Interview: I'm ready to take more responsibility: Jerome Boateng (2-last)

Bayern Munich and German national team defender Jerome Boateng talked in a recent interview with Xinhua of his personal and his teams' ambitions this year.

In the interview, he also talked about the World Cup, Bayern Munich's China Tour as well as his passion for shoes and music. So you will see a colorful Boateng.

Xinhua: Let's talk about Pep Guardiola. He seems to be more determined than ever to gain success. On the other hand he seems to be under more pressure than ever and reacting irritably to critical comments around the club...

Boateng: I can only tell you that we see him as a totally determined coach who is doing everything for the team.

Xinhua: But after all Guardiola's future is uncertain. He has not yet extended his contract which runs out after this season. What do you think? Will he stay with Bayern Munich?

Boateng: What we have to do is to think about what we can do to be successful this season, about nothing else. It is not our business to think about the coach's future. In professional football you often have situations like that, people around you discuss the future of a player or the coach. If you do the same you won't get anywhere. It might sound strange but sometimes the task is to live in the here and now and not in the future.

Xinhua: And Pep Guardiola?

Boateng: He is ambitious as ever. He might be annoyed because some topics are discussed around the club that are not a topic for us. Most people don't see us working every day and don't listen to our team meetings. If they did they would be more sensitive as far as rumors are concerned. Regarding his future, it is up to him and his family and the club directors to decide what is next. But again, there is a new season ahead of us, one we want to be successful in.

Xinhua: Meaning you want to win the fourth German title, what no club has managed to do so far in German football history, and the Champions League? With Douglas Costa and Arturo Vidal, the team has gained additional quality. Is the 2015/2016 Bayern squad stronger than last year's ?

Boateng: (Laughing) Regarding that I can give you an answer after the season. Looking at the names it might be the case that we are stronger, but that's no guarantee for success.

Xinhua: Looking at the Champions League: That seems to be vital for Bayern this season after you missed the final twice in the past two years. Tell us: Is it in your intention to go a little bit further?

Boateng: To get eliminated twice in the semifinal is nothing you are happy about, especially in the way it happened. This season's goal is to reach the final of course, and to win it. That's why we have to consider every possible thing we can do to be successful.

Xinhua: How hard was it for you personally to get over the defeat against Barcelona in last season's semifinal, and in particular over the goals of Lionel Messi when he nut-megged you and you fell backwards? This scene was rather popular in many internet channels. Looking at it now, can you laugh about it?

Boateng: You think about a game like that - no question. The better team won. But it was hard for us missing a lot of important players. And the goal: Well it was a great goal he scored. But things like that happen in football. It is hard to play a player like Messi when he is going forwards, but it is especially hard to play him running backwards too. But I don't think about every comment that is posted in the internet. I have played many games and have won many titles, I don't see myself in the position to prove anything. In games against teams like Barcelona you have to work a lot and chase the ball, which makes you tired, and I think that happened to us too.

Xinhua: Let's talk about your personal game. You won the 2014 World Cup and you are a key player for Bayern and the German national team on a world class level. In your first years as a defender you were seen as a player that likes tackling, sometimes maybe too much. Now tackling has almost disappeared from your game.

Boateng: It was a development which was supported by several coaches like Jupp Heynckes, Pep Guardiola and our national coach, Joachim Loew. In addition, I intensively watched my games on video. Not only the tackling but my position on the pitch, my headers, just everything. I learned to be calmer when on the ball.

Xinhua: At the beginning we were talking about your colorful brothers, now we would like to talk about your passion for shoes and music. Rumors say you have up to 700 pairs?

Boateng: The passions for shoes has been there ever since I was a child, I forgot how it started. 700? I don't know, I can confirm that are now lots. And the passion for RnB and rap music is also something that stared at an early age. My father was a big fan of music and an important person in my life. We listened to Michel Jackson and that kind of music. Music is part of my life.

Xinhua: But you didn't plan a career as a musician, we heard you prefer to sing in the bathroom or the car when you are alone?

Boateng: (Laughing) I'm not a great singer.

Xinhua: You started to get in contact with the famous US rapper Jay Z. His agency is now responsible for your international marketing.

Boateng: We talked for hours about sports and music. My German management and Jay Z are now working together and we see what we can do.

Xinhua: As you are internationally focused, we have to ask about Bayern Munich's China Tour. What do you remember most?

Boateng: The amount of people, it was very impressive to see so many fans cheering for Bayern Munich.

Xinhua: You posted a video clip of your arrival showing thousands of enthusiastic fans.

Boateng: We were totally impressed by the welcome the Chinese people gave us. It was overwhelming to see their passion for football and Bayern. I was happy during these days that we could pay back by touring through China. You don't often see a country that is enthusiastic in a similar way about football.

Xinhua: In Germany people were enthusiastic after the 2014 World Cup. Now the German national team is battling some post World Cup problems in the qualification to the 2016 European Championship in France.

Boateng: It was not a good start and we had some players that could not find their rhythm after the World Cup. But we are very much focused to win the next important games against Poland and Scotland in September.

Xinhua: Meaning life for a World Cup winner is hard as everyone is extremely motivated to beat you?

Boateng: For most it is the game of the year and others are extremely motivated, but that is something you have to learn to live with when you have won the World Cup. And you know what: We will succeed as we are determined to get to France and play a good role in that important tournament. But it is a different time. It takes a while to forget about what we have achieved. Endi