August 9th 2023.
Vincent Kompany puffs out his cheeks and narrows his eyes. He has just been told of a light-hearted comment from an upcoming docu-series, in which his assistant manager, Craig Bellamy, says the Burnley boss ‘doesn’t sleep’ because he is too busy preparing for the next match or training session.
Kompany knows it was a tongue-in-cheek comment, but he still wonders if he has taken the time to enjoy his successes so far at Turf Moor. “All I can say is that I do get the importance of sleep as well!” Kompany says with his serious demeanor.
It’s easy to forget that this is just Kompany’s fourth season as a manager, but his self-confidence is what persuaded him to take the Burnley job twelve months ago. The Clarets had just been relegated to the Championship after a six year stay in the top flight, and ten years under the stewardship of Sean Dyche.
The Belgian signed 16 players, five of which were loanees. Kompany transitioned the team away from the more pragmatic style of play the supporters had grown accustomed to. By May, Burnley had been promoted with seven games to spare, having lost only three times and amassing 101 points.
Kompany understands the immense task that lies ahead to survive in the Premier League. He tells The Agency, ahead of the new docu-series ‘Mission to Burnley’, that preparation is key.
“I think you prepare every season by making sure your group fully understands how you’re going to behave and function in different moments,” Kompany explains. “I can now already tell my players what we’ll do if we win the first five games or if we lose the first five games. In the end, if we win the first five, we’re still not good enough and if we lose the first five, it’s okay, we can be better.”
Kompany has won the doubters round by remaining composed and calm. His philosophy is simple: “Don’t believe the hype, don’t believe the drama.”
“I believe so much in progress for everybody and in every line of work, but you have to have the right environment,” Kompany says. “If I have a leadership position I get to make that environment happen, and so long as the team progresses we will win more games than at the beginning. I said all along that my team will get stronger throughout the season but I’m not bluffing, I’m saying something very logical to me. What’s difficult is to maintain the course, with all the emotion and outside forces - for us it’s protecting that environment and to keep pointing people towards the basics and the habits that they have to do to improve.”
Burnley had the Championship’s meanest defence and most prolific attack, but the main challenge that promoted sides typically face is the transition from winning most weeks in the Championship to being underdogs in the majority of fixtures in the Premier League. Kompany insists his side has developed a number of different ways of playing and embraces the ‘ugly’ side of matches.
“What you can’t underestimate is that we’ve been a team that loves, loves, loves different sides of the game,” Kompany explains. “It’s not just about having the ball, we’ve loved pressing. I thought last year we were really impressive and good at that. It’s making them ready for whatever the game demands in the Premier League, ready to do the running, ready to be brave, ready to be smart and creative when we need to. The team knows that we’ll have to get better but that’s the case for a lot of teams.
“I think what you have to adapt to - and quickly - is getting better, faster. That’s the challenge and that’s the challenge we want to embrace. In the end, you are successful because of who you are and what you do, and what you do has to get better, not necessarily different.”
Burnley will kick-off their return to the Premier League with a visit from Kompany’s old side, Manchester City, to Turf Moor on Friday night. Kompany is aware of the emotions and outside forces that could distract his players, but he remains focused on the basics and habits that will help them improve.
Kompany’s calmness and conviction has won many admirers, and the Burnley boss is confident that his team will progress throughout the season. “Don’t believe the hype, don’t believe the drama,” Kompany says. “What I try to do is insulate the group from that distraction and always remind them what makes you better.”
Vincent Kompany puffs out his cheeks and narrows his eyes as he hears Craig Bellamy's light-hearted comment that he 'doesn't sleep' due to his relentless preparation for matches and training sessions. Although it was intended to be a joke, it prompts the question if Kompany has found time to enjoy his success at Turf Moor.
Talking to The Agency, Kompany says, "All I can say is that I do get the importance of sleep as well!" His serious response conveys the conviction and sureness he speaks with regarding his philosophy and demands from his players.
When Kompany took up the role as manager of Burnley 12 months ago, the Clarets had recently been relegated to the Championship and were in the infancy of club ownership. He signed 16 players, five of which were loanees. Initially, the transition away from the pragmatic style of play under Sean Dyche was slow, but by May, Burnley had been promoted with seven games to spare.
Kompany is not letting any of this success go to his head. He emphasises the importance of maintaining an even keel throughout the campaign, as well as the need to insulate the group from the 'outside forces' and 'emotions of it'. He makes an analogy between becoming a successful journalist and football player, saying, "It's not going to happen because you say it, it's going to happen because you put in the hours."
When Burnley had won just one of the first five matches of the season, many people questioned Kompany's ability to change the ethos of the club. However, his composure and calmness in the face of adversity won the doubters round. His advice to the players is to "don't believe the hype, don't believe the drama" and focus on the basics and habits to improve.
Burnley had the Championship's meanest defence and most prolific attack, and this Friday they will kick off their return to the Premier League with a visit from Kompany's old side, Manchester City. Kompany explains that his team has developed a number of different ways of playing and revelled in the 'ugly' side of matches. He is aware that they must adapt quickly to the demands of the Premier League, and that they must focus on getting better, faster.
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