Get ready, folks, this one will irk the hell out of some people who take a more conventional view of management and the hierarchy of football. Bayern Munich, the German giants, have pulled off what could be the shock of the football world by announcing Vincent Kompany as their new manager. That’s right – Vincent Kompany, of Burnley in the English Championship, a few months ago.
Sit back and enjoy this one, it’s a rollercoaster of surprises, cynicism, and a bold gamble that could make the Kompany name shine in football circles, or prove to be his downfall.
The Unlikely Candidate
I’ll admit it, when the rumor of Kompany for the Bayern job first surfaced, I was more than a little perplexed. I mean, a guy who just led his team to relegation from the Premier League? How could one of the biggest jobs in world football consider a man with zero managerial experience? Every newspaper had a go, Bayern was crazy, this was a “punt”, etc, etc, etc
The Kompany Conundrum
But, as always, the discourse soon moved from the ridiculous to the sublime. Of course, Kompany was not “just some average manager”. He is, or at least was, a proud pupil of the legendary Pep Guardiola, and his adherence to a similar, possession-based, attacking philosophy had marked him out to the Bayern hierarchy as a potential custodian of the club’s famous playing style.
What’s more, his critics seemed to gloss over the fact that he had taken Burnley to the Championship title just 12 months before, proving that he could both execute his philosophy and achieve ultimate success, if only at a lower level. Bayern, it appeared, was prepared to give Kompany the chance to prove that, with the appropriate resources and talent at his disposal, he could do it all again – if not better.
The Guardiola Connection
You can never discount the fact that his association with Guardiola will play a massive role in how he develops as a coach. The Catalan is arguably the best manager the world has ever seen, and his Manchester City teams were certainly the prettiest we’ve seen in the country in recent times. Kompany played under him at City and the pair enjoyed immense success together at the Etihad.
In bringing Kompany in, Bayern are almost admitting that they miss Guardiola’s presence at the Allianz Arena and that his style and methodology suit them best. After all, who knows the Guardiola manual better than his most successful pupil?
The Road Ahead
So now Vincent Kompany has made this monumental step, what will unfold? Will he silence his critics and join the list of world-class players who have made the switch? Or will the weight of a massive club like Bayern Munich be too much for the young Belgian to handle? I’m sure in time we will find out, but one thing is for sure – Kompany’s move from the rugged world of the Championship to the Allianz Arena and the Bundesliga’s top flight will certainly make for an intriguing tale to be told in years to come.
In a modern game where points are everything and entertaining football is often overlooked, Bayern’s potential move for Kompany is a huge statement of intent from the club. A statement that they want to play an attractive brand of possession-based football and that sometimes, footballing philosophy and potential can beat the likes of Dortmund’s well-drilled machine simply by going through the middle instead of around and over the top.
Also Read: Napoli Ambitiously Set to Sign Former Chelsea Manager to 3-Year Deal
About The Author
Samuel Obilonu is a sports journalist extraordinaire who is passionate about soccer, basketball, the NFL, and the UFC, and his razor-sharp wit and thoughtful analysis are as profound as his love for these sports. The sportaholic writer with the encyclopedic knowledge that would make any lifetime pundit proud, this scribe, by the way, “maketh” intricate tactical breakdowns and side-splitting humor, giving a literary experience that reminds one of a last-second, game-winning heart stopper.
A top master “wordsman” has a one-of-a-kind skill to mix the sharp analysis and the irreverent charm leaving the readers to be in love with his lively and bold enthusiasm.
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