Kompany’s return presents Guardiola with a dilemma
have to do and, as long as I can organise the people around, I can always get a performance. The main thing is self-belief and experience.
“I follow what is happening in training so I understand what needs to be done. There are ups and downs but ultimately what keeps you going is looking to the objective and knowing that the season is long. If I had to work 15 years for one moment like this I would do it.”
It all leaves manager Pep Guardiola facing a huge quandary ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final with Arsenal and then the Manchester derby four days later against his great rival, Jose Mourinho. Could Kompany play twice in such a short space of time – or, like Redknapp with King, must the manager prioritise?
“I love the FA Cup and I love derbies,” said Kompany. “It is a cliché but we have to take things game by game. We have a massive game against Arsenal and then, after that, we can reassess.”
There was a similar message from Guardiola, who also revealed that he has experienced a career first over these past 10 days of his debut season in English football. Rewind to last Saturday morning and City were winless in four matches. They were out of the Champions League and 14 points adrift of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League – but, as was again the case against Southampton on Saturday, the supporters still chanted Guardiola’s name.
“We did not win one game [in four] but our supporters helped us,” he said. “In Italy and Spain that does not happen. That is why I am so, so glad for the fans. For the first time in my life I have experienced that. Here I miss a little bit the pressure. In Spain, especially in Germany, the pressure is higher to the players, to the manager, to everybody. Here it is calm. The fans are always perfect. I love them.”
Guardiola has won six league titles in his seven seasons as a manager and is adamant that the key for City to reach the relentless success he achieved at Barcelona and Bayern Munich is psychological.
“Sometimes when you realise you cannot lose, when you feel the pressure, the real pressure, you will be so criticised and the players make a step forward,” he said. “Do the players believe they cannot lose? We need to have time to put something in their heads and the hearts of the players. The difference is mentality, not the quality.”
Southampton’s challenge just now is also mental. They are safe in the middle of the table but there is no prospect of again qualifying for Europe. “We have to play with more bravery because we can play much better,” said defender Maya Yoshida.
“We dropped down our pace; I let Kompany open the scoring and the aggression changed. Everyone has to fight for the team, not for one person.”