Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes: ‘I’m the boss, nobody else’
COLOGNE, Germany (AP) Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes said he's ''the boss, nobody else'' after Robert Lewandowski's unhappy response to being substituted in the side's 3-1 win at Cologne in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Lewandowski took his tally to a league-leading 29 goals, but the Poland striker refused to acknowledge Heynckes as he left the pitch and subsequently received a dressing down from the veteran coach, who pointed his finger as he spoke to him.
Afterward, Heynckes, one of the league's top strikers in his playing days, said he understood Lewandowski's reaction.
''Lewy is already the top scorer in the Bundesliga, but in the European ranking he wants to get closer. Perhaps he'll also be the top-scorer in Europe,'' Heynckes said.
''We spoke after the game and he explained that to me and of course that's why he was disappointed with the substitution. But the coach always decides the substitutions at Bayern and every player has to respect that.''
Heynckes previously defended Lewandowski from criticism for failing to score in the Champions League semifinals against Real Madrid. He said he wanted to give playing time to Sandro Wagner.
''I know how strikers are - they're all a bit egoistic and are thinking of the goal quota. I can understand that now looking back, but at the time of the substitution it wasn't amusing, or I didn't react like it was amusing.
''I'm the boss, nobody else.''
