Vincent Kompany will be man in demand despite Burnley relegation and £90m spend

11 May 2024 , 16:15

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Vincent Kompany couldn't fire Burnley to safety (Image: Getty Images)

Even though this was boom or bust - Burnley did things their way.

And that is the underlying beauty of the job Vincent Kompany has carried out at Turf Moor this season, even if it has now ended in an inevitable relegation.

The brave Belgian boss has stuck to his guns, stayed true to his footballing vision and the carefully-crafted blueprint that saw the Clarets accumulate a staggering 101 points on their way to the Championship title last season.

While points should always take precedence, the attack-minded, fast-paced football has been a far-cry from the defensive dross on display under Sean Dyche that had undoubtedly run its course.

They took the game to Tottenham, left themselves incredibly vulnerable at the back and there was absolute zero interest in parking the bus. Burnley could have even won it after goalscorer Jacob Bruun Larsen and Lyle Foster squandered two glorious openings at one goal apiece.

But the damage had undeniably already been done, even though despite the chaos, you cannot help but wonder what might have materialised had several crucial flashpoints during the season worked in their favour.

Arijanet Muric's catastrophic own goal against Brighton - five minutes after Josh Brownhill had given the Clarets a precious, late lead - won't be forgotten. Then there was Brownhill's agonising 97th-minute miss in the hectic 2-2 draw at West Ham in early March. Three points were there for the taking.

Perhaps the most damaging setback was Carlton Morris' 92nd-minute equaliser for Luton at Turf Moor after Elijah Adebayo clattered into James Trafford. It was utterly astounding the header was not chalked off by VAR, which usually provides goalkeepers with so much protection

Kompany, who was sent off for his remonstrations, was also well within his rights to feel aggrieved at referee Darren England's decision to dismiss Lorenz Assignon for an alleged foul on Mykhailo Mudryk in the 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Burnley are down after losing 2-1 at Tottenham (GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

And they outperformed the misfiring Blues even with 10 men, so who knows what they might have achieved had they kept 11 players on the field. That's hindsight but the gritty performance in west London, spirit and unity was testament to the dressing room Kompany has created, his leadership, motivational skills and charisma.

Make no mistake, his stock is on the rise once again, even after failing to keep Burnley afloat. That is a glowing reflection of his coaching potential and what he might yet achieve as a manager. For the sake of balance, it is also important to acknowledge that Burnley have ultimately failed in their collective objective after splashing over £90million on 15 new signings last summer.

Kompany is far more than just a coach and has had a very hands-on role where recruitment is concerned. He's even sandwiched in scouting trips overseas to Denmark and Belgium amid a packed schedule with assistant Craig Bellamy to better his team's prospects. While his plan did not pay dividends, his work has identity.

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Vincent Kompany's side have been relegated to the Championship (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Unfortunately, the big-money acquisitions of Trafford, Aaron Ramsey and Sander Berge, among others, failed to pay off and they proved damaging, even if the loan arrivals of Assignon, Maxime Esteve and David Datro Fofana were far more effective in January. Replacing the pedigree and value of Bundesliga high-flyers Nathan Tella, who hit 17 goals last season, and Ian Maatsen has also proven difficult.

Crucially, almost every signing Burnley have funded for Kompany has been a young player with high potential - it's helped breathe new life into a club that had become stagnant. For the record, he named the second-youngest starting line up in the top-flight this season at Liverpool in February, boasting an average age of just 23.2.

That is remarkable given Dyche had previously fielded the oldest side in Burnley history - with an average age of 31.7 - just two years earlier in a 2-1 home FA Cup defeat to Huddersfield. It may be back to the drawing board but relegation will not define the trajectory of Kompany's coaching career. Burnley will still do so well to keep hold of his services.

Ryan Taylor