Can Player-Manager Vincent Kompany Revive Anderlecht's Fortunes?
23rd August 2019
The 34-time Belgian champions finished sixth last season, 20 points behind champions Genk, who they face this Friday
- Vincent Kompany might have been seen as the saviour when he returned to Anderlecht as player-manager, but early results suggest it will take time for the 33-year-old to make his mark on Belgium's most successful club
- Anderlecht caused a sensation when they announced in May the appointment of Kompany, a product of the club's youth academy along with stars such as Enzo Scifo and Romelu Lukaku
- The role of player-manager is virtually non-existent these days, and the task always looked a daunting one for Kompany, who had just finished a successful 11-year spell at Manchester City
BRUSSELS, Belgium-
Vincent Kompany might have been seen as the saviour when he returned to
Anderlecht as player-manager, but early results suggest it will take time for
the 33-year-old to make his mark on Belgium's most successful club.
Anderlecht caused a sensation when they announced in May the
appointment of Kompany, a product of the club's youth academy along with stars
such as Enzo Scifo and Romelu Lukaku.
The role of player-manager is virtually non-existent these
days, and the task always looked a daunting one for Kompany, who had just
finished a successful 11-year spell at Manchester City.
With just two points taken from his first four games, it was
announced on Thursday that Kompany, while captaining the team on the field,
would leave substitutions and tactical changes to his staff during games. It is
a first indication that the combination of roles was too much.
Kompany has returned to a club where much has changed since
he emerged there as a teenager before joining Hamburg in 2006.
The 34-time Belgian champions finished sixth last season, 20
points behind champions Genk, who they face this Friday. This season is the
club's first in 55 years without European football.
Things have not been going well for Anderlecht since the
wealthy businessman Marc Coucke bought the club in late 2017, ending a period
of almost 50 years in the hands of the Vanden Stock family. And now the reign
of "Vince the Prince" has started in underwhelming fashion too.
Kompany was treated like a rock star when he was unveiled,
citing City coach Pep Guardiola as the example to follow. "Like every
supporter, I suffered last season," he said.
He hopes to have a big impact on the field, providing he
stays fit. He also hopes instilling a new philosophy can revive the fortunes of
a club who were once a leading European force.
- British influence -
After over a decade in England, he has added a significant
British influence to his staff, with Welshman Simon Davies -- previously on the
staff at City -- becoming head coach.
"We are starting a magnificent project to take
Anderlecht back to where they belong with an accent placed on developing young
players," Davies said.
Another Welshman, Craig Bellamy, is in charge of the
under-21s, while Kevin Reid -- who worked with current Belgium coach Roberto
Martinez at Everton -- has come in as a video analyst.
Last season's top scorer, Ivan Santini, was sold to China,
but Kompany used his contacts to make notable swoops in the transfer market.
They have signed English forward Kemar Roofe from Leeds
United, while Dutch defender Philippe Sandler, 22, signed on loan from City.
- Nasri adds star quality -
But the biggest coups have been the arrivals of Belgium
midfielder Nacer Chadli on-loan from Monaco and ex-France star Samir Nasri,
another old teammate of Kompany's at City. Nasri, 32, was a free agent after
leaving West Ham United.
He and Kompany are rare old heads, with nine players aged 24
or under starting in a 2-1 home defeat by KV Oostende on the opening weekend,
including four teenagers.
Since then, they have drawn 0-0 with Royal Excel Mouscron
and Mechelen before a 4-2 defeat at Kortrijk despite Nasri giving them the
lead.
Now they have a run of games against last season's top four,
with Standard Liege, Antwerp and Club Brugge coming up after Genk. The pressure
could quickly increase on Kompany, who has already faced criticism from leading
ex-players.
"The coach Kompany needs to put Kompany the player in
his place," said Marc Degryse, a former Anderlecht and Belgium forward, in
the daily Het Laatste Nieuws.
"He is just a human being, as well as being a very good
footballer, but I get the feeling he thinks he's God."
The decision to make Kompany captain on the field has been
taken, according to Davies, to allow "the best player in the league"
to focus purely on his playing role, at least during games.
"Vinny and the club have a vision, and we all work to
it as staff, but it's important that he is a player on matchday," said
Davies.
Anderlecht and their new boss are still searching for the
winning formula.