18 March 2023 , 07:30
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Charlie Adam believes Vincent Kompany will become "one of the top managers in years to come" after achieving success with Burnley this season.
Kompany's side are 13 points clear at the top of the Championship and need just three wins from their final nine games to guarantee promotion. That will complete a remarkable turnaround for Burnley, who were relegated from the Premier League just a year ago.
Burnley were known as pragmatic long-ball merchants under previous boss Sean Dyche but are now playing eye-catching football under Kompany. Adam, who is part of the coaching staff at Burnley, is full of praise for Kompany and the job he's done.
"He’s very driven, in terms of what he wants and how the team are set up," former Premier League favourite Adam tells Mirror Football on behalf of the EFL's Together - Supporting Communities initiative. "He breaks down the game like I’ve never seen before."
Adam was appointed Burnley's loans manager and professional development phase coach in October. It is the ex-midfielder's first full-time job in coaching since he retired from playing last summer, and he is learning his trade from Manchester City icon Kompany.
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Although Kompany is five months younger than Adam, the Belgian has nearly three years of managerial experience under his belt from his spells with Anderlecht and Burnley. He has also worked with some of the best managers in the game, including Pep Guardiola.
Vincent Kompany worked under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City (Getty Images)What do you make of the job Vincent Kompany has done at Burnley? Let us know in the comments below!
Adam believes Kompany, who won four Premier League titles as a player, will follow in Guardiola's footsteps by eventually becoming a top European coach. "For me, as a young coach, being able to learn from that; being able to go in and speak to him if I need anything and use his experiences in a relatively short career as a manager [is great].
"But what he’s done with the football club – in terms of changing the way [of playing] and his philosophy and principles – has been incredible. That result has shown on the pitch; where they are in the league.
"For me, he’s going to be one of the top managers in years to come. He will know that he’s still relatively new into management, but results and performances and what the club have done so far... unbelievable."
Kompany could even replace Guardiola. Ahead of the FA Cup quarter-final clash between Burnley and City on Saturday, Guardiola told reporters, "After seeing his team, I’m more than convinced he’s going to come back. When? I don’t know, but it’s going to happen."
Burnley made a relatively slow start to the season under Kompany - winning six of their first 15 Championship games - but they have dropped just nine points since then. One of the most intriguing moments of his tenure came during the World Cup in Qatar, when Kompany was jokingly asked whether he would be interested in signing Cristiano Ronaldo.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner had just been released by Manchester United, while Kompany was covering a World Cup game for the BBC. "We need players who can run," laughed Kompany when asked whether Ronaldo was heading to Turf Moor.
Kompany made a cheeky dig at Cristiano Ronaldo during the World Cup in Qatar (Getty Images)It was a response that summed up Kompany's commitment to his philosophy. As Adam protests, the Burnley boss is determined to win every single point between now and the end of the season - despite the club's commanding position in the table.
"It’s about one game at a time still. People will jump to conclusions... but the manager will keep drilling into these players that they can’t rest. There are nine games to go, he’ll want nine victories. That’s how he thinks... he’ll want to stamp his authority on the Championship.
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"There’s no talk of promotion in that training ground. They are just taking each game as it comes and enjoying winning football matches... the manager has got belief in this group of players and the way they’ve been playing is unbelievable."
Charlie Adam was speaking to Mirror Football on behalf of the EFL's Together - Supporting Communities initiative (EFL/Shutterstock)If Burnley do achieve promotion, some critics believe they will need to adapt their attacking style of play against the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea. Adam believes Kompany will be pragmatic but is confident he will remain true to his philosophy.
"I think you’ve got to look at what you’re playing against every week. If the Premier League does come next season for Burnley, then the manager will adapt. But he’ll believe that he can go there with his group of players and play against the best teams and try to look at the tactical game and see how he can get an edge over other teams.
"I think just take each game as it comes. That’s what I think he does; he only takes one game at a time."
Adam was at Blackpool FC for the EFL's ‘Together - Supporting Communities’ campaign, supported by EFL partner eBay through the provision of almost 3,000 match tickets. "They support loads of families around the area," explains Adam.
"[It runs] five times a week, in terms of food and heating and bringing young kids to bring play games... just to help the community. It’s place where I live. I understand what’s going on in the area... it needs help and support, and the football club have reached out because the owner is a local lad and wants to get into the community.
“It’s a great initiative. At times, there’s 150 people. I think over the Christmas period, there’s 150 people turning up every night. Those numbers have slowed down a bit [as we approach the summer], but they’re still getting 50 or 60 people a night... It’s great the football club are willing to support this and help the community."