Tom Bischof at FC Bayern: Rising star with style

How do you get started at FC Bayern? How do you assert yourself against established internationals? 20-year-old Tom Bischof joined the club from Hoffenheim in the summer. In an interview with the club members' magazine ‘51’, he talks about confidence and humility, role models and competitors – and his journey from his childhood bedroom to Säbener Straße.

Tom, tell us how it feels to wear the Bayern jersey.
Tom Bischof: "We actually have to go back to my childhood for you to understand what this jersey really means to me."

Why? What happened during your childhood?
”As a little boy, I slept under a Bayern painting for years. It was huge. I guess it was three metres high and two and a half metres wide. I got it as a gift when I started school. My father is a big Bayern fan, and he asked a friend of his who was an artist to paint it in my bedroom: me in the jersey of Amorbach, my home club at the time, doing a scissors kick – and above me, this huge Bayern Munich logo. My father also signed me up for the fan club at a very early age. So I fell asleep and woke up under that logo a few thousand times. I must have had 30 Bayern jerseys."

Which players' names were on the back?
”I often wore the number 10 featuring Arjen Robben. I also had jerseys from Schweinsteiger, Neuer and Ribéry. Lots of them, really. I wasn't fixated on just one player. I liked the club with its stars and these special players. I even got the jersey that Sandro Wagner wore in his last Bayern game. That was in Frankfurt and I was in the stadium."

And now you're wearing the jersey yourself. So, again: how does it feel?
"Truly outstanding. I always wanted it. I think this jersey gives you even more confidence. And it gives you an extra dose of motivation. After all, I want to show that I deserve to wear it. You also have a responsibility when you wear this jersey. So it's a diverse mix of different, but exclusively wonderful feelings to feel the fabric on your skin."

During your unveiling, you said that Bayern and you were a perfect match. What did you mean by that?
"I spent a long time thinking about what would be the right move for me. I didn't just make the decision because we're fans in my family. I listened carefully to Vincent Kompany, Max Eberl and Christoph Freund, about what they had in mind for me and what they expected. I watched Bayern a lot. All of that played a part. I think the way Bayern play football suits me perfectly. The play around the box, the high pressing, all of that suits me very well. And besides, I'm a bit of a mentality monster."

What does that mean?
"I'm extremely ambitious, I want to win trophies, I want to win every game, no matter what! And that's also the identity of FC Bayern."

In what moments do you feel this club identity?
"I'm often asked what the biggest difference is compared to Hoffenheim – and I always explain it like this: the lads are all just as relaxed as they are at Hoffenheim, but as soon as they step onto the pitch, you can immediately tell that everyone wants to win. I noticed that very quickly, and I like it."

What was it like when you first heard about FC Bayern's interest in you?
"Bayern had actually wanted to sign me earlier, when I was 15 or 16. At that time, it would have been too early. When the request came this time, I asked myself exactly the same question again: ‘Is it too early?’ But all the discussions with Vincent Kompany, Max Eberl and Christoph Freund led me to a very clear conclusion this time round. Max sent me a WhatsApp message at some point and asked whether I would come voluntarily or whether he would have to come and get me. After that, I was convinced I had to do this."

And then at some point you turned up at Säbener Straße for your first training session. How did you approach the challenge specifically?
"To be honest, the Bayern adventure started a little earlier. I was still at Hoffenheim, but my transfer had already been announced when I received a message from Joshua Kimmich. He'd just got hold of my number and sent me a message. He wrote that when he joined Bayern, he hadn't played a single Bundesliga match – but he still believed he could make the step up. And that he believed I could do it too. He said he was happy for me and believed in me. At that moment, I got goosebumps from being given so much trust in advance."

How confident do you need to be as a young player at FC Bayern – and how humble at the same time?
"I think you have to find the right balance. You definitely can't hide away, and that starts in the dressing room. In training, you have to have a message behind every pass. As soon as the lads realise you can play, you grow into the team. Fortunately, that's how it was for me. At the same time, though, I still look up to my teammates. I see myself in the role of challenger at Bayern. To show what I'm capable of, I always try to give one hundred per cent. I prepare well for and after every training session. And when I get some playing time, I intend to make the most of the opportunity."

You can read the full interview (in German) in the October issue of the club magazine ‘51’.
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