Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has claimed that Louis van Gaal's tenure at the Allianz Arena was based on his ego, revealing that the Dutchman tried to "Van Gaal-ise" the club.
Van Gaal's reign at Bayern -- lasting from July 2009 until April 2011 -- started off impressively as he won the domestic Double in his first season, while also taking his team to the Champions League final where they lost 2-0 to Inter Milan.
The current Manchester United manager was dismissed, however, towards the end of his second season in charge, with the Bavarians sitting fourth in the Bundesliga and already out of the DfB-Pokal, bringing to an end a relationship which had not always been easy, according to Rummenigge.
In an interview with Der Spiegel, the Bayern CEO called Van Gaal a "good and successful coach," but said that he was "not always low maintenance."
"He wanted to 'Van Gaal-ise' the club," Rummenigge said. "As soon as he presented his autobiography in a snobby restaurant, I knew hard times were ahead -- 'Van Gaal-ise,' that's what we've called it up until today."
Following Jupp Heynckes' successful final stint as Bayern boss, which resulted in the 2013 Treble, Pep Guardiola took charge of the club.
"He has many ideas," Rummenigge said of Guardiola. "Some of them might be unusual, but they are never crazy. I consider Pep a genius, and hope that he'll stay with us for a long time."
Guardiola won the Bundesliga, DfB-Pokal and FIFA Club World Cup in his first season in charge, while he strengthened the squad with the free transfer signing of Robert Lewandowski in the summer, who followed the path of Mario Gotze from league rivals Borussia Dortmund one year later.
Although both transfers proved to be controversial, Rummenigge says Bayern did German football a favour by keeping both players in the country.
"If we hadn't signed them, they would now be playing abroad somewhere,'' he said. "Both make the league attractive. Gotze had an incredible offer from Manchester City, while Real Madrid desperately wanted Lewandowski, and would that have been better for the Bundesliga?''
Information from the Press Association was used in this report