Thomas Tuchel is the only alternative to Hansi Flick as Bayern Munich manager, but the interim coach has been backed to stay in the job permanently by Lothar Matthaus.
Flick took over as the head coach in November when Bayern sacked Niko Kovac, with the understanding that he would manage the team until the end of the season.
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However, Bayern are thriving under the new manager, currently sitting in top spot in the Bundesliga and going into their second leg of their round-of-16 Champions League tie with a 3-0 advantage over Chelsea, leading to suggestions he will be offered an extended contract.
“Since he has been there, there has been peace and unity in the club and especially in the team," former Bayern captain Matthaus told Sky Sport Germany.
"Nobody complains because they are not allowed to play or because they don’t like the training. No one expresses a derogatory manner towards the manager or publicly expresses their frustration. That is all his doing.
"And in all this it should not be forgotten that the Bavarians usually play really beautiful, dominant and winning football. Even Robert Lewandowski can be replaced for a few games.
“Of course, they may end up not winning the title or drop out of the Champions League, but you can’t wait till the end of the season to offer a contract, it must be determined on sporting results, and who would do better than Flick at the moment?”
A string of high-profile names have been linked with the position, but Matthaus feels only former Borussia Dortmund boss, and current Paris Saint-Germain coach, Tuchel is a viable alternative to Flick.
However, Matthaus agrees with the view of former Bayern bosses Jupp Heynckes and Ottmar Hitzfeld, who have described Flick as “the ideal Bayern coach” and have urged the board to push any negotiations forward in the coming weeks.
Matthaus added: “The only alternative seems to be Thomas Tuchel. Whether he fits better than Flick at Bayern, I dare to say I doubt that very much.
"Let's put it this way, if two of the greatest Bayern coaches of all time, namely Jupp Heynckes and Ottmar Hitzfeld, are in favour of a future for Flick at Bayern, I can only agree."