Uli Hoeness: Pros and Cons of Bayern Munich Restoring Fallen Hero to Presidency

Uli Hoeness and his family received some good news this week as it was revealed that the former Bayern Munich president would be released from jail on February 29. A German court confirmed the 64-year-old's early release, per PA Sport (h/t ESPN), 21 months into a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence.

Hoeness had been sentenced for evading €27.5 million in taxes by holding funds in a Swiss bank account and out of sight of German tax collectors.

The news will be welcome among many Bayern fans, who have long viewed him as a hero of the club. Hoeness spent his entire senior playing career at the Bundesliga giants, and then 35 years in the club's management. His ascendancy to the presidency in 2009 coincided with the Bavarian club reaching three Champions League finals in four years and winning the treble in 2013.

Yet many are less enthusiastic about Hoeness' early release, citing the damage his greed had done to the club as reason to put distance between the man and the organization. For the last year, Hoeness has been working with the club on day release, but behind the scenes in the youth department.

The obvious question that comes with Hoeness' release from prison is the role he'll play at the club.

Current president Karl Hopfner said in September of 2014, per BR TV (h/t ESPN) that he doubted the former Germany international would ever return to his previous role, yet much has changed in Munich since that time. There are foreseeable benefits and disadvantages to his returning to the presidency.

On the plus side, Hoeness has a proven track record with the German champions. His dedication to the club is beyond question, as he's spent almost his entire adult life as part of Bayern Munich in one way or another.

His term as president also saw Bayern rise from a status outside the very top tier of Europe's elite clubs to perhaps the best. He understands what works for the Allianz Arena club far beyond what any trainer has and could.

In a time of transition at Bayern, when older players who defined the club for many years are being replaced and a new trainer is set to begin his work, having Hoeness on board to anchor the team in terms of its ethos and philosophy is particularly important.

Many Bayern fans lament how the club has changed from being "Germany's team" and one with deep commitment to its homegrown talents to something else. Philipp Lahm and Thomas Muller are the last native Bavarians in the lineup, and club icons like Bastian Schweinsteiger and Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt have left.

In terms of transfer policy, foreign stars have been preferred as academy graduates have seen their chances limited and, in many cases, been offloaded. Pep Guardiola was given free reign by chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, and now that the trainer is on his way out, the direction of the club isn't quite as certain as it once was.

For all these reasons, someone of Hoeness' qualifications and stature in the club would be of enormous value.

Yet for all the good, there are some significant drawbacks to restoring Hoeness to his former post as president.

The most obvious is how it would serve as a message that, for some, corruption and selfishness are acceptable. Almost anyone else would be banned for life for committing the offenses that Hoeness did. And understandably so: His actions were selfish and undermined all the good he'd done for Bayern Munich. He allowed personal fortune to tarnish his club's image. For many, it would be too much to just write off such offenses.

There also is a practical side of the issue: Yes, Hoeness was an outstanding president during his time, but there is no guarantee he will be the same person after jail. He's been out of the game for a while; football and Bayern itself have changed.

On the bright side, he's worked with the club in a smaller capacity over the last year and more likely than not has paid close attention to all Bayern affairs. Still, concerns of how he'd fare as president are legitimized by his time out of the chair.

Will Hoeness return to the Bayern presidency? Probably not in the immediate future, but it's possible a little further down the road. And it comes with some distinct pros and cons. It will be just the next existential decision for the club; whether or not he returns will determine Bayern's future direction.

@Mr_Bundesliga