Ottmar Hitzfeld says the illness suffered by Bayern Munich coach Kompany should encourage clubs to take the health of managers more seriously, including through compulsory annual medical check-ups.
The 77-year-old former coach of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich believes coaches need regular support to identify and address physical and mental health problems before they become more serious.
“My advice to coaches is: get a thorough check-up every year,” Hitzfeld told Kicker. “Clubs should promote this and ensure coaches comply with this requirement.”
Hitzfeld also called for greater understanding of the pressures faced by managers, arguing that coaches should not be judged harshly when they show signs of vulnerability. Kompany’s illness, he said, had brought the issue into sharper focus.
“This topic is now receiving more attention,” Hitzfeld said.
The Bayern Munich coach previously collapsed because of meningeal irritation and was taken to hospital. Hitzfeld believes that experience could have a wider impact beyond Kompany himself.
“Kompany’s experience will spark another round of attention and will help many coaches and people with similar problems,” he said. “Things will get better.”
Hitzfeld said managers, like players, could become “overloaded” after prolonged pressure. However, he acknowledged that coaches often find it difficult to step away because they are responsible for leading the team and are expected to set an example.
A manager might need to say: “I’m not feeling well, I’m not going today.” But, Hitzfeld added, that decision can immediately prompt questions from those around the club: “Why isn’t he here? Did something serious happen to him?”
Hitzfeld has personal experience of the demands involved. He suffered from burnout in 2004 and described the effect it had on him at the time.
“I suffered from insomnia and depression,” he said. “In the morning, I preferred to pull the covers over my head rather than get out of bed.”
The German enjoyed a highly successful coaching career, leading Borussia Dortmund to the Champions League title in 1997 and Bayern Munich to the same trophy in 2001.
He also won seven league titles and three German Cups during his domestic career. From 2008 to 2014, Hitzfeld managed the Swiss national team.
