SOMETHING SPECIAL
Pep hails true Kompany man on 10 years at City
PEP GUARDIOLA led the tributes to Vincent Kompany as the Manchester City skipper celebrated 10 years with the Blues.
Signed from Hamburg for just £6m, Kompany has become the most successful captain in City’s history and one of their most iconic players.
Despite a succession of injuries in recent years, he has shown great mental resolve to come back time and again and prove his enduring worth to City.
He remains their most accomplished defender when fully fit and boss Guardiola said: “When one guy is with the same club for 10 years it’s because he is something special.”
When Kompany signed for City, he said he felt “something big might happen”.
And he was proved correct nine days later when Sheikh Mansour launched his takeover, transforming the Blues and seeing them emerge from the giant shadow cast by the success of Manchester United.
Brazil superstar Robinho was signed from Real Madrid for a then club record fee of £32m as City flexed their new-found financial muscle to put them on the way to becoming a major force in the Premier League and Europe.
Proud
Reflecting on his decade at City, Kompany, 32, said: “It’s been a special journey. The fans and the people who support this club are the same, but everything else has evolved.
“There’s so much to say right now in a few words. But I’m extremely proud to have been a part of it.”
Scouted by Manchester United while a youth player at Anderlecht, Sir Alex Ferguson decided against going for Kompany with City signing him for a bargain fee, given his longevity and level of service.
Signed by Mark Hughes as a defensive midfielder, Kompany quickly settled into his role in central defence and soon emerged as the leader and figure around whom City would build their backline.
He succeeded Carlos Tevez as skipper at the start of the 2011-12 season and played a pivotal role in that title-winning campaign, scoring the header in a 1-0 win over United that put them in pole position over their local rivals.
Sergio Aguero may have scored the dramatic 94th-minute winner with virtually the last kick of the season to seal the title for City.
However, it was Kompany’s towering header at home to United that made possible the thrilling finale – the most exciting in Premier League history – to the epic title tussle.
Kompany’s crucial header and Aguero’s seismic title-winning goal signalled a power shift in Manchester football.
Even though United responded by reclaiming the title the following season as Fergie stepped down, in the five seasons since City have always finished above them. On the back of last season’s record-breaking title win, secured by a 19-point margin over United, the gap between the fierce rivals is wider than ever.
And Kompany is still playing a key role. His appearances may be rationed now, a consequence of age and his brutal injury history, but it says everything about his enduring class and value to City that he remains a key member of Guardiola’s squad.
Combative and committed on the field, Kompany is articulate and intelligent off it, graduating from Manchester Business School with an MBA earlier this year after studying in his spare time.
His team-mates joined Guardiola in hailing his decade of service at City, with Belgium star Kevin De Bruyne, currently out with a knee injury, saying: “He’s been a legend for the club and also for Belgium. He did good stuff and hopefully we can win more together.”
With three Premier League titles, three League Cups and one FA Cup, Kompany has enjoyed a glittering association with City, having racked up 10 years of service.
He is set to play his 250th Premier League game at Wolves on Saturday, another significant milestone in a formidable career.