Boateng: Tah has what it takes to lead Bayern’s defence | OneFootball

Jonathan Tah is a new addition to FC Bayern – and already much more than just another centre-back. The 29-year-old came to Munich on a free transfer from Bayer Leverkusen, was immediately put in the starting line-up by Vincent Kompany and currently forms the centre-back duo with Dayot Upamecano. Tah now receives backing from someone who filled this role for years: Jerome Boateng.

Boateng sees leadership qualities in Tah

In a conversation with AZ, the 2014 World Cup winner stated that he believes Tah can take on the role of defensive chief in Munich. "I hope so. Tah has done a great job in recent years. Under Xabi Alonso, he made a big leap at Leverkusen. That's why he's absolutely suitable to be the defensive chief, simply with his style of play and communication."

Boateng is particularly impressed by the newcomer's demeanor: "As a person, he's also suitable for it. You can already see that he's taking a lot of responsibility. This role suits him. It will help FC Bayern."

Competition to boost the defence

Photo: IMAGO

Tah needed no time to adjust after his transfer. He was in the starting line-up in the first official games and impressed with his tackling strength and overview. Now Minjae Kim is also back after a long injury break, which further fuels the competition in the defence. Boateng sees this as a positive effect: "If you have three or four strong centre-backs, the performance increases even more. That's how it was always with us."

Boateng knows how to play into a leadership role at FC Bayern. "Through performance. Of course, everyone's character is different. Some are louder, some are quieter. But the most important thing is to convince with performance." Experienced colleagues like Dante, Daniel van Buyten, Mats Hummels or Holger Badstuber helped him to take on the role of defensive chief.

Between Bayern and the national team

While Tah is already taking on responsibility in Munich and is planned by Kompany as a defensive pillar, things are not going so well in the national team. After a weak performance against Slovakia, the centre-back was recently on the bench. At FC Bayern, however, his place is currently secure – and he has seized the opportunity from the start to take command in defence.

Thus, Tah is not only a reinforcement for the squad of the record champions, but is also quickly becoming a central figure. Voices like Boateng's show that he is believed in Munich to be more than just a new addition: a leader who can shape the Bayern defence in the long term.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.