Bayern getting ready for Guardiola departure (2-last)

Xinhua: Is Pep Guardiola a man that can still surprise you? For instance Guardiola presented midfielder Joshua Kimmich as right and left back, most squad players can meanwhile play in different positions on a top level.

Sammer: Yes and no, you learn more and more about a coach and his ideas about the game. But in general, he, as every coach, comes up with other and new ideas. You can say he is developing ideas all the time. At least he should. And you learn to rate him and his ideas and update yourself, you try to follow his development. After all, a coach, at least a good one, has to be unpredictable. But I try to get his fundamental idea. His main topic is the highest flexibility of every single player.

Xinhua: And do you understand him, meaning you know what he is up to when he comes up with this particular player in a strange position or some tactical system that does not make sense at first glance. Like Joshua Kimmich, originally a midfielder, who played as right and left back in the last cup match. It seems a part of Guardiola's idea to educate players to be able to play different positions and change tactics.

Sammer: Call it a process that takes place. You learn to imagine what his idea is and why does he do this or that. Learning that leads you to moments that keep your mind busy. But you learn to imagine what he could be up to - every time on the basis of his original idea of the game, well his idea.

Xinhua: Talking about players. Last summer Coman, Costa and Kimmich joined Bayern Munich and were able to help the team right away which is not something you can take for granted. Did you sign the players in order to have more options.

Sammer: It was clear that we as Bayern Munich have to start renewing the team in a gentle way. Gentle because it is the most difficult thing to do for a football team. You have to find the right moment, if you miss that right moment it will most possible end in a catastrophe. You have to know every part of your squad. To sign Costa was done in order to have more options when Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben are out injured, which was the case last season when we faced Barcelona. And to start the gentle renewal process without giving the impression both are not of much value for the team anymore. To say it clearly, they still are very important to us, without them we can' t achieve our goals.

Xinhua: To have the maybe best squad in the club's history or at least the biggest regarding quantity and quality was the consequence of the semifinal loss against Barcelona in the 2014/2015 Champion League season?

Sammer: It was the impression we got after the 2011/2012 final against Chelsea. Our impression was that our squad is too small to compensate for sidelined players, to have no alternatives was not a position we wanted to be in. When you take a look at the strain the top clubs have to go through, the answer can only be a bigger squad.

Xinhua: But then new, let's say, problems arise, such as that you have to juggle the interests of all players in a bigger squad. Meaning, every one of your stars wants to play, at least in the important games.

Sammer: To juggle this bigger squad and keep the spirit and performance level on the highest possible levels is the big secret leading to success. You must get everyone behind your idea and demands.

Xinhua: That is mainly your job. Your position is called "Director of Football" but you are not what in German football is called a manager, you're more a seismograph who takes a close look at every vibration in the team or coaching staff.

Sammer: I've been here for three and a half years now and we all see how important it is to help the coach and the team to get into the best possible shape mentally, without undermining the authority of the coach. Therefore you need a close and trustful relationship. It is my job to help them all and inspire them. We not only play on the pitch, a lot goes on off the pitch as well and it is no less important than what is happening on the pitch.

Xinhua: But you aren't considering making a comeback as a coach?

Sammer: Don't worry about things like that.

Xinhua: Does it help that Borussia Dortmund seems to be back as a national challenger?

Sammer: Of course, you always like to be at the top of your league leading the pack with as many points as possible, but I feel it's positive when a club is performing as well as Borussia Dortmund is doing currently. You can say they are pushing us to a certain extent.

Xinhua: You've often talked about the threat of the Premier League clubs as a new TV contract offers them a lot of new money which will obviously be invested in new players and coaches. Considering that, what is the strategy of a club like Bayern Munich?

Sammer: You have to do your homework and be prepared as far as your key players are concerned. And you can be sure that's exactly what we are doing.

Xinhua: Meaning you will extend the contracts of your key players?

Sammer: As I said we are doing our homework. Endi