchi, Marvin Plattenhardt and Per Ciljan Skjelbred were powerless in their attempts to stop Weiser's speed, his quick feet and his mazy dribbling.
Weiser completed a marvellous solo run by providing the game-winning assist to Bastian Schweinsteiger in Bayern Munich's 1-0 win over Hertha Berlin.
Nutmegging Christian Gunter, Weiser accelerated into space and squared the ball to Schweinsteiger, who scored in Bayern Munich's 2-1 defeat to Freiburg.
Running on to Sebastian Rode's lofted pass, Weiser clipped the ball over an onrushing Lukas Kruse in Bayern Munich's 6-0 win over Paderborn.
Where was this version of Weiser in previous seasons?
Right Fit
Hertha Berlin sporting director Michael Preetz won the Weiser sweepstakes.
"[Weiser is] able to develop further [here and] can play down both wings with great speed," Preetz said, per Karolos Grohmann at Reuters. "We are happy that he decided to join us."
Translation: Weiser will receive more chances at Hertha Berlin than at Bayern Munich.
Feeling wanted is what swayed Weiser's decision.
"I had some good talks with sporting director Michael Preetz and [manager] Pal Dardai," Weiser said, per Sky Sports. "Hertha Berlin came in for me early on and this is going to be a very exciting challenge for me."
Saying Hertha Berlin "came in for me early" suggests Weiser maintained dialogue with Preetz for an extended period of time.
Preetz may have gained Weiser's trust because he was at a career crossroads prior to morphing into the German Dani Alves.
Weiser scored a goal and registered four assists in his last 10 Bundesliga games.
The large majority of his best moments occurred on the right side, an area of need for Hertha Berlin.
Haraguchi is a neat player, however, he lacks an end product.
Roy Beerens is a scoring threat, but he drifts in and out of games.
Unlike Beerens and Haraguchi, Weiser can function as a passing outlet out wide.
Weiser is more efficient in assists, key passes per 90 minutes, passes per 90 minutes and pass accuracy per cent than Beerens and Haraguchi.
These metrics indicate starting Weiser will likely create more goalscoring opportunities.
No Hertha Berlin player scored 10 goals or more in the past Bundesliga season.
You should chuckle at the serendipity of Preetz reaching out to Weiser when he had hit rock bottom, only for him to rectify his reputation at Bayern Munich.
Now Weiser could be the solution to Hertha Berlin's stagnant attack—you're not going to score if you can't create.
Replacing Weiser
How about Sinan Kurt?
Transferring from Borussia Monchengladbach to Bayern Munich for €1.1 million/£870,164 in 2014, the 18-year-old German has had a nondescript start.
Twenty-one players outscored (eight-plus goals) Kurt (seven goals) in the Under-19 Bundesliga.
Kurt was not one of the nine wide-forwards/wingers flagged as a hot prospect in the UEFA Youth League by Wyscout (listed in alphabetical order):
- Andy Kawaya (Anderlecht)
- Brandon Barker (Manchester City)
- Daniele Verde (Roma)
- Francesco Di Mariano (Roma)
- Harry Wilson (Liverpool)
- Isaiah Brown (Chelsea)
- Jose Carlos Lazo (Real Madrid)
- Ruben Macedo (Porto)
- Vaclav Cerny (Ajax)
Playing 45 minutes in Bayern Munich's 1-0 win over Hertha Berlin, Kurt interchanged from the right to left flank.
Cutting in from the right, a la Arjen Robben, Kurt's shot was ignominiously blocked by Plattenhardt.
Kurt needs to be more assertive if he is called upon to deputise for Robben.
Throughout Robben's career, he has generally sat out segments of a campaign to rehabilitate injuries.
It is a testament to his mental toughness that he has consistently bounced back from adversity.
Scoring 17 goals and providing seven assists in 21 Bundesliga games, Robben was on course to put his name alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Amid the intensity of top-flight football, Robben's body gave way for the upteempth time.
"I knew right away, there's something broken," Robben said, per 11 Freunde (h/t Alec Fenn at Goal). "I only felt emptiness. For a moment I was dead [inside]. Completely destroyed."
If Robben plays out next season injury-free, Weiser will just be another ex-Bayern Munich player in the Bundesliga.
Should Robben's body break down and Kurt is still not ready while Weiser is starring for Hertha Berlin, it will be a bitter pill to swallow for Bayern Munich.
Weiser might be the one that got away.
When not specified, statistics via WhoScored.
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