The new coach of Bayern Munich, Vincent Kompanysaid on Saturday that communication and honesty have been key factors in his dealings with players during his short time at the Bundesliga club. Kompany, who will take charge of his first league game for Bayern on Sunday, replaces Thomas Tuchel after Bayern’s disappointing third-place finish last season and has already been praised by several members of the squad, including experienced goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, for his communication skills.
“Speaking your opinion obviously doesn’t mean saying it personally,” Kompany said at a press conference on Saturday ahead of the game against VfL Wolfsburg. “I think it’s important to adapt the way you talk to the player you’re facing; everyone is different. “You have different generations, different coaches, different ages, everyone comes into game, but ultimately I think the players will appreciate it if they get the message you have in mind.”
Leon Goretzka is a player who has been told he faces a lot of competition in midfield this season, but he seems determined to stay and fight for a place and Kompany says such directness should be club policy. “We, as a club, have a duty to be honest with the players because this way we can earn their respect, even if sometimes it’s not positive news,” Kompany said. “All I can say is that I haven’t had a single player who hasn’t shown total intensity and everyone is trying to reach their maximum, including Leon.”
One who left the club was Matthijs de Ligt, who signed for Manchester United, and Kompany was quick to deny media reports that he had told the player he was his number one defender. “I didn’t say that because it would be stupid of me to say something like this. It also wouldn’t fit into what we were planning as a club.”
Kompany’s task is to regain the league title after Bayern lost it last season to Bayer Leverkusen. That task begins tomorrow at Wolfsburg, who are looking to improve on their 12th place finish last time out. “I think they might reach the European place this year, so we will play against a strong opponent, a hard away game, our first game,” Kompany said. “Am I nervous? No, I’m looking forward to the first match in the Bundesliga.”
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
