Tower: My idols are Mandela, LeBron James and Ronaldo

Hupu August 5th, Bayern Munich's German international centre-back Jonathan Ta was recently interviewed by the club's official magazine "Sebena 51". The following is the first part of the official interview.

Bayern Munich Magazine: Before transferring to Munich, you said that you want to get out of your comfort zone - how uncomfortable is Bayern Munich making you "uncomfortable"?

Ta: "(laughs) It's not uncomfortable, but joining Bayern Munich is a step out of my comfort zone. I spent ten years in Leverkusen, the club and I have developed further, and now I feel it's time to get familiar with a whole new environment. I'm grateful for this unforgettable time that Leverkusen gave me - but, I think it's important to ask myself from time to time: what can I do to go further and grow, as a person, as a football player. That's why I made this decision."

Bayern Munich Magazine: Now everyone wants you to be a main player immediately, how do you deal with this pressure from the outside world?

Tower: "First of all, I feel very honored to be able to play such a role in Bayern Munich. I want to take responsibility here, this is what the club expects me, and the team may expect me, but, most importantly, it is what I expect from myself. However, you have to win such a role first. You can't just say, 'I'm here, now I have to take responsibility.' You have to show your performance first, prove that you deserve this position, and then over time, through the game, through a lot of training - both on and off the court - your ability will naturally improve."

Bayern Munich Magazine: You were already a core player in the team at Leverkusen. Now in Bayern Munich, you are almost all around you with players from the national team. Is this different from now?

Tower: "There are a lot of players here, they have won many honors and experienced a lot in their careers - it's definitely different. But I know what I can bring and what I can contribute. I respect Bayern Munich and everything in me."

Bayern Munich Magazine: What does leadership on the court mean to you?

Tower: "I always believe that you can become a leader only by leading yourself first. My philosophy is 'leading by example': You can't ask others to do what you can't do. I hope I can play to the highest level and professional level, stay highly focused, be fully focused in every game - only then can I expect others to do it, and motivate them. I am born with a desire to inspire others. I often do this through communication - but you don't have to always speak loudly. More importantly, keep a clear mind in some cases and keep a big picture."

Bayern Munich Magazine: Do you have a role model - even outside sports?

Ta: "To me, Nelson Mandela is still a really great person, he has made a huge impact, and I draw a lot of inspiration from him. When I see sports, I think of LeBron James, or Ronaldinho, one of my idols when I was a kid, when I was playing on the street. Although I didn't think so at the time, he represented my absolute love for football. He just enjoyed the sport, maybe he was not as good as me in his career, but he represented that special passion for me. I inherited that passion from him."