Why Bayern chose Kompany as their new head coach
After months of searching for a replacement for Thomas Tuchel, Bayern Munich finally confirmed Vincent Kompany as their new head coach on Wednesday, with the 38-year-old arriving from Burnley on a three-year deal.
Kompany held his first press conference as Bayern coach on Thursday, sitting alongside club bosses Jan-Christian Dreesen and Max Eberl, who explained the reasons behind the 38-year-old's appointment.
“I'm very happy that it worked out with Vincent. We've found one of the most interesting coaches in Europe. He's a very young coach. We're thinking straight away about the game, about the next steps. We're looking forward to new energy, new drive and hopefully new successes,” said Eberl.
“We had a long decision-making process. But we all agreed that Vincent Kompany was the right man for the job,” added Dreesen.
Elaborating on the appointment, Eberl added that Kompany has everything Bayern are looking for in a coach “except the experience of having worked at a top club", with the 38-year-old having previously worked at Anderlecht and Burnley.
“He has a great personality and his style of play suits FC Bayern perfectly: we want to be dominant, we want to have the ball. He also stands for that. We're delighted to have this coach with us and to take the next steps with him,” explained Eberl.
"Vincent's two years at Anderlecht were exceptional, he coached the youngest team in Europe there. Then he decided to move to England. They were promoted to the Premier League with a record 101 points and impressive football. That's why he's been on my and Christoph's list for a long time. In terms of experience, we're now going down the path together with him. We had a long decision-making process when looking for a coach and I can say: you save the best for last."
Unsurprisingly, board members Uli Hoeness and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge were also involved in the decision to hire Kompany.
“We would be ill-advised to not draw on the expertise of people like Uli Hoeneß or Karl-Heinz Rummenigge," said Dreesen.
"That is our strength. I can't remember a coach who was rejected by one person. But a discourse always involves a discussion. We have now agreed a three-year contract with Vincent and hopefully it will be extended at some point,” he continued.