In an with Sky Sports before the testimonial, Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany looks back on 11 glittering years in the Etihad Stadium.
Kompany, who captained Manchester City into four Premier League titles, left to return to boyhood club Anderlecht because player-manager.
In the first years earlier City’s takeover, to a tide of decorations under Pep Guardiola, during that Aguero moment and that Kompany minute, the 33-year-old talks with Geoff Shreeves to take a in-depth look in his time in the club…
Arriving for a charge of approximately # 6m from Hamburg in 2008, Kompany goes to play 360 occasions, winning two FA Cups four Premier League titles, four League Cups and two Community Shields.
Looking back on his time in City Kompany insists it’s not all about the trophies. The simple fact the club have transitioned into the very best team in England from mid-table, through bumps in the street, makes it far more unique.
“Going through the transition City, and missing out on these titles in the initial decades, then hardship in terms of expectations, neglecting, expectations, failing, and then carrying on. While I look back on this, it’s better doing it this way, for me anyway.
“I know I played a role in shaping the culture at this club, and probably the future of the club, and that means a good deal. There are not many clubs in which you can do it like this. It was a journey that is particular.
“The owners arrived, and they have been owners who give time to construct, the perfect kind of owners for your club. So many come and say they’re likely to pile money in, be prosperous, but never attain it. That ownership team came in and said they were planning to construct vision and a plan, and can anybody doubt they did that?
“Not everything was bad when I arrived, we had to alter a Few of the gamers to become a successful group, but it was a great club with a fantastic history, and I Believe that is the thing I tried to maintain sharing.”
The Belgian was linked away from City, but rarely did speculation go far. He only had eyes for City, but first choice was staying in the Etihad though he admits he may have won more league titles if he had jumped across other groups.
“I could have ended up in a different club, and from four league titles you may have perhaps turned it into eight, depending on which club you go to, and how successful it is.
“It’s a competitive club, City. It’s not like you wait for what happens and then are able to sit for a year. Every transfer window, each six months, you are competing with the rest of earth. Anyone better in the world, they have the obligation and nobody provides you the gift of staying at City for 11 decades, you have to make it for 11 years.
“Doing so, while being impeded by your body, my mother would have been pleased with me.”
Produced in Uccles, Brussels, Kompany is now an Mancunian. But that is not only a throwaway term.
Kompany is aware what it states he has tried to influence other players with these traits, and seems to be a Manc, and expect that lasts long after his departure.
“I became a Manc at the conclusion of this. Each one these core values before I was a Manc I had, so I transported them through the years when I signed. From its end I think there’s a powerful identification of Manchester that remains.
“If a person gets a knock on the pitch, you simply wake up, get on with it. You are in Manchester. It doesn’t matter whether you are a #100m participant, because you are in Manchester get on with it, and you are likely to catch up. That’s Manchester’s aspect I tried to keep during, and I feel that the team was shaped somewhat like this due to myself and many others.
“I suggest, Carla [Kompany’s wife] and her family are enormous blues. There! However, now I got myself in a place where it always meant a great deal for me, more than at anywhere else.”
Four years later being taken over, the first name of City came in the very spectacular fashion. Sergio Aguero’s last-gasp winner from QPR intended City pipped Manchester United at 2012 regarded as the moment in Premier League history.
‘Average City’ took on a significance that is different.
“Average City style would have been to get rid of the match and dismiss it. That is what City intended in those days. Now typical City is defined by the Kun Aguero second, you win matches and do not give you up come back.
“Was my aim from Leicester more significant? His target was important! Mine, well, looked better, which I never thought I would have !
“But his was crucial. He’d do his very best to wait until that moment, since he had the worst 93 moments of his career, and I would have had a word to say about that after the match if he did not’ score, but that is the wonder of his occupation! One moment can always turn it around.”
Though far more worried about keeping the ball Kompany got his moment in May. All year, the centre-back made a dramatic long-range attack to watch off Leicester 1-0 in their game. Ever, it moved down like Aguero’s second.
He knew it was his last home game for City, but his choice to depart was not public. Was he emotional?
“I’m not an emotional kind of guy. But it was psychological because I was jumped on by everybody, and likely when I scored a goal and you could not find me. But I thought:’What if that really is the aim, what should this is the blank sheet we keep to the game’s conclusion, and that provides us the title.’
“The game finished 1-0, the kids came on the pitch, technically my final game for the club in the home, and that I already knew [I was departing ]. Therefore it was quite emotional. But it’s a time I will never forget, City lovers will never forget. Not disclosing it felt right. It was not about me, it was all about winning then, what we had to win after there is always enough time for goodbyes.
“It was hard to maintain the emotion inside. I am looking around and watch that this iconic stadium for me, and now I visit 57,000 people I am genuinely grateful towards, and alongside me personally my 11 team-mates, of that I have a few gamers in specific like Kun Aguero and David Silva, who I went through everything with, thinking:’We’re still standing and performing so together!’ It was a night of emotions.
“That is why I can always stay fairly humble in my entire life since I think these types of things only happen as you stay humble, driven and focused. Eventually, somebody says:’Here you go, you get your reward.'”
Watch Manchester City Legends vs Premier League All-Stars on September 11 from 7pm on Sky Sports Premier League; Kick-off 7.45pm
Money will go to Tackle4MCR – the initiative that Kompany set up together with the Mayor Andy Burnham, of Greater Manchester, to address rough sleeping and homelessness from town.
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