The extension of Dayot Upamecano’s contract at FC Bayern has also brought a palpable sense of relief within the team. This was particularly evident with Jonathan Tah, who was very open in an interview with Sky about his partner’s decision to stay – and left no doubt about his importance to the defense
The central defender made it clear that he had personally longed for the extension. „I felt like I told him 100 times a day that he should extend his contract. If that is the case now, that he has agreed, then I am very, very happy because he is extremely important for us,“ said Tah. For him, one thing is certain: Upamecano will remain a central component of the defence in the long term
At the same time, Tah highlighted the quality and dynamism within the entire centre-back group. He sees the interaction with Upamecano, Minjae Kim and the other defenders as a special factor. „This group we have is something special. Everyone brings something to the table in their own way. That’s important because everyone can learn something from each other. We all want to get better – we want to grow,“ explained the 29-year-old
Tah sees additional added value in working with coach Vincent Kompany, who himself played at the highest level as a central defender for many years. „Then we also have a coach who has also played in this position. So yes – it feels really good,“ said Tah, referring to the day-to-day work
Tah excited about working with Kompany
The Bayern defender was particularly impressed by Kompany’s attention to detail on the training pitch. „There are exercises where he trains with you or briefly demonstrates something. But not for that long. He corrects a lot and you become aware of the details he pays attention to. These details can be so small, but if you change them, the risk of conceding a goal is much lower. Just because you’ve adjusted a position, that’s impressive.“
Tah also says that he personally benefits greatly from working with the head coach. „A lot of details, but also how important it is to communicate on the pitch. That’s what he expects from me, but he underlines once again how much you can pick up with it,“ he explained. Clear agreements are crucial, especially in defensive phases. „When the team is compact, when we have to defend deep, when is the right time to press forward again. The kind of communication he teaches us makes a huge difference on the pitch.“