Hitzfeld: Bayern will survive without 'tactics freak' Guardiola

Bayern Munich does not need to mourn the loss of "tactics freak" Pep Guardiola, according to former coach Ottmar Hitzfeld.

Hitzfeld coached Munich from 1998-2004 and then 2007-2008 and won five Bundesliga titles and one Champions League crown.

Guardiola is in his third campaign, winning two league titles and a DFB-Pokal crown, but will leave at the end of this season.

Hitzfeld, who retired from football after coaching Switzerland at the 2014 World Cup, said the Spanish coach had proven no more successful than Jupp Heynckes, who Guardiola replaced in 2013, adding that he had failed to connect with his players.

"Guardiola focuses only on the tactics," Hitzfeld told Bild.

"He is a tactics freak who is engaged in game situation day and night, but in interpersonal relationships, he has not focused on the team.

"He has had almost no meetings. He has sealed himself off even from the media.

"At this point, Jupp Heynckes is as successful as Guardiola, but he can still change that, he can still win three titles like Heynckes did."

Hitzfeld said Bayern did not need to be disappointed about losing their superstar coach.

"Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has already said it, the world does not go under when the coach is leaving us…so there is no problem for Bayern Munich at all," he said.