Bayern in Turmoil Following Draw with Schalke As Lahm and Toni Are Fined

It was almost full time in the 2008-09 season in Bayern's home match against Wolfsburg when Felix Magath took Diego Benaglio off the pitch to bring in his sub keeper.

Most ex-Bayern players and coaches fail to extract revenge from the club that shipped them off or, in the case of coaches, sacked them...everyone except Magath. This time, Magath didn't fail to thwart Bayern either. He handed a debut to 18 year old debutant Joel Matip who did not disappoint as he earned Schalke their point. Matip will not be easily forgotten by the Bayern faithful.

Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni failed to score once again as Bayern failed to produce consistently. By Louis Van Gaal's own admission, they played well for 80 minutes, not 90.

An interesting point in this match was neither Edson Braafheid nor Daniel Pranjic started. I had previously expected Pranjic to start as he is an attacking left back whereas Braafheid is more defensive. Instead, the role on the left wing went to versatile defender Holger Badstuber.

Following the match, Bayern could think of converting Daniel Van Buyten into a striker and Luca Toni into a defender.

Prior to the match, Philipp Lahm spoke his mind about his childhood club and its bizarre transfer policy:

"If you want to measure yourself with Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester United you as Bayern need a philosophy. That must be the aim of the club.

Clubs like Manchester United or Barcelona have a system, and then you hire personnel that fits this system.

We hired Arjen Robben because he is very good and an international player. But we didn't hire him because we said: we will play 4-3-3 from now on. This doesn't happen here, that the club says we will do this (system) now and everything is built on that.

On an international level you need at least eight players who have learnt to play their position, who are confident and competitive. I don't see these eight players here. That has nothing to do with the players but with a lacking philosophy over the past years

The club must tell a new coach: this is the way we play. No one in Barcelona would ever play 4-4-2. Barcelona is 4-3-3, that is a fact!'

Bayern had an abundance of home grown talent who they gave away. Do Piotr Trochowski, Zvejdan Misimovic, Mats Hummels and currently Toni Kroos come into mind?

Lahm is also correct in questioning the club's playing philsophy. The club plays attacking football. Under both Ottmar Hitzfeld and mostly under Jurgen Klinsmann the formation was 4-4-2. Most of the players do not fit in a 4-3-3.

Bayern brought in Anatoliy Tymoschuk during the summer transfer window, but he isn't required. Maybe they could have tried to bring someone like Andreas Beck or make good use of Andreas Gorlitz.

Luca Toni on top of all of his club's troubles decided to do a "Kevin Kuranyi." He walked out, rather drove out of the Allianz Arena at half time because he was substituted for Arjen Robben.

If you are not scoring, despite playing with the reserves to gain fitness, I am not sure you can expect a place even in the starting lineup.

Bayern released a statement today stating that they are fining their players:

"With his unauthorised early departure from the Bundesliga match and the Allianz Arena on Saturday, Luca Toni committed an unacceptable breach of club discipline. The board has resolved to levy a substantial fine. In the meantime and notwithstanding the fine, Luca Toni has apologised for his behaviour to the club and his team-mates.

Club vice-captain Philipp Lahm, who gave an interview openly critical of the club, the coach and his team-mates, has violated internal club rules in a flagrant and inexcusable manner as follows:

1) Interviews must be exclusively requested and organised by the club, and submitted to the player for authorisation. This is stipulated by contract and confirmed by every player.
2) Voicing criticism of the club, the coach and team-mates in public is absolutely forbidden at all times."

According to Karl Heinz Rummenigge, "Philipp Lahm will be punished with a fine heavier than any levied before by FC Bayern Munich.”

Bayern are eighth in the table following their draw against Schalke. They have to get things together quickly before the arrival of Bayer Leverkusen two weeks later.