WOLVES PUT MAREGA ON THE MENU
VINCENT KOMPANY has been warned to expect “intense pressure” to deliver another title when he swaps Manchester City for Anderlecht.
Kompany will say goodbye to champions and Treble winners City this week to become player-manager of the Belgian club.
And Yannick Bolasie has told Kompany just what to expect after he spent five months on loan there. Bolasie, 29, starred with six goals and three assists for Anderlecht, but they finished sixth and failed to qualify for Europe. He says new boss Kompany, 33, must now transform the club – but fans of will still be expecting immediate success. Bolasie said: “I think it is exciting and a good step for the club, but I can imagine it will be intense. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was under pressure to win the title. “I’ve seen the mentality throughout the club – from the academy to the first team. “Anderlecht are the Manchester United of Belgium. Kompany has been at Man City for 11 years and he’s seen them go from a normal team to an outstanding team.
“He has seen that transformation and Anderlecht now need a transformation, too.
“This last season they brought in up to 20 players. It was a bit like at Tottenham when they sold Gareth Bale.
“Spurs brought a lot of players then and it takes time.”
Anderlecht missed out on European qualification for the first time in 56 years on Sunday when the Brusselsbased side lost 2-1 at Gent.
But Bolasie believes they have the expertise to help rookie boss Kompany rebuild under experienced sporting director Frank Arnesen, 62, who worked at Chelsea and Spurs previously.
Bolasie added:
“This is the first time in Rangers (1986-90) Souness’ Ibrox career started badly as he was sent off in his competitive debut against Hibs. However Souey (below) went on to win three titles in a row prior to leaving for Liverpool before Rangers could clinch a fourth. Souness also led the Gers to four league cup wins. nearly 60 years that the club has no European football. “But it might be better that they are out of Europe and they can try to build, instead. “Fortunately, they have really good people at the top of the club who will help. “People like Frank Arnesen know how to run clubs, but, no doubt, it will take time.” Bolasie says Kompany, who started his career at Anderlecht (below), is sure to find it challenging, juggling both jobs as a player-manager. But he believes the style of play over there will help. He said: “Physically, he will be able to cope because it is a slower pace and less end-to-end. It is much more possession-based.” Despite Anderlecht’s disappointing finish to the season – which saw coach Fred Rutten sacked – Bolasie thrived in Belgium. It vindicated his decision to cut short a loan spell at Championship Aston Villa in January as he rediscovered his top form, following a serious knee injury in December 2016.
DR Congo winger Bolasie, under contract at Everton until 2021, added: “It was the right decision. I needed to find myself again and feel my body. By the end of the season, it became more natural, I feel back to myself. “Now I am looking forward to a good pre-season. “Then I can work on things and just keep ticking over in the season.
“If you don’t have a pre-season, it is hard to do it in the season itself.” Chelsea (1996-98)
Gullit took over as Blues playerboss when Glenn Hoddle left to become England manager. In his first season he guided Chelsea to an FA Cup win – the club’s first major trophy in 26 years.
The following season he was sacked after falling out with the board, with Chelsea second in the Premiership and in the quarter-finals of two cup competitions. WOLVES are heading the £30million chase for Porto hitman Moussa Marega.
Molineux boss Nuno Espirito Santo has made the Mali international (below) a priority summer signing as he seeks to strengthen his attacking options.
Wolves’ need for a clinical finisher was underlined by the fact their strikers plundered just 18 goals between them this campaign. That’s three fewer than Marega, 28, managed on his own as Porto just missed out on the Portuguese title.
Marega’s contract still has two years left to run, but his £30m release clause could now be triggered. Leicester and West Ham also want to sign the forward.