BAYERN MUNICH ANNOUNCE BURNLEY MANAGER VINCENT KOMPANY AS THEIR NEW HEAD COACH
German giants Bayern Munich announced that they have signed Burnley manager Vincent Kompany as their new head coach. Kompany’s employers Burnley Football Club confirmed the news on Wednesday that their former coach had left the club, and was signing with 33-time Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
A statement released by Burnley read: “We can confirm that Burnley FC has come to an agreement that will allow Vincent Kompany to leave Turf Moor. Whilst we were initially confident in retaining our manager, the changing dynamics of the situation made this impossible. We understand the allure and prestige of a club like Bayern Munich and respect Vincent’s ambition to explore new opportunities.”
“We wish only the best for Vincent and would like to put on record our appreciation for his dedication every single day he was a part of this football club. Our priority remains the stability and success of Burnley FC, and we will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure that our ambition is realized – namely our return to the Premier League. We have started the search for a new manager and will make an announcement in due course.”
Kompany’s move to Munich comes less than three weeks after he and Burnley were relegated from the Premier League following a rocky season in the English top flight. The 2022/23 EFL Championship winner with Burnley signs with Bayern Munich on a three-year deal, which will keep him in South Germany until June 30, 2027.
According to Sky Sports, Burnley will receive compensation from Bayern Munich of up to £10 million. The Lancashire-based club initially wanted £17 million but settled closer to the £10 million mark as Bayern showed their intent on Kompany.
FC Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen said regarding the Kompany signing: “All of us at the club agree that Vincent Kompany is the right coach for FC Bayern and we are very much looking forward to working with him. Max Eberl and Christoph Freund have worked tirelessly and meticulously to find a coach who will lead FC Bayern to success and continue to develop the club with new ideas. Vincent Kompany represents exactly the togetherness and team spirit that we need.”
“I’m sure that Kompany is the ideal coach for many years,” said Bayern Munich director Max Eberl. “At Anderlecht he was exceptional, at Burnley he was promoted with a record 101 points and impressive football. That’s why he’s been on my and Christoph’s list for a long time.”
“We have found one of the most interesting coaches in Europe. The discussions were immediately intense. We both felt that we were eager for this task. Burnley was reluctant to let him go.”
“I’m looking forward to the challenge at FC Bayern,” said Kompany. “It’s a great honor to be able to work for this club – FC Bayern is an institution in international football. As a coach, you have to stand for what you are as a character. I love having the ball, being creative – but we also have to be aggressive and courageous on the pitch. I’m now looking forward to the most basic things: working with the players, building a team. When the foundation is in place, success will follow”.
According to multiple reports, Bayern asked former manager Pep Guardiola’s opinion on Vincent Kompany after the Bavarian club held internal discussions about their head coaching position this week. Guardiola coached Kompany for four years at Manchester City and the six-time Premier League champion reportedly spoke highly of the Belgian. Per European journalist Fabrizio Romano, Guardiola said Kompany was a “talented coach, smart guy and [an] ideal candidate for the job.”
Kompany is set to reunite with former teammate Leroy Sané, whom the Belgian enjoyed a good relationship with back in Manchester and is looking forward to their reunion in Bavaria. “Of course, we had an unbelievable time at Man City, it was an incredible time,” said Kompany. “When I was at Man City, I was a little bit more than a captain as well. I would have been not too different than what he’s going to see with me when we meet again.”
“I’m looking forward to trying to get the best out of him, just like everyone because it’s a talented team and he’s a talented player. To make it really simple, I have a feeling that my job is to try and get the best out of Leroy Sané, the best out of every player that we have in Bayern Munich. And in that I will make no distinction.”
As for other teams’ interests in his young coaching career, Kompany revealed that he also received plenty of interest from other clubs. In the end, he decided that he and Bayern had the same thinking in terms of football and shared the same values, which aided his decision.
Bayern Munich director Max Eberl, who was instrumental in securing Kompany’s move to Munich, said “We’re delighted to have brought in Vincent Kompany to FC Bayern. We were immediately on the same page in our discussions with him. He clearly showed us how much the job at FC Bayern appeals to him and that he is keen to take it on.”
“Vincent Kompany is hungry and brings everything to the table: as a player, he was already a leading figure in top international football and is also leading the way as a coach. We would like to see more continuity in this position again. Together with him, we want to accomplish a lot at FC Bayern – and of course be successful together.”
Kompany revealed in his presentation presser on Thursday that he also had the support of his “super bosses”, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeneß. “I have spoken with them. I am sure that they will be satisfied with my work,” said Kompany.
The 38-year-old manager wants to play on the front foot, having possession of the ball, dictating the game and being aggressive in attack, transition and defence. Speaking about his preferred style of coaching and football philosophy, Kompany told the press: “Coaching is who you are as a person. And my personality, I grew up on the streets of Brussels, I played football on the streets. I was in the Anderlecht academy where from the age of 6 to the age of 20, you have to win everything. You have to be the best team.”
“And so I want the players of Bayern Munich to be brave, really brave on the ball, to have personality on the ball. But also my nature is, I’m also someone that is aggressive. So, I want the team to be aggressive. I want the team to represent those two things that would make my character – absolutely brave when they have the ball, when they make a decision and absolutely aggressive… something that they carry throughout, every minute of the game, always.”
The Uccle-born manager is set to replace Thomas Tuchel, who left the club following the conclusion of the season. Bayern Munich initially looked into employing former Manchester United and current Austrian manager Ralf Rangnick, Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, and Julian Nagelsmann but all three managers eventually turned down the job. Bayern are thought to have also had interest in Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner and new West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui.
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero
Photo: Jason Paris. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.