Vincent Kompany claims Burnley’s set-up is “10 times better” than Manchester City ’s when he joined the Blues in 2008.
Kompany signed for City in the final days of Thaksin Shinawatra’s reign before Sheikh Mansour took over to save the club from administration. The Blues legend joked how there was no coffee machine in the canteen or doors on the toilets before Sheikh Mansour transformed the club into the best in the land.
Kompany has been blown away by the training facilities at Gawthorpe Hall, hailing them as “state of the art”, and is impressed by his new club. “This club is 10 times better,” said the new Burnley boss. “Man City when it got taken over that, that’s not over the bridge at the training ground.
“Over there is a state of the art facility, fantastic pitches, everything we need to be extremely demanding with the players. City at the time, it was what it was. It was City, you just enjoyed it. You enjoyed playing for them and the fans never expected much. It wasn’t about the luxuries.
“This is a Premier League facility, really impressive, and that’s also part of the appeal in bringing players here. They understand, it’s really about football.” Kompany was keen at his unveiling yesterday to talk about him the manager rather than him the City great, who won trophies by the cabinet full during his 11 years at the Etihad.
He was reluctant to speak too much about Pep Guardiola because his focus is on helping Burnley return to the Premier League, but he did reveal one lesson he has learnt from the City boss. “I met this fantastic coach, the best in the world and he was the very best at telling his players why they were doing things on the pitch,” said the Belgian.
“Why you’re passing it in a certain way, why you’re defending in a certain way. If I can take something to Burnley it is always to be able to tell my players why they are doing something.” Kompany was also at pains to play down expectations of an automatic return to the top flight and he is conscious the Clarets must cut costs following relegation.
Nick Pope has just been sold to Newcastle for an initial £10million and he knows more big names may follow. “It’s really a very delicate and dangerous period of time when you’ve got these transitions,” he said. “You can fall very far down or go very quickly back up.
“I’m the opposite of the guy who comes in and shouts and says ‘we’re going to do this’ and then three months down the line you want to have another chat with him. I just play it down. I prefer to have disgruntled fans now than in three months’ time, so I play it down.
“I say we’ll see and let’s work in this transfer period to see where the team is. I’m very comfortable in saying I do not know the Championship, but I’m intending to learn very fast and I’m intending to surround myself with people who do know.”
