With the departure of Karin Danner in June, a real era at FC Bayern ends. She was employed by the Munich team for a total of 28 years and shaped some of the big names in Bavaria. Oliver Kahn is also “immeasurably” grateful for her farewell.

As the Munich team announced on Tuesday morning, the head of the FC Bayern women’s department is retiring “at her own request” at the end of the season. The successor has also already been decided: Bianca Rech, sporting director of FCB Frauen, will continue Danner’s work as department head from July 1, 2023.

Danner dedicated her whole life to the FC Bayern women

Karin Danner has completely dedicated her life to FC Bayern. At that time, the current department head of FCB Frauen came to the women’s team of the German record champions at the age of 18, who were still playing in the Bayern league at the time. Danner actively shaped the sporting events of the Munich women on the pitch for many years before she ended her playing career in 1993 after a stopover at TSV Obertaufkirchen and at FCB.

As a playmaker in the tenth position, the 64-year-old led the Munich offensive and won the Bavarian championship seven times, among other things. But not only as a strategist on, but also off the field, Danner has constantly developed Munich women’s football. The former national player became manager of the women’s soccer department in 1995 and shaped FCB Frauen into one of the top teams in German women’s soccer for several decades. Under Danner’s leadership, the Munich team won three German championships and the DFB Cup once.

Herbert Hainer and Oliver Kahn honor Danner

After 28 years as head of the women’s soccer department at FC Bayern, Karin Danner will resign on June 30th. The 64-year-old will therefore be retiring at his own request at the end of the season.

With a view to the end of an era, the entire management level of FC Bayern once again thanked Danner for the pioneering work they had done. Bayern President Herbert Hainer paid tribute to the great life’s work of the departing head of department: “Karin Danner has done pioneering work in the development of FC Bayern’s women’s soccer department for over two decades. Anyone who speaks to her is immediately fascinated by her specialist knowledge and passion for football and her enthusiasm for FC Bayern. Our women’s football department is her life’s work – and it’s more than successful.”

Oliver Kahn, CEO of FC Bayern, also thanked for the services rendered: “Without Karin Danner, women’s football at FC Bayern would never be where it is today. She has left a lasting mark on this unique success story as a player and above all as a manager. Karin Danner will always be a face of FC Bayern. FC Bayern owes her an immeasurable debt of gratitude.”

Danner: “I am very happy that this path will be continued”

Even if Karin Danner resigns as head of department at the end of the season, Munich women’s football should continue on its successful path. In order for this to succeed, Bayern have appointed Bianca Rech, (still) sporting director of FCB Frauen, as her successor. Rech is already very familiar with this area, as she herself was a player with the Reds for many years and has also been in a management position since 2016. Nevertheless, there has been a joint transition phase since April 1, in which Rech takes over the joint management with Danner.

The outgoing head of department also looked back with gratitude and pride on the past decades: “I can look back on the past decades in women’s football at FC Bayern with great gratitude and pride. What we have achieved and how it has evolved since the 1970s is an unparalleled success story.”

Finally, the 64-year-old addressed a few warm words to her successor Bianca Rech: “I am very happy that this path is being continued – by the most suitable person I can imagine: Bianca Rech has already played as a defensive player in the FC Bayern left her heart on the field, has been convincing as a sporting director for years and will continue to lead the fortunes of the women’s department at FC Bayern with exactly the same ambition. I wish her and the whole team every success. We have a great future ahead of us, I am firmly convinced of that.”

For Bianca Rech, this promotion to department head is “a great honor”. She feels “incredible gratitude” to Karin Danner. In addition, the 42-year-old is aware of the great responsibility and wants to shape “the next era” of Munich women’s football.