Bayern Munich on the verge of naming Vincent Kompany as coach: Reports
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Vincent Kompany took the reins of Burnley in 2022, taking them to the Premier League as second-tier champions.
PHOTO: REUTERS
MUNICH – Bayern Munich are close to completing a shock move for Burnley boss Vincent Kompany to replace Thomas Tuchel as coach, German and English media reported on May 22.
According to German tabloid Bild and network Sky, along with English newspaper The Guardian, the Belgian has reached an agreement in principle with Bayern. As a result, the German club are working on a compensation package for Burnley, where Kompany still has four years on his contract.
Burnley have just been relegated from the English Premier League after only one season in the top flight.
Bayern agreed to part ways with Tuchel in February after falling behind eventual champions Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga title race.
Kompany is the latest candidate in a long list linked to Bayern. Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso, Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann and Austria manager Ralf Rangnick all reportedly turned down Bayern’s interest.
The Bavarian giants then attempted to hold onto Tuchel, who led them to a Champions League semi-final loss to Real Madrid. Tuchel, however, said the parties “could not reach an agreement” on him staying on in his post.
Kompany has Bundesliga experience, having played at Hamburg before joining Manchester City, where he won four Premier League titles. He left City in 2019, returning to Belgian club Anderlecht as player-coach.
The 38-year-old then took the reins of Burnley in 2022, taking them to the Premier League as second-tier champions at the first time of asking. Kompany, however, could not keep Burnley in the top division, with the club relegated in 19th place in the 20-team league.
West Ham United, meanwhile, filled their managerial vacancy swiftly on May 23. They announced that former Spain and Real Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui will succeed David Moyes.
He said: “We had other opportunities but I am very happy that West Ham chose me because I chose West Ham too. We came here with the idea and the thought to make a big, big noise.”
In other Premier League managerial news, Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe blasted Chelsea’s ruthless sacking of Mauricio Pochettino as “harsh” and a “sad” moment for the Premier League.
The Argentinian was axed this week after just a year in charge, despite a late surge of form steering Chelsea to a sixth-placed finish and Europe next season – three points clear of Newcastle in seventh.
“Mauricio is a very, very good manager,” Howe said in Melbourne, after winning a friendly against Pochettino’s former club Tottenham Hotspur on May 22.
“It’s sad for the Premier League when a manager loses his job. Especially when it is harsh... The latter part of their season their form was very strong, they pipped us for sixth place.”
Some reports have said Howe could be in the running for the Chelsea job.
According to reports, Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness, Girona boss Michel Sanchez, Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna, and Enzo Maresca of Leicester City are among others in contention for the Stamford Bridge hot seat. AFP
