Since his transfer to Bayern Munich in 2011, Jerome Boateng has been a mainstray at the Bavarian outfit that has won four Bundesligas and a Champions League title, playing under Jupp Heynckes and Pep Guardiola, and since the summer, Carlo Ancelotti. (In fact, last week we named the monster of a centre-back as the best defender in the world in our Best 100 Players in the World for 2016.)
However, Bayern's start to this season has been far from impeccable, as Boateng acknowledges while discussing the challenges of transitioning between coaches.
Speaking exclusively in the January 2017 issue of FourFourTwo magazine, available in shops, on iPhone and iPad now, he says: "It's part of life that when a new coach comes in, things can't be 100 per cent from the beginning. It takes some time. Bayern fans want to see us win, play well, score goals and not concede many."
@JB17Official: "I don't think there'll be any better goalkeeper in the next 100years!" High praise, @Manuel_Neuer! #FFT100@FCBayernpic.twitter.com/dvuHmACraj
— FourFourTwo (@FourFourTwo) December 2, 2016
Jerome discusses team-mate Manuel Neuer with FFT.
Boateng went on to describe the tactical changes and the differences in management styles. While Guardiola is renowned for his animated touchline antics, Ancelotti regularly presents an image of calmness and composure.
"Ancelotti is a bit older and calmer during matches than Guardiola," he says. "Maybe he's a bit more relaxed, too. Tactically, I don't think we have to press as much in games. Sometimes, we say, 'OK, you can have the ball.'
"That means we can drop deeper, creating space we can counter-attack into. That's the big change to our old mentality."
Read the full interview with Jerome Boateng in the January 2017 issue of FourFourTwo magazine. Our Men of the Year edition includes interviews with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Michail Antonio and Hal Robson-Kanu, and hears from Christian Fuchs, Marc Albrighton, Andy King and Leonardo Ulloa on Leicester City’s remarkable 2015/16 season. Also this month, we talk to USA midfielder Megan Rapinoe on the kneel that was seen around the world, remember Johan Cruyff with his close friend Jaap de Groot, share a beer with our Fans of the Year, Iceland, and travel to Lapland to have a kickabout with Santa. Go get it, then subscribe!
