Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich angered their supporters yesterday with news that they would be making a spectacular signing before the transfer window closed only for the fans to later find out that it was a marketing gimmick.
Apparently, Bayern was trying to gain interest for their new app by creating intense speculation as to who the signing would be. The club invited its supporters to go onto their official Facebook fan page and watch as the deal unfolded but were greatly disappointed to learn when an envelope with their own profile picture emerged. Users also saw their own name on the back of a number 8 shirt.
The statement below followed:
“Dear fans, you probably already noticed, that we did not sign a new player,”
“This app is for our fans to show the importance of you for our club.”
Feeling somewhat guilty, Bayern later released this statement on their website.
“Every single FCB fan is the ‘spectacular new signing,’ our 12th man!”,
Of course fans did not take this lightly and within minutes thousands of fans responded telling the club not to waste their precious time by getting their hopes up for nothing.
Truth be told, this is not the best time to be such games with supporters. After seeing their unassailable lead vanish mysteriously, the Bavarians are now level on 37 points with Dortmund and Schalke with only a single point separating them from 4th place Borussia Mochengladbach.
In fact Bayern coach, Jupp Heynckes has admitted that his side could be in for a stiffer title challenge than they earlier anticipated. A shock 3-1 defeat to Mochengladbach last weekend has totally opened up the title race.
“We have incredible ability and amazing individual players, but at FC Bayern you cannot afford to sit back,” Heynckes said.
It is my task to drill that into the players, not only this week, but until May. We have got to be cooler and concentrate more with our finishing.
“Overall, the team must learn and understand that nowadays it is not enough only to have great ability. Everybody has got to be prepared to go beyond the pain barrier.”
Photo Credit © John Coulter
