Bayern Munich announced the appointment of Vincent Kompany as their new manager on a deal until June 2027. This comes after the Belgian parted ways with Burnley following their relegation from the Premier League, as confirmed by both clubs on Wednesday.
Burnley acknowledged the allure and prestige of a club like Bayern Munich and expressed respect for Vincent's ambition to explore new opportunities. In a statement, they stated, "We understand the allure and prestige of a club like Bayern Munich and respect Vincent's ambition to explore new opportunities."
Jan-Christian Dreesen, CEO of Bayern, commented, "We all at the club agree that Vincent Kompany is the right coach for FC Bayern and are very much looking forward to working with him." Bayern Munich, previous Bundesliga champions for 11 seasons, finished third behind Bayer Leverkusen and VfB Stuttgart. They were unable to secure domestic or European silverware for the first time in over a decade, leading to the departure of coach Thomas Tuchel, announced in February.
The appointment of Kompany concludes a lengthy search for Tuchel's successor, with various potential candidates opting to remain in their current positions. Prior to appointing Kompany, Bayern considered several candidates for the vacant managerial role, including Xabi Alonso of Leverkusen, former coach Julian Nagelsmann, and Austrian Ralf Rangnick."
Kompany expressed his anticipation for the challenge at Bayern, stating, "I look forward to this challenge at Bayern. It is an honor to work for this club. Bayern are an institution in international football." He emphasized the qualities he values in coaching, saying, "As a coach you have to just like your personality. I love having possession, being creative, and we also have to be aggressive and courageous on the pitch."
In his relatively brief managerial career, Kompany, known for playing free-flowing and possession-based football, has already made an impact. Having started his coaching career at Belgian club Anderlecht, he spent two seasons there before joining Burnley in 2022. His approach proved successful in the second-tier Championship as Burnley secured promotion with seven games to spare.
However, Burnley's commitment to this style in the Premier League, against teams of a higher calibre, attributed to their struggles, leading to their relegation after finishing 19th with 24 points and just five wins. Bayern will be banking on Kompany's attacking philosophy being more effectively applied given the quality of players in the Bavarian club's squad. His two-year playing experience in the Bundesliga with Hamburger SV adds to his credentials.
