MY DEBT TO PEP
Kompany: Boss has been brilliant
b VINCENT KOMPANY has revealed his rock- solid relationship with Pep Guardiola has helped him through the dark days.
And the injury-hit Manchester City skipper is looking forward to next season after insisting his “comeback story” is old news.
The Belgian’s future looked on the line at the Etihad Stadium until this month when he was finally restored to the team after making just six appearances before then.
But after ending empty-handed in his first season in English football, Guardiola (above) is confident the 31-year-old defender can now have a huge part to play in his plans.
Kompany said: “The manager has been brilliant with me.
“It’s not been a season where I’ve had any complaints. When I’ve been back to full fitness he has given me my chance. Our relationship is really good. But I’m not worried about breaking down again. I understand that a lot of people think that and I have no issue with that.
“But you don’t come back if you think like this. That is the truth of it. You keep going.
“It has been challenging but I’ve improved and definitely learnt a lot – about myself and football.
“When you are with a top-class manager you just learn, you improve, and I’ve been fortunate to be part of that.
Positive
“Now I’m feeling good, just enjoying being out with the lads. It makes a change from the gym.
“I’m naturally always positive. I don’t give up and I don’t see the drama in things – I know it is in my hands.
“The comeback story is gone now and I just enjoy playing my football and that is it. I’m one of the players, that’s all.”
After so many setbacks Kompany has started City’s last three matches – and come through unscathed. And as he prepared to t ackle Middlesbrough today to keep City’s top-four dream going, Kompany said: “It doesn’t really matter if you play every game. I’ve passed that stage now.
“It is just important to perform well when you are asked to and I trust myself entirely to do that.
“I don’t know if I can play three games in a week. In today’s football you have a big squad and there is a purpose for that.
“Rarely has there been a season where we have dominated so many of the big games and come out of them just with not enough. We are not far off having the real deal here – there is something brewing.
“United’s schedule appears to be a little tougher than ours, but I am sure Middlesbrough will be fighting for their lives. I’m hoping for Champions League qualification.
“Every game has to be like a cup final because we don’t have any margins for mistakes.”