It looked like a marriage of convenience when Vincent Kompany returned to the north-west of England to take up the role of Burnley manager last summer. The former Belgium defender had spent an illustrious 11 years down the road in Manchester, where he had met his Mancunian wife and brought up children whom he was bringing home. But after last night’s 2-1 victory at Middlesbrough, with goals from Ashley Barnes and Connor Roberts, he can add promotion to the Premier League to his romantic regional ties.
The Clarets had spent a decade under the rule of Sean Dyche, which petered out with his sacking and the club’s relegation last May. Many of the senior players left and there were serious concerns over the club’s finances, so the appointment of the relatively inexperienced Kompany was a risk.
The squad was refreshed, something Dyche had been unable to do in recent years. Recruitment was key for Kompany to move Burnley into a new era of exciting, fast-paced and effective football, a long way from what was offered previously.
Kompany was hands-on with his approach to scouting, more so than many managers in the modern game. Just recently he was in Denmark looking at targets. He earmarked a number of players he knew from Belgium. Five joined from the Jupiler League, including Josh Cullen from Kompany’s previous club, Anderlecht.
The Republic of Ireland international has been integral to the team’s success in central midfield, knowing everything his manager wants from the position after two years with him in Brussels, allowing him to set the tone on and off the pitch. He keeps everything around him ticking. “His strength is that he’s the ultimate player that puts the team before himself,” Kompany said.
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The attackers Anass Zaroury and Manuel Benson arrived from Charleroi and Antwerp, respectively, for a combined total of £7.5m but have almost certainly doubled their valuations thanks to being part of such an attack-minded side. The loan market has been utilised well, arguably too well, when it comes to trying to secure some of the temporary signings for the long term.
Their top scorer Nathan Tella has 19 goals, something his parent club, Southampton, may be desperate to have next season if they are relegated to the Championship. The defenders Jordan Beyer and Taylor Harwood-Bellis have proved themselves too good for the division but Borussia Mönchengladbach and Manchester City will not be short of suitors for them, and Burnley may not be able to compete with the fees demanded. There is a pre-agreed fee for Beyer but it is understood to be high.
It is unsurprising that Kompany placed great emphasis on getting the right goalkeeper and centre-backs to give the foundation for the rest of the team to build on. It was even less of a surprise that two of those building blocks joined from Manchester City in the form of Aro Muric and Harwood-Bellis, who have been brought up on the methods he wants to instil.
One of the most important arrivals was another with strong links to City, Craig Bellamy, who played alongside Kompany at the Etihad Stadium. He was appointed assistant manager and his knowledge of the Championship, where he started his career and in which he later played during his time with Cardiff, has been instrumental. His ideas have become increasingly influential throughout the season.
The level of recruitment naturally raised questions over whether the arrivals could be turned into a cohesive side. Pre-season was intense as Kompany taught his ideology to the squad, including the veterans of the Dyche era.
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Josh Brownhill, Jack Cork and Jay Rodriguez have been important tools for Kompany, looking revitalised by a new style of play. The summer was shortened due to the World Cup, meaning Burnley faced Huddersfield in their first game on 29 July, but all those at the John Smith’s Stadium could see what Kompany’s side were going to be about.
Most significantly Kompany has transformed the fanbase, taking them from the efficient football that served them so well in the Premier League for years under Dyche to genuine entertainment. In their 20 Championship home games, Burnley have scored 43 times in the league. Overall they have 74 goals in 38 matches; the most they scored in a single Premier League season was 45.
The fans see the desire for the team to play for Kompany, a trait that was lacking in the final days of Dyche. The fans loved the Premier League but it is sometimes nice to see your side win every week. Dyche had a pub named after him in the town for his incredible achievements at Turf Moor – Kompany deserves an ale to be made in his honour.
They have lost two league games all season, a mighty effort considering the competitive nature of the Championship, where there is often little difference in quality between teams. Burnley have, however, been far superior to the rest and remained consistent despite the gruelling nature of the campaign, often playing twice a week, a difficult task for a side that play with such intensity.
The 6-0 FA Cup defeat at Manchester City showed the size of Burnley’s task next season but Kompany knows that. Another summer of smart recruiting is required but, if this season is anything to go by, Burnley can look forward to their Premier League return with Kompany and Bellamy at the helm.
