You shouldn’t
THE GLOVE FITS: Dawson has enjoyed his elevation REPORTS VINCENT KOMPANY says his stubborn streak helped him through his injury nightmare to become a Wembley winner once again.
The Manchester City captain has endured so many setbacks over the last few years that a lesser character may well have called it a day.
But Kompany’s perseverance paid off with a man-of-thematch display against Arsenal as City won the Carabao Cup on Sunday, when he underlined that, despite the club’s £200million spend on central defenders in recent years, he remains their best.
And perversely, the 31-yearold Belgium international says he actually enjoys the adversity he has experienced – he has missed 130 games in a City career approaching its 10th anniversary in August – because it brings the best out of him.
“I’m fortunate to be at a club where I get incredible support from the medical staff,” he said. “But a lot of it is my own doing. Just absolute stubbornness.
“I almost get enjoyment out of adversity in life, however bad it can be. I’ve always been like this. I’m kind of the wrong guy to bet against!
“I hope I’m remembered for more than my injuries. I could have had an easier run in my career. But if I had to go back I would not change anything because I got the chance to show what kind of person I am and I will be able use the self-belief I’ve had to show in the rest of my life. That means more to me.”
All his emotions spilled out when he scored City’s vital second goal on Sunday. It was sandwiched by strikes from the two other members of City’s ‘old guard’ – Sergio Aguero, who joined in 2011, and David Silva, who arrived the year before.
“I’m living every moment as if it is my first and last in the game,” said Kompany, whose bargain £6m transfer from Hamburg pre - dates Abu Dhabi billionaire Sheikh Mansour’s takeover in September 2008 by a couple of weeks.
“Before the game, I thought I was going to score,” he said. “I always visualise myself doing well, my team winning and even me getting an opportunity to score. That’s how it turned out.
“I know it wasn’t a celebration that will get me on the Panini stickers, but it wasn’t premeditated. What you saw was what I felt. I enjoy being part of this team and I hope until the last minute of my career I can enjoy it like I did on Sunday. It was an unbelievable experience.
“When it all comes together like that, you want to tell young players to just hang in there because every minute of hard work is worth it when you are able to have what we had on Sunday.” Kompany has now lifted three League Cups, one FA Cup and two Premier League titles – with a third title just six wins away. But he refuses to compare the title-winning teams of Roberto Mancini in 2012 and Manuel Pellegrini in 2014 with Pep Guardiola’s current runaway leaders because he says they need to prove they can win trophies on a consistent basis before proper judgments can be made. “We’ll have to see when the trophies are coming. If we win more and consistently,