It doesn't help if we praise everything today

On a warm summer evening along the Danube, the stage was set for what could have been a memorable night.

The setting was picturesque, with the newly promoted second-division team, Ulm, hosting the German record champions, FC Bayern, in a match that had all the ingredients for a potential upset. The atmosphere was charged with a mix of excitement and nostalgia, as a few hundred Ulm fans dutifully voiced their disapproval with a chorus of boos when Manuel Neuer and his fellow Bayern goalkeepers stepped onto the pitch. The fans, armed with smartphones in flip cases, eagerly recorded Bayern’s warm-up routines, capturing every detail as if preparing for a significant chapter in their club's history.

The scoreboard at the Donau Stadium, where Ulm had been competing in the fourth division just 15 months ago, added to the sense of a classic, almost amateur football atmosphere. The game clock was more of a rough estimate than a precise measure, contributing to the feeling that this could be one of those nights where the underdog might just pull off something extraordinary. Despite the considerable gap in quality between the teams, there was a palpable sense of belief among the Ulm supporters that their team could become a stumbling block for Bayern, a club that has occasionally shown vulnerability in the face of determined, lower-tier opposition in recent years.

Thomas Müller, a veteran of many such encounters, was quick to acknowledge the enthusiasm that Ulm's recent success had generated within the club and among its supporters. "You could really sense the momentum from the whole club, the excitement here after their promotions," Müller remarked. However, he was also the one to quickly bring that excitement back down to earth, delivering a clinical performance that dampened any hopes of an upset.

Reflecting on the game and the early stages of Bayern's season under their new coach, Vincent Kompany, Müller noted that it would have been unrealistic to expect everything to be running perfectly after just five weeks together. "We can be quite satisfied," he said, signaling his approval of the progress made so far. Yet, Müller was not content with mere satisfaction. He highlighted the importance of the "constructive video material" that the team would review to iron out the minor mistakes observed during the match. This meticulous approach was crucial as Bayern prepared for their Bundesliga opener against Wolfsburg, a match that would set the tone for the rest of their season.

In the Bayern camp, there was a general sense of optimism. Harry Kane, the club's star signing, had already expressed his admiration for Kompany’s coaching philosophy and ideas, stating that he "really" liked the direction in which the team was heading. However, Müller, with his wealth of experience, remained cautious. Having seen numerous coaches come and go at Bayern in recent years, he was wary of getting carried away by early successes. "It doesn't help to praise everything today just because we've comfortably mastered the first round of the cup again," he cautioned.

Müller emphasized that the true test for Bayern would not be in isolated victories but in consistently confirming such results and shaking off the complacency that had occasionally crept in over the past few seasons. "The key will be to confirm this result and many others and to break free from the rut of the past few years," he said. Despite his caution, Müller expressed a sense of optimism about the current approach. "And yet," he added, "I have the impression that the way we are currently working can bear fruit."

As he wrapped up his thoughts, Müller couldn’t resist a final, knowing grin as he glanced around at the assembled journalists. "And the rest…," he said, "well, you've been in this business long enough to maybe judge that for yourselves." His message was clear: stay calm, be patient, and don’t jump to conclusions too quickly. The first hurdle had been cleared successfully, but many more challenges lay ahead. For Bayern, the journey through the season would be long and demanding, and Müller’s words served as both a reminder of the work still to be done and a call for level-headedness as the team navigated the ups and downs of the months to come.