Union Berlin, Bayern Munich, and SC Freiburg are Top 3 in the Bundesliga right now for good reason. While much of the plaudits go to the players who go out there and compete every match, the men behind the touchline should get credit as well.
Continuity in particular has been the theme for both Union Berlin and SC Freiburg, as Urs Fischer and Christian Streich are currently the longest serving coaches in the Bundesliga and the clubs’ investment on these two has been paying off.
On the other hand, Julian Nagelsmann is one of the brightest young coaches today. Despite their ups and downs so far this season, Bayern Munich are generally doing well under his guidance.
It’s rare that coaches take the praise especially when they’re teams are winning. So without further ado, allow SBOTOP to give credit where it’s due by looking into their respective campaigns thus far.
Urs Fischer, Union Berlin
Even if Union Berlin might relinquish their top spot eventually due to the law of averages, securing a Champions League berth is an achievable objective for them this season.
Since they were promoted to the German top-flight three years ago, Die Eisernen have shown steady progress as they’ve finished in the top half in two of the last three seasons – which includes a return to the Europa League.
Urs Fischer has maintained the same tactical approach all these years. The Swiss coach typically employs a 3-5-2 formation with three centre-backs stretched wide, two pacey wing-backs, three technical midfielders, and two strikers up front who are clinical inside the box.
Another key element in Fischer’s tactics is using their youth and athleticism to their advantage. Union Berlin love to press the ball and defend as a whole unit, which allows them to disrupt their opponents and make them vulnerable to counterattacks.
Sheraldo Becker, Jordan Siebatcheu and even Taiwo Awoniyi before have thrived in this system. Becker and Siebatcheu are the team’s leading scorers with seven and three goals, while they’ve combined for six assists.
Moreover, Die Eisernen currently are the best defencive team with only six goals conceded and they’ve scored 18 on the other end. They’ve also had some notable performances against Bayern Munich (1-1) and Borussia Dortmund (2-0) as evidence that they’re not afraid of the big challenges.
Christian Streich, SC Freiburg
SC Freiburg are also punching above their weight as they’re third behind Union Berlin and Bayern Munich. The Black Forest had an auspicious start to 2022-23, so their Bundesliga 2022 odds of making it back to Europe are realistic.
Like Union Berlin, SC Freiburg don’t have any attention-grabbing stars. Instead, they make up for it through sheer sacrifice and hard work to give themselves a chance to win every match regardless of who they’re facing.
With Lucas Holer and Roland Sallai facing spells on the sidelines, it is Michael Gregoritsch who has been the difference-maker for the Black Forest. The Austrian currently has seven goals and one assist under his belt.
Christian Streich has also overseen the resurgence of Vincenzo Grifo and the growth of Ritsu Doan, while Daniel-Kofi Kyereh is proving to be a bargain addition in his first campaign in German top-flight. The ability to unearth these gems is what makes SC Freiburg a viable threat in the Bundesliga.
However, they are winless in four of their last five matches and they might lose their top four spot if their Bundesliga 2022 results don’t improve soon, especially with the likes of Hoffenheim, Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Monchengladbach, Koln, and Borussia Dortmund all within striking distance.
Julian Nagelsmann, Bayern Munich
There was considerable hype when Julian Nagelsmann arrived in Bavaria last year. Prior to joining them, he was the architect behind RB Leipzig’s meteoric rise in the past few seasons.
However, there are still skeptics who are questioning whether he can take Die Bayern to a whole new level, as last season’s modest trophy haul of just one is certainly a lot left to be desired.
To be fair, Nagelsmann has been dealt with a lot of baggage given the lofty expectations that come from being a Bayern Munich manager.
Of course, the departure of Robert Lewandowski hurt them to a certain degree, although he’s doing his best to figure out how to maximise Sadio Mane. Overall, he has yet to find the perfect balance with so much talent on his roster.
Perhaps this is just the harsh reality for the 35-year-old. But as long as the club keeps on getting the job done despite the growing pains, it would be asinine to even consider sacking him at all.
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