A new era is beginning for the DFB national team under Jürgen Klopp. Jonathan Tah is one of the squad’s key players—the Bayern defender shares his thoughts on the future under Klopp.
While FC Bayern is currently getting ready for the new season at Lake Tegernsee, Tah is already looking beyond the club. On the sidelines of the friendly against FC Rottach-Egern, which the record champions won 15–0, the center back spoke about the mood on the national team following the coaching change.
“The anticipation is huge, including for the national team. This will be a new chapter, and we’re looking forward to it,” said the 30-year-old. Tah wants to consciously put past disappointments behind him: “The World Cup is now in the past.”
The defender describes his ability to quickly put setbacks behind him as part of his nature. “Generally speaking, I analyze things, move on from them relatively quickly, and try to process them in a relatively rational way,” Tah explained. He said he’s “very happy to be back here” and “immediately sensed that the energy is good.”
Caution Regarding a Possible FIFA Boycott
Tah was significantly more cautious when it came to one of the major points of contention in world soccer. UEFA has announced a boycott of all FIFA tournaments should FIFA President Gianni Infantino push through his investor deal. The Bayern Munich player noted that the facts are still scarce, but emphasized that it’s fundamentally good “to take a clear stance—to remain in dialogue, but not to hide.”
For FC Bayern, the focus will shift to their own preseason preparations in the coming days. On Saturday, the double champions will travel to South Korea and Hong Kong, where they’ll face Jeju SK FC (August 4) and Aston Villa (August 7) in friendly matches through August 8.
Things will get serious for Vincent Kompany’s team on August 22: In the Franz Beckenbauer Super Cup, they’ll face last season’s runner-up, Borussia Dortmund, for the first title of the season. FC Bayern will kick off the Bundesliga season on August 28 against Cup finalist VfB Stuttgart.
