Under these circumstances, the up-and-coming team led by Sepp Maier, Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller developed into the best in the country. Promotion in 1965, first Bundesliga title in 1969. But Germany was not enough; FC Bayern were chasing the European crown. To compete on equal terms with the continent’s biggest clubs, the Munich side planned their first major infrastructure project. How fortunate that they had a building contractor, Wilhelm Neudecker, as president, and generous members to boot.
In 1970, FC Bayern appealed in its club newsletter for donations towards the construction of a new clubhouse on Säbener Straße. It was to serve not only as a home for the teams, as before, but also for the administrative offices. 500,000 marks were raised; ultimately, the construction cost 3.8 million. On 17 May 1971, the complex was opened in front of 150 guests, including Munich’s Lord Mayor Hans-Jochen Vogel. In addition to the spacious premises with changing rooms and offices, there was also a restaurant, a multi-purpose sports hall, four grass pitches and a hard court. The old barracks were initially retained and served as sheds for garden tools.
As would later be the case under Klinsmann, the aim of this renovation was also to keep the players on the club grounds for longer – but the first attempt failed. “In the new building, there were a few rooms with beds. They were actually intended for us to stay overnight on Fridays after training and prepare together for the match on Saturday,” recalls Maier. “But we only did that maybe three times. Then we complained because there was no comfort at all. It looked like a youth hostel. We couldn’t stand it.”
The already revolutionary manager Robert Schwan quickly showed understanding for the stars’ concerns. Ultimately, President Neudecker also agreed to hotel stays; before big matches, they even went to the posh Bachmair on Lake Tegernsee. The improved training conditions on Säbener Straße, coupled with the general professionalisation, were to pay off. In 1974, 1975 and 1976, the Munich side won the European Cup.