John Stones has shared why Vincent Kompany has been a success as Burnley manager.
Manchester City begin their Premier League title defence on Friday with a trip to Turf Moor to face Vincent Kompany’s Burnley.
Under the management of the legendary City defender, Burnley surged to an instant return to the top flight.
The Lancashire club earned 101 points from 46 games, scoring 87 goals and conceding just 35. Kompany’s side had both the best attacking and defensive records in the Championship last season.
Stones praises Kompany
Given the 37-year-old’s relative inexperience in management – he is entering just his fourth full season as a manager – some might be surprised by the success Kompany has enjoyed at Turf Moor.
For City centre-back John Stones though, he knew when playing with Kompany that the Belgian would make a great coach.
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“Playing alongside him [Kompany] and sharing a dressing room with him I saw first-hand what a passion Vinnie has for the game,” Stones said, via The National.
“He is a winner and he won’t settle for second best. He will make a top-class manager. He has that empathy that you need.
“There are only a few people who know instinctively when to deliver a rocket and when to console you. He can read a dressing room.”
Friday night’s match promises to be a far-from-straightforward way for City to kick-off their title defence.
Although Pep Guardiola’s side did comfortably dispatch of Kompany’s Burnley in the FA Cup quarter-finals last season, winning 6-0 at the Etihad Stadium, Stones was impressed by Friday’s opponents.
“When we played Burnley at the Etihad in the FA Cup quarter-final I was so impressed by the way Vinnie had them playing,” Stones said.
“It was a really difficult game, I know in the end the scoreline didn’t reflect that but I can assure you it was hard.”
Burnley will travel to the Etihad Stadium for the reverse fixture on Wednesday 31 January, 2024.