There has been little to hear from Joshua Kimmich recently. Now the Bayern professional has spoken out on the discussion about the lack of leaders. He explains how he wants to fulfil his claim to leadership.
Joshua Kimmich has weighed in on the recurring discussion about leaders in German football. The Bayern star also misses real types in football, but blames the zeitgeist for this.
„You do get the feeling that there are fewer characters with rough edges these days. But it’s certainly more difficult than it used to be because of the spirit of the times. Today, it feels like every little edge is constantly discussed, evaluated and ultimately deemed good or bad,“ said Kimmich in an article about leadership players in the Munich newspaper tz.
It is understandable why many professionals are reluctant to speak out in public: „There is virtually no space in between, less acceptance and differentiation. Understandably, this inevitably leads to many people avoiding this constant focus. But nobody should be surprised about that.“
He himself wants to fulfil his claim to leadership above all on the pitch. First and foremost, it’s about delivering your own performance, you have to lead the way. „That’s the only way to gain respect and be heard. Then it’s important to have the big picture in your head, to think about it, to define your aspirations, to interact with your team-mates on and off the pitch, to make a concrete commitment to the cause, to the club’s goals.“
Captain’s armband does not affect Kimmich
Kimmich has recently been heavily criticised. Both Michael Ballack and Boris Becker called for Kimmich to position himself more clearly in public.
Becker said on Sky: „I think it’s a shame that we’ve heard so little about such a talented and motivated German international for six months. When I’m sent to right-back as a six-man, I’m the first to stand in front of the camera and say what I think. It’s like that with him. In the days of the former Bayern icons, there would have been noise in the forest.“ Ballack called for Kimmich to „step in front of the cameras himself for once.“
The captain’s armband is an outward sign that underpins the claim to leadership in a team. Kimmich said: „It’s an honour to wear it and therefore brings with it a lot of respect, humility and responsibility. Nevertheless, it doesn’t influence your own actions. Whether with or without the armband, you act the way you are, the way you see things and the way your feelings and awareness guide you.“
The 29-year-old has captained Manuel Neuer in ten competitive matches for Bayern this season, while Kimmich had to hand over the armband to Ilkay Gündogan for the national team last year. Kimmich’s influence also changed in the tactical structure. At FCB, he moved from the centre of midfield to the right side of defence. National coach Julian Nagelsmann has planned the same for the upcoming international matches.
