Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has revealed he tried to persuade Vincent Kompany he still had something to offer Manchester City despite the Belgian defender believing otherwise.
The former City captain made the decision to quit the Etihad at the end of last season and has since taken up a role at Anderlecht as a player/coach.
Did Vincent Kompany still have something to offer when he left Man City?
Yes
No
Guardiola has revealed: “I tried to convince Vincent a lot to stay one more year with us – a lot.
“In the last weeks, I said ‘no, no, no you are not going to leave me’ but he left me. When these guys take the decision it is taken.”
Having decided not to replace the 33-year-old, City have struggled defensively this season. The long-term injury to Aymeric Laporte has added to their woes and the lack of competent alternatives has forced Guardiola to move Fernandinho from the defensive-midfield position into the defence.
TIF Tactics – Did Kompany still have something to offer?
Kompany joined Manchester City back in 2008 and was a part of the club’s dramatic evolution from the very start. Having won 4 Premier League titles with the Cityzens, at the very least, Kompany could have offered guidance, experience and leadership qualities in the dressing room.
His fitness troubles were well documented and, therefore, he may not have been able to deputise week in week out but if there were no plans in place to replace him, you can understand why the boss was eager to keep him around the place.
Kompany’s Anderlecht are struggling this season, they currently find themselves in 10th place domestically and with Mikel Arteta having left for Arsenal perhaps we’ll see the Belgian return to the Etihad as part of Guardiola’s coaching staff at some point in the near future.