Vincent Kompany appointed at Bayern Munich: Style and substance? Surprise move shows clubs look beyond results | Football News

Vincent Kompany’s transfer to Bayern Munich was initially greeted with ridicule and disbelief. A extra balanced view has since emerged however there isn’t a escaping the incredulity when a coach relegated with Burnley walks into one in every of Europe’s largest jobs.

The German giants didn’t come calling for Sean Dyche when he completed seventh within the Premier League. Their views on Stan Ternent and Steve Cotterill are unconfirmed. However Kompany is considered a chance price taking, a coach of huge potential.

There are numerous components concerned, not least Bayern’s personal fraught recruitment course of. However selecting Kompany additionally highlights the altering view of what makes an elite coach, a rising willingness to look past outcomes and in direction of a method that would switch.

Kompany, it needs to be acknowledged, has a lot else going for him. As a participant, he captained membership and nation, successful the Premier League with Manchester Metropolis underneath Pep Guardiola. That brings on the spot respect and a relationship that imbues a sure shine.

The pattern in fashionable administration is in direction of these disciples of Guardiola. Mikel Arteta has emerged as his largest challenger within the Premier League, Xabi Alonso has simply triumphed within the Bundesliga. Enzo Maresca has adopted Kompany in successful the Championship.

The reference to Guardiola, extensively considered the excellent coach of his era, is especially vital at Bayern. Some body his work there as unfinished and not using a Champions League win however he wowed together with his concepts. There’s a legacy there.

For Kompany, different intangibles embody his personal enjoying spell at Hamburg – he’s a fluent German speaker – and his repute for being articulate, clever and measured. However the prime line in all this could hardly be averted. There’s the matter of that relegation.

Kompany got here into the Premier League wedded to the method that had helped garner 101 factors within the Championship, successful Burnley reward for his or her enterprising play. They boasted one of the best assault and one of the best defence as they stormed to the title.

The swiftness with which he remodeled the fashion, after a decade of doing issues so in another way underneath Dyche, caught the attention. It was a testomony to his potential to handle change that their possession stats have been the very best since Championship data started.

However regardless of vital funding in the summertime, his group have been unable to adapt to the Premier League. The passing sport that had been too good for the Championship was undone by the velocity and ability of these sides on the increased degree, quickly undermining confidence.

The inequality inside the Premier League was considered by some as a mitigating circumstance. However, within the aftermath of a 3-0 defeat at Crystal Palace that will be adopted up with a 2-0 residence reverse to Bournemouth, Roy Keane had much less sympathy for Kompany’s facet.

“Have you learnt what, they’ve been dreadful. They’ve been dreadful,” Keane instructed Sky Sports activities. “We discuss groups having a method of play within the Championship and attempting to match it to the Premiership, it’s chalk and cheese. It’s unattainable.

“They appear weak bodily. The objectives they’re gifting away, it’s schoolboy stuff. I love managers who’ve a philosophy and a method of play, however you’ve got to adapt. You’ve got to provide your self an opportunity of successful soccer matches.”

Solely two groups within the Premier League made extra errors resulting in pictures than Burnley and the distinction with the risk-free soccer of the Dyche period turned a stick to which to beat him. Hundreds extra passes introduced little reward, solely encouraging extra errors.

It’s price noting that even in his first managerial position at Anderlecht, Kompany’s strategies had been questioned. The try and mimic Guardiola had been a priority for some in Belgium, one expressed in sturdy phrases by the previous Anderlecht supervisor Aad de Mos.

“In soccer, you would not have to repeat one other coach,” stated De Mos. “Kompany desires to do the identical factor as Guardiola at Metropolis and that makes me sick. Metropolis have gamers like Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne. Anderlecht must get by with extra modest gamers.”

Bayern bosses may feasibly agree with that evaluation whereas coming to the alternative conclusion. Maybe they take the view that they do possess the standard of participant able to delivering this soccer – they only want somebody who’s keen and in a position to coach it.

With one of many weakest squads within the Premier League, Kompany floundered. However with among the finest squads within the Championship, he flourished. Bayern’s standing inside the Bundesliga, relative to the remainder, is rather more akin to the latter than the previous.

If Kompany struggles then Bayern will probably be criticised. If he thrives their creativeness will probably be lauded. No matter occurs, Kompany has been vindicated in sticking to his ideas. It raises intriguing questions on how coaches ought to method their work.

Dyche is an apparent distinction however for him it feels extra like ideology than compromise. Different examples are extra pertinent. Julen Lopetegui and Thomas Frank are two that come to thoughts – coaches who opted to adapt however now discover that might be a mark towards them.

Lopetegui’s appointment at West Ham was met with a lukewarm response. Partially, that was as a result of his rescue job with Wolves – lifting them from all-time low to thirteenth within the desk – was not achieved with the required swagger to excite, even when it did save them.

Frank performed a progressive sport to assist Brentford win promotion however, in contrast to Kompany, efficiently switched to a extra direct fashion to maintain them there. Now, he finds some questioning whether or not these lengthy throws make him appropriate for a job at an elite membership.

For Kompany, the stain of relegation is extra simply erased than a stain on his fashion. This transfer exhibits that coaches, like gamers, might be upwardly cellular no matter outcomes. And {that a} man questioned at Burnley can one way or the other be seen as the reply for Bayern.