Manager Vincent Kompany has already given the staff at the campus canteen a whopping nine (!) occasions to heat up those legendary boiled sausages in their pots – at least, that’s what the rough estimate suggests. For since Lennart Karl’s first match at the Club World Cup last summer, just as many youngsters have made their professional debuts. In recent weeks, however, the chefs and white sausage suppliers have been completely overwhelmed.
“Here we are again – sooner than expected,” said youth team manager Jochen Sauer, greeting the kitchen staff recently. The culinary treat was actually a result of Maycon Cardoso’s debut in early March against Gladbach, but since then Deniz Ofli, Filip Pavic and, most recently, Erblin Osmani have also made their debuts. Due to a minor injury crisis, there was one debut after another before the international break. Master of ceremonies Kompany had already rewarded Wisdom Mike, David Santos Daiber, Cassiano Kiala and Felipe Chavez earlier in the season. A record!
“We’ve already achieved the most debuts per season from players from our own youth academy and clocked up the most total minutes played with the youngest average age of the players in question,” enthused Sauer, emphasising that no other club in Europe’s top leagues could boast such a record. Probably also to ease the burden on the campus staff, no further Weißwurst breakfasts are currently planned. Instead, there will be a barbecue in the summer “to celebrate our record-breaking season in style”.
The significance of this historic milestone is demonstrated not only by the planned “break” with tradition, but also by a look back at the recent past. Such promotion of young talent was far less pronounced just a few years ago and cost FC Bayern many of the established top players of today. Among them is Angelo Stiller, who, thanks to his outstanding performances at VfB Stuttgart under former FCB youth coach Sebastian Hoeneß, is currently vying for a place in the German national team squad for the upcoming World Cup. His departure from the German record champions was preceded by a “slap in the face”, for which the then manager Hansi Flick was primarily responsible.
