During today's press conference to announce the contract extension of sporting director Matthias Sammer, Bayern Munich president and overall head honcho Karl Hopfner happened to confirmed that former president and head honcho, Uli Hoeneß, will be returning to the club sometime in January, as part of a daytime release program.

Hopfner explained:

Er wird einen Vertrag mit der FC Bayern AG unterzeichnen und wie er wünscht im Nachwuchsbereich arbeiten! Wir freuen uns alle, wenn er im Januar - egal an welchem Tag - beginnen kann. Wie es sich dann genau abwickelt und mit welchen Schwerpunkten er eingesetzt wird, müssen Rummenigge, Sammer und Uli dann zusammen entscheiden.

Translation:

He will sign a contract with FC Bayern AG and, according to his wishes, will work in the youth department. We are all excited about when he can start working in January - no matter which day. How exactly it will work out, and where the emphasis of his work will be is something that Rumenigge, Sammer and Uli will decide together.

As previously reported, Hoeneß will be allowed to check out of prison in the morning, report to his job, and must return in the evening to spend the night in his cell.

Excellent news for Uli Hoeneß, for all of his fans, and for Bayern. There is light at the end of the tunnel for the guy who built Bayern into the powerhouse that it is today.