When Franz suddenly became interim coach of FC Bayern from Vice President in 1994, this was initially intended as an emergency solution. In the end, however, it became another chapter in his unique career.
In December, Franz explained cautiously at first: “If there was an emergency, I would take over FC Bayern and perhaps let myself be persuaded.” A few weeks later on December 28, Franz officially took up his new office.
It was as if the club was instinctively returning to its roots: Franz stepped on the pitch again. He never looked like a classic trainer with tactical boards and endless sessions, but like a strategist who guided primarily through his personality. His presence alone was enough to set the team up. Players like Lothar Matthäus later reported that his calm and authority were immediately noticeable during training.
And success was also immediate: Bayern won the German championship in 1994 by one point ahead of Kaiserslautern. Once again, he was able to prove his talent. After a season full of unrest and doubt, it was an even bigger sensation. Franz had managed to reunite the divided team and restore their self-confidence. He did it with the same composure that had already distinguished him as a player and team boss: No hustle and bustle, no pressure, but trust in the quality of the players.
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A year later, history repeated itself: After the end of coaches Giovanni Trapattoni and Otto Rehhagel, Franz once again assumed interim responsibility on the coaching bench and led FC Bayern to win the UEFA Cup in 1996.
Gradually, it became clear that the emperor simply succeeds in everything. Franz was a guarantee of stability in uncertain times. When it came down to it, he was there and he put Bayern back on the road to success. Not staging, not holding on to office, but proof of his extraordinary grandeur.
His time as an interim trainer remains a special chapter: Just an emperor. On the pitch, on the sidelines and in the heart of FC Bayern.
