In our series about the FC Bayern coaching staff over the coming days, we present head coach Vincent Kompany's assistants to you in more detail. Up first is Aaron Danks, who joined the German record champions fromMiddlesbrough this summer.
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Before pre-season could properly get started at FC Bayern, Aaron Danks had to get over one unpleasant event. It had nothing to do with his new employer, but happened around 500 kilometres north of Munich. As an Englishman, he was disappointed that his countrymen lost in the final of the European Championship. He once worked with Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and others who featured in the final against Spain for the English Football Association. “The work that’s been done there in recent years and the development of young players is fantastic,” Danks says. “It’s great to see them performing at such a high level.”
‘Can hardly wait to get started’
From now on, however, the football coach’s focus is on the German record champions. “I can hardly wait to get started,” says Danks on his new role on Vincent Kompany’s coaching staff, which he’s held since the start of July. He and Kompany previously worked together at RSC Anderlecht and have kept in touch ever since. “We’ve exchanged ideas, spoken a lot about the game,” reveals Danks. “I’m looking forward to reviving the partnership.”
Aaron Danks in FC Bayern training: “It means a lot to me to work for this fantastic club.”
Birmingham-born Danks, 41, is a thoroughbred coach, his boss Kompany even hailing him as “one of the most talented in England”. Danks began coaching at 15. While he only played at amateur level himself, he kept working his way up as a coach. After around 12 years in the academies at Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion, the UEFA Pro Licence holder joined the FA in summer 2016, where he worked as an assistant coach and sports coordinator for the England U20 and U21 teams. Following the brief stint at Anderlecht, he gained further experience as a first-team assistant at Aston Villa (2021/22) and Middlesbrough (2022-2024). He took charge of two Premier League matches as interim manager following the dismissal of Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa.
Thinking outside the box
However, his focus has never been limited to football. Danks also sat in on basketball superstar Steph Curry's training sessions: “I studied the way they train and work there. It was a fantastic experience. The staff there were brilliant and I learnt a lot from them.” Observing other sports has sharpened his focus on the essentials: “You block out the tactical and technical aspects and just concentrate on the coaching, how the coaches get the best out of the players.”
“I'm really looking forward to seeing Jamal again" - Danks coached Musiala in the England U21 team before he switched allegiance to Germany.
At FC Bayern, Danks will now mainly be responsible for the daily planning of training and will be on the pitch with the players every day. In addition to Kompany, the Englishman will also be reunited with another acquaintance from his earlier days – when he thinks about it, a smile flits across his face: “I'm really looking forward to seeing Jamal again. He's a highly talented player and also a lovely person.” Bayern star Musiala made his debut for England U21s when Danks was assistant coach. However, the midfielder later opted to represent Germany, which Danks has no problem with. “You have to follow your heart in something like that. He made the right decision.”
Wants to write more Bayern history
Danks now has big ambitions with Musiala and his team-mates. On a visit to the FC Bayern Museum, the assistant coach was able to get an idea of the history of his new employer. “It means a lot to me to work for this fantastic club,” he says. And he’s excited about being a part of this history: “Now we want to mould the next era and help the players to write their own history.”
Series continues
Our series continues with the next part tomorrow, when we introduce you to Floribert N'Galula in more detail. What makes working with Vincent Kompany so special for him, what has the 37-year-old learned from his many different clubs in his playing career and which skills make him so valuable to the FCB coaching team? Watch this space!
Danks and Co are currently hard at work at the training camp at Tegernsee:
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