According to a report from Sport Bild journalists Julian Agardi and Heiko Niedderer (as captured by @iMiaSanMia), Bayern Munich has a plan for Jonas Urbig, and it involves giving the young goalkeeper more responsibility without asking him to carry the weight of the world just yet.
Bayern Munich is targeting around 25 appearances for Urbig this season, with the goal of gradually preparing him to succeed Manuel Neuer as the club’s No. 1 goalkeeper.
Rather than throwing Urbig into the deep end, Bayern
wants to make sure he accumulates enough experience by the time Neuer eventually calls it a career. However, that does not mean the club intends to limit him to appearances in less important matches.
Quite the opposite.
Bayern reportedly plans to give Urbig more opportunities in the Champions League and against top Bundesliga opposition this season. Those are precisely the kinds of matches that can help determine whether he is truly ready to take over one of the most demanding jobs in world football.
The strategy makes sense. Urbig has already shown enough promise to earn the club’s trust, but there is a significant difference between being a talented young goalkeeper and becoming the undisputed starter at Bayern.
With Neuer still in the picture, Bayern has an opportunity to develop Urbig gradually while exposing him to increasingly difficult challenges.
The big question is whether 25 appearances will be enough to prepare Urbig for the job that awaits him. Bayern appears convinced that he has the potential to be Neuer’s successor. Now, the club needs to make sure he gets the experience necessary to prove it.
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