Alphonso Davies: "I need to be more vocal" - "Fun to spin back memories" on Bayern tour

It was four years ago that Alphonso Davies was signed by Bayern Munich from the Vancouver Whitecaps. At the time of the transfer, the Rekordmeister was also on tour in the United States in Philadelphia and Miami. Four years later, Bayern are back in the States, where they will face D.C. United in Washington (July 20) and Manchester City in Green Bay (July 23). Davies, in the meantime, is headed into his fifth full season with the club—the 21-year-old Canadian spent part of the 2018/19 season on loan with the Whitecaps and then played mostly for the reserve side. 

Four-and-a-half seasons in Munich make Davies a veteran at a Bayern undergoing an extensive rebuild. But the Canadian rejected any notion of wanting to take on a leadership role this season actively. "For me, it's not really about leadership," Davies said in the press conference ahead of Bayern's game against D.C. United at the Audi Field in Washington. "I just want to help the team defensively and offensively. I know that positionally I can still get better."

Only Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman, and Leon Goretzka have been longer at the club at Davies at Bayern. Hence, the club is increasingly looking to Davies to provide more leadership on the field. "I understand that I have to be more vocal on the pitch," Davies said. "I have really shied away from telling players to go left, right, or step back. It is very important to do that, especially as I want to give the defender as much information as possible."

#CanMNT star Alphonso Davies in the house sporting a new haircut. Asked the #Bayern left-back about growing into more of a leadership role. “For me, it's not really about leadership. I just try to do what I can to help the team offensively defensively.” pic.twitter.com/6w6YBL6DwM

— Manuel Veth (@ManuelVeth) July 19, 2022

D.C. United host Bayern Munich - Davies scored the first goal at Audi Field 

A bigger role for Davies then, who is revisiting the past on Wednesday facing a Major League Soccer opponent at a stadium where he wrote history. The then 17-year-old was part of the Whitecaps' squad that opened Audi Field. Playing as a winger, Davies was the first away player to score at the then-new stadium as  D.C. United won the game 3-1. "The journey has been really incredible," Davies said when asked about that moment. "It is a good story; obviously, we lost that game 3-1. But it is fun to come back and spin all those memories." 

What about the friendly on Wednesday then? Bayern head coach Julian Nagelsmann will heavily rotate against the MLS team on Wednesday. One major aspect will be experimenting without a true number 9 after Robert Lewandowski left for Barcelona last week. "For us, it is just about replacing one important piece with another important piece," Davies said. 

One player who could fill that void is the new signing Sadio Mané. "Such an incredible talent; he is strong and fast," Davies said about the 30-year-old Senegalese forward. "He is a leader; we have seen that with other teams. He is going to bring his quality and leadership on the pitch." The sort of leadership Davies wants to learn from going into the season. That left just one important question, is Mané faster than Davies? "I don't know; we have to race," Davies said with a big smile. 

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