Lavish spending no guarantee of success says Bayern coach

LAVISH off-season spending will not automatically bring Bayern Munich the Bundesliga title this year, says coach Ottmar Hitzfeld.

The team that finished a disappointing third last season after three straight German championships needed more than an open wallet to get back on top, Hitzfeld said in an interview yesterday. “Everything has to fit together,” Hitzfeld said. “Look what happened to Real Madrid, Manchester United, or Barcelona even though they invested heavily in recent years. Money is not a guarantee for a title.”

Bayern acquired three of the Bundesliga’s top players in the off season: Michael Ballack and Ze Roberto from second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, and Sebastian Deisler from fifth-placed Hertha Berlin. Commercial manager Uli Hoeness has warned Hitzfeld publicly that the Bayern management will not be content with another third-place Bundesliga finish.