Nagelsmann was the subject of wholesale criticism, after losing 1-2 against Villarreal in the total of the two legs of the quarter-finals of the Champions League, so that the Spanish team reached the semi-finals and left Bavaria.
But the criticism soon turned into something much more serious, as the young coach confirmed.
“I know I have to take criticism from everyone,” he said. “It’s normal and it’s part of my job. The blame I get from (Karl Heinz) Rummenigge, for example, is something I can accept.”
However, Nagelsmann continued, “But I can’t live with 450 death threats” since Tuesday evening, when Bayern drew 1-1 with Villarreal, after losing the first leg 0-1.
The 34-year-old (who is younger than goalkeeper Manuel Neuer) added: “I receive death threats after every game, regardless of the outcome, whether we win or lose. I read the first line (of messages) and delete it. Sometimes the threat includes my mother. Threats increase when I play. With 3 defenders.
He added, in statements reported by the Spanish sports newspaper, Marca, “When you are eliminated from two out of the 3 championships (the German Cup and the European Champions League), it is normal for the coach to be criticized. I accept it and continue my work.”
“We have players who have played together for a long time. It’s good in the sense that they know each other, but when you’ve been successful for a long time there comes a time when you need to inject new blood,” Nagelsmann added.