Mourinho backs Bayern Munich manager Niko Kovac

Jose Mourinho recently addressed the speculation concerning him and Bayern Munich, and he gave some surprisingly humble insights.

Despite still being on track to win both the Bundesliga and the DFB Pokal, Bayern Munich have had a tumultuous 2018-19 campaign. The Bavarians have often struggled this season, and this was perhaps the most evident in their Champions League round of 16 matches against Liverpool.

It's impossible to pin Bayern's shortcomings this season on one person in particular. However, the man who has most often come under heavy criticism is — unsurprisingly — manager Niko Kovac.

The Croatian had no experience managing a big club prior to taking over the Bayern squad this past summer, and he has spent the entire season under the microscope. Many doubt whether or not he has what it takes to lead the club forward and hope to see him replaced over the summer.

While there is little real evidence to suggest Kovac is in serious danger of losing his post anytime soon, Bayern have already found themselves linked with a few potential replacements. Among those names mentioned is divisive figure Jose Mourinho.

The Portuguese coach was recently sacked from Manchester United after failing to find any real success with England's biggest club. The 56-year-old is now jobless and gave a recent interview with Sport Bild on the possibility of him managing in the Bundesliga. However, he simply backed Niko Kovac for success in Munich and wouldn't say whether or not he'd like the opportunity to manage Bayern (via The Independent).

“I respect Niko Kovac as I respect many of my colleagues, so I cannot answer [whether I would like to coach at Bayern]. I can only say that Bayern is a giant club.

“I honestly hope Niko keeps his job because he worked very hard to reach this level. I met Kovac in a friendly game in preseason. I liked him straight away. I felt a good connection between us and mutual respect.”

Mourinho not only refused to admit he'd like to work at Bayern, he wouldn't even claim he would like to manage in the Bundesliga for fear that his words would be twisted. Instead, he simply responded to all speculation by insisting he hopes to win his ninth league title and third European title some time soon.

Even if Bayern do opt to sack Niko Kovac in the coming months, they'd be making a terrible decision by signing Jose Mourinho. His tactical approach is the antithesis of what is expected from Bayern, while his toxic personality would clash drastically with Bayern's “Mia San Mia” approach. Furthermore, he is a manager who greatly prefers to work with established stars rather than develop youth, and that would not be good for the club.