German football official praises Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah, citing his growth under Xabi Alonso’s coaching and dedication to developing his skills.
German football official Rudi Völler has lauded the defensive prowess of Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah, describing the 29-year-old as “world-class” and the “best central defender in the Bundesliga”. Völler, the sports director of the German Football Association, made the comments in an interview with the Spiegel, crediting Tah’s recent form to the influence of former Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso.
According to Völler, Alonso’s coaching had a significant impact on Tah’s game, enabling him to develop a new level of defensive awareness and ability to bring the ball out from the back. The German official also praised Tah’s dedication to self-improvement, stating that he had rarely seen a player develop as consistently and impressively as Tah has throughout his career.
Tah’s impending move to Bayern Munich was recently announced and he is set to take on a key role in Germany’s Nations League matches, filling a gap left by absent defenders. Völler believes that Tah’s departure from Leverkusen will be difficult to replace, as he has been the team’s undisputed defensive leader.
Völler, who had previously signed Tah for Leverkusen in 2015, acknowledged that the player had not always shown the same level of confidence and decisiveness in the past, often opting to pass the ball back to the goalkeeper rather than taking risks. However, he credited Tah’s remarkable growth to his immense willpower and the ability to overcome his earlier struggles without self-pity.