Harry Kane is in for a lot of beer, Bundesliga titles and… lederhosen. Photo: Getty Images/Simon Mellar
Inside the German football bubble, there has been only one notable story in recent months. Even when Bayern Munich paid more than £40m to sign South Korean defender Kim Min-jae, it was just a brief interlude to the main event and the main man: Harry Kane.
«Media attention Bayern always the biggest,” says Toby Altscheffl, chief reporter for Sport Bild in Germany. “With Harry Kane, it's even more. There really was no other theme this summer.”
Kane is set to become the most expensive player in the history of the Bundesliga and this title, combined with his performance in England, means there are huge expectations for him. Kane is no stranger to pressure, but at least at club level, he has certainly never faced such intense and sustained pressure as he does now.
From a team like Bayern, which was called «Hollywood» in the 90s amid the media hype around the names of the stars and the carousel of coaches, the expectation is not only to keep the league trophy. It means winning every trophy every year, and Kane was chosen as the man to lead them to that glory. This is what Bayern fans want and that is what German football is looking forward to. “Everyone thinks Bayern should win the Champions League with Harry Kane,” says Patrick Strasser, a reporter covering Bayern. “These expectations exist.”
In many ways, Kane's visit to Germany is bigger than Bayern's. The 30-year-old will instantly become the new face of the league, the most recognizable player in the division and the world star of the show.
«A friend of mine asked me to make a bet,» says Altscheffl. “He is betting that Kane will score over 40 goals in his first season in the Bundesliga. That's how high the expectations are for him to become the next big Bundesliga star, not just Bayern Munich. He is the successor to [Robert] Lewandowski.»
Kane is moving to a club that is used to winning league titles. : Getty Images/C Mellar
It will be interesting to see how German fans and the press react to Kane's performances in the first few weeks of his career at Bayern. It's a new league, a new language, and a new culture for Kane, but that doesn't mean he'll have much time to adjust to his surroundings. If goals don't flow from the start, you can imagine that questions will soon be asked. After all, given his age, Kane was bought here and now, not as a long-term project.
Kane, of course, is quite capable of answering these questions. And while the expectations for him on the pitch are huge, the lifestyle in Munich is not as hectic as some of the continent's other top clubs. When Kane wants to disconnect from all this, he can do it.
“All the players who played here talk about it,” says Strasser. “Life in Munich is quite simple even for superstars. It's not such a big place. People always laugh a little at the city, saying that it looks like a big village. It cannot be compared to Berlin or London.
“At Bayern, you can have an easy life with your family. When players go to a restaurant, people are quiet and distant. They may ask for a photo, but they don't run up to the players shouting. It's relaxed. Players always love it. Even if he goes out into the city, wears sunglasses and a baseball cap, I don't think many people will recognize him.»
Many Bayern players choose to live in Munich's Grunwald district, which local real estate company Riedel describes as a place where «business managers, successful entrepreneurs and film and television stars live in a density unique to Germany.» It is known as Bavaria's answer to Hollywood.
A typical house in the exclusive Grunwald district of Munich. Photo: Riedel Estate AgentsIn addition, Riedel claims that it is «one of the most luxurious holiday villages» in the country. According to German media reports, Kane's wife Kate has been eyeing properties in the area in recent weeks.
It seems to be a comfortable lifestyle and Kane should feel right at home on the field. a team full of creative talents. Few teams in world football can boast the strength of the game as Bayern, which includes Thomas Müller, Kingsley Coman, Leroy Sané, Serge Gnabry and Jamal Musiala. We can assume that Kane will not lack service.
In the Spurs, Kane was often not only a finishing player, but also a creative player. At Bayern, it already seems clear that his main focus will be on capturing the chances these fast wingers and witty thinkers can create for him.
The German champions need a killer in the box: last season their Top Scorer League was Gnabry, who scored only 14 goals. In the previous campaign, Lewandowski scored 35 goals in 34 league games. Kane needs to focus on staying Kane, but Lewandowski's annual tally of 344 goals in 375 appearances for Bayern overall will be a benchmark of sorts.
Kane's professionalism and lack of ostentatious extravagance should help him settle in. . “He is not expected to behave like a big star, but like one of the Bavarians,” says Altsheffl. “With his attitude, he should fit in very well at Munich. Maybe he can put on leather pants, go to Oktoberfest, have a beer and score a goal on the field. This is what Bayern fans like and expect.
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