Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has endorsed Vincent Kompany as a future manager of the club.
The Belgian defender spent 11 years at Manchester City, where he was a part of their most successful period in history, winning four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups.
In a press conference earlier today, Guardiola praised Kompany for the job he has done as Burnley manager and expressed his confidence that Kompany will manage Manchester City in the future.
Guardiola said (via ESPN):
“I think his destiny to be the manager of Manchester City is already written in the stars.”
“It’s going to happen, I don’t know when but it is going to happen.
“Sooner or later he will be the manager of Manchester City, when, I don’t know. But I am pretty sure. It is my feeling, maybe I am wrong. He has the attributes: work ethic, knowledge of the game, well respected, experienced.
“Doing what he has done is so difficult and he is doing really well. He knows the club, the environment, the fans, what our people need. The destiny is there.”
“I am impressed with the consistency.”
“The Championship is so difficult with the number of games. The consistency has been unbelievable. They are close to being promoted to the Premier League next season and personally I am delighted with his success, what they are doing in Burnley. I think all of us, the fans, are happy he will be back.”
Pep Guardiola on Vincent Kompany:
'Sooner or later, he will be the manager of Manchester City' ?
(via @footballdaily) pic.twitter.com/w54vdcX6Sv
— B/R Football (@brfootball) March 3, 2023
Kompany left Manchester City to join Anderlecht as player-manager in 2019 before taking over as Burnley manager last summer.
In his short time at Turf Moor, he has already made a significant impact, leading the Clarets to the top of the Championship table with a 12 point lead putting them on the verge of a Premier League promotion – and also into the quarterfinals of the FA Cup, where they will face his old club Manchester City.
Guardiola highlighted Kompany’s work ethic, knowledge of the game, and experience, which he believes makes him an ideal candidate to manage Manchester City. He also emphasized that Kompany knows the club, the environment, the fans, and what the people need.
Guardiola’s endorsement of Kompany comes as no surprise, given the respect and admiration he has for the Belgian.
If Kompany were to return to Manchester City as a manager, he would be following in the footsteps of Mikel Arteta, who left the club to become Arsenal’s manager. Arteta has since led the Gunners to an FA Cup triumph and has established himself as a promising young manager.