Bayern Munich defender David Alaba feels that the legendary managers who have been at the helm of the club in the past and present have helped him develop as a player.

Alaba made his Bayern Munich first team debut under Louis van Gaal in 2010 when the Dutchman was the manager of the Bavarian giants. Since then the Austrian has gone on to become an important fixture of the reigning Bundesliga champions.




The youngster has flourished under the stewardship of football coaching luminaries including Van Gaal, Jupp Heynckes and Bayern Munich’s current manager Pep Guardiola.

Still only 22 years old, Alaba has gone on make over 150 appearances for the club in which he has scored 15 goals and assisted a further 21.
 


In an interview with the club site, the youngster credited his all three Bayern Munich first team managers for shaping him into the player that he has become.

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“They are three of the top coaches in the world and all of them really helped me to develop as a player.”

Alaba added that the current Manchester United manager was always handy whenever he needed any assistance.

“Louis van Gaal was very strict, but always there for you when you needed him.”

Bayern Munich won the Bundesliga, the German Cup and the Champions League in the 2012/13 season to complete a historic treble under Heynckes. The Austria international insists that the sexagenarian manager was like a father figure to him and other young players at the club.

“Jupp Heynckes was a father figure. He was very close to us younger players in particular.”

Bayern Munich’s current manager, Guardiola, has unmatched managerial credentials having won 14 trophies in his four years at the helm of Barcelona from 2008 until 2012. Alaba has reiterated that the Catalan manager has an impeccable understanding of the game. And he has learnt new things from their incumbent manager.

“Pep Guardiola knows football inside out and I’ve never experienced anything like that before.”

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