- 3 years ago
Kompany excited by Premier League challenge for Burnley ahead of Man City opener
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00:00 Thank you.
00:01 Good afternoon Vinnie, John from Lanx Live.
00:04 First of all, on Sander Berg, obviously you would have seen him for Sheffield United last
00:19 season first hand.
00:20 How long have you admired him and what was the process behind bringing him to Burnley?
00:25 I think as a coach I don't know if you admire your players directly, but in the end...
00:32 So I've known him as well from...
00:34 I played against him, funnily enough.
00:37 And he's a player that I've always followed.
00:41 Like I said, in the end I know that a lot of people would have watched him three or
00:47 four years ago and think he's got the potential to go to the very top level.
00:52 But I feel that with us we want to give him another change of scenery.
00:58 Sometimes he's not bad and I'm not saying anything negative about what he's experienced
01:02 before.
01:03 I'm just saying we hope he can kick-start that pathway towards that.
01:07 And if not, in any event, he's going to be a good addition for us.
01:12 You brought in James Trafford as well as goalkeeper from Manchester City.
01:14 He's a very ambitious young man, a very talented young man.
01:17 What was it about him that you wanted to bring him to Burnley?
01:21 He's calm, solid.
01:25 Someone that in big moments makes big saves as well, but also has that calmness helping
01:35 his decision-making.
01:39 Will he ever be a keeper for the top?
01:42 I think so.
01:44 But again, I think our timings and our pathways kind of align.
01:49 We're out at stage if we want to have players that can do what we want them to do.
01:53 We're lucky we've got two very good goalkeepers, but for us to get those type of players in,
02:00 it just probably all has to align and that's what we did at the moment for him.
02:07 Just finally, Voetvaer Koster is left on loan to Hoffenheim.
02:10 What was the thought process behind that decision?
02:12 I had a good time with Voet in terms of being able to get to know him, speak to him.
02:20 He's a wonderful character.
02:25 But we just had an honest conversation with each other.
02:27 I think he's at a stage of his career where he rightly so probably will think or feel
02:39 like he has to be in a squad that can be built around him and that makes sense.
02:48 There were coaches and other clubs willing to offer that, but in terms of where we were
02:54 at, we had still different ideas and we weren't able to commit to that.
02:58 At that moment in time, it was a very good and honest conversation.
03:04 We said we wouldn't stand in the way of him having the opportunity to continue to play
03:09 at his age.
03:10 Is it good for you to face City first up or would you have preferred them later on in
03:22 the season?
03:23 Will you be able to gauge how well prepared your team are against the best in Europe?
03:33 One thing is sure, our team will get better from this day all the way across the season.
03:41 That's one thing I'm sure of, the team will get better just because of the way we work.
03:47 But we have to be ready tomorrow and that's the reality of the job.
03:51 I don't try and assess too much where Man City are at.
03:57 Last season we played them, just when they turned the corner, they had a little bit of
04:03 a tougher start last season for those who remember.
04:06 Then they turned the corner and they went in and they had the Leipzig game 7-0.
04:11 Obviously our game, as luck has it, was right in the middle of that period of them where
04:16 they were like, "OK, we're in business now."
04:19 That's the team I want to compete with, that's the image I have.
04:24 Everything else is speculation, we'll see.
04:29 We want to play against the best.
04:31 Pep said earlier on today that they climbed the top of the mountain last season.
04:36 No team in English football history has ever won the title four years in a row.
04:40 Do you think they'll achieve that this season?
04:46 No team ever did the 100 points, they did it.
04:49 No team ever won the English quadruple, they did it.
04:54 Then they won the treble now, so you wouldn't put it past them.
05:00 But our concern at the moment is the league starts with everybody on zero points.
05:06 So our concern is to get the best out possible for us, that's what we care about at the moment.
05:14 From the number of signings that you've made, probably Sander, Berger, Zeki, Umdurmi are
05:19 the ones that are most eye-catching.
05:21 Who are you most excited about seeing on that pitch?
05:24 They're all eye-catching to me.
05:28 I think you get to know them.
05:30 They're just at that age where we can expect performance from them.
05:36 They're not all young kids that we're trying to blend in.
05:39 Some of them will be, but I think we've tried to recruit in a balanced way, with experience
05:45 with Nathan Redmond as well and Sander Berg, and those who we already have, then we've
05:51 probably hit the market in a certain bracket of players where they can already perform,
05:56 but they're still young, so they will need to improve.
06:00 We've got a couple of very young ones in there that are exciting for the future as well.
06:04 The only thing I want to say is I think the team is filled with little Easter eggs that,
06:12 in my opinion, over the course of the season will just open up and deliver.
06:19 If this season plays out in the right way, my prediction is that, but it's an if, right?
06:28 If this season plays out in the way we hope to, I think we're able to turn a corner by
06:37 the time this season's finished for the next season where we can look even further forward.
06:43 And finally, Andros Townsend has been training with you in pre-season and also played in
06:47 a couple of matches.
06:48 What's the latest with him?
06:49 Has he been offered a deal?
06:51 Will he be staying on for the season?
06:55 We initially made sure that we had terms agreed with Andros, so we did offer him a deal, but
07:01 it was pending on a couple of things, mainly why the recruitment was going for us and the
07:08 recovery of some of the players that we had that were injured through pre-season.
07:11 So it was quite transparent in that sense.
07:15 But he's been brilliant.
07:16 He's been fit, working hard.
07:20 He's been good for our dressing room.
07:22 But in terms of what we already had in the building and the players we also wanted to
07:26 bring in, we just weren't able to... it didn't make sense for us to complete.
07:32 My advice for me is to any manager who's still looking for a winger, to approach him.
07:43 He's shown very good signs for us in pre-season.
07:46 You played with De Bruyne, do you also know how to stop him?
08:07 I don't have to stop him, right?
08:09 Look, you name Kevin and then someone else from Norway will name Erling and then someone
08:17 else will name someone else.
08:18 It's a team with the best players in the world at the moment, so the way you do it is just
08:22 collectively.
08:23 There's no other way.
08:25 These guys, it's collectively and it's to hope that these guys have...
08:29 I'm not even going to say a bad day, but that our guys have got an unbelievable day.
08:34 That's kind of the conditions you need.
08:38 I talked to some fans in the city centre, they believe in a win tomorrow because City
08:44 had a longer preparation.
08:46 Do you think it's an advantage you had a longer preparation on the season?
08:51 It depends.
08:53 We had a longer preparation with some players.
08:58 All these other guys have just come in the building, but we still wanted that because
09:04 it would help us understand throughout the process what the level was of the squad.
09:11 In response to your question, the fans have to hope every game and that's what we want
09:17 to give.
09:19 The players, the coaches, our responsibility is to try for every game to give them something
09:26 to believe in and that's how we start this game, definitely.
09:30 Do you feel like David Kepa is ready for the Premier League right now?
09:44 I think it's the eternal question to any player that's ever made a debut.
09:49 We speak about Harry Kane and where he's going.
09:51 There's always someone that needs to believe in a player and give him a start.
09:57 In terms of the talent and in terms of what I think his level will become, I have no doubt.
10:07 I'm pretty sure that if it's not now, and I'll leave it a little bit to speculation
10:12 because it helps me, but if it's not now, I'm pretty sure it's going to be me giving
10:17 him his debut in the Premier League and that's the most important thing, that one day he
10:20 gets his debut because that's where he belongs.
10:23 The rest is like every young player.
10:25 You make mistakes, you learn and the top ones learn really fast.
10:29 How much are you looking forward to testing yourself in the Premier League against the
10:37 best mums?
10:42 The level in the Premier League in every aspect is, in my opinion, probably the best in the
10:48 world.
10:50 There was a time where it was debatable.
10:52 You could say we have the best players, maybe not the best coaches, or you could say we
10:56 have the best this but not the best infrastructure.
10:58 I think there was a time where it was debatable.
11:00 I think now everything in this league is of the highest level.
11:06 I want to be amongst it personally, but in the end, my job is to make others better and
11:13 I'm really passionate about it.
11:14 I want to give the tools and help to my team to get a say in this league as well.
11:20 Good afternoon, how are you?
11:24 Good afternoon, I'm fine.
11:25 I'm really good, yeah.
11:26 An awful lot of training, an awful lot of talking has been done.
11:30 Matchday one is nearly here.
11:32 What's going through your mind at the moment?
11:35 Excited.
11:36 We're playing against such a good opponent, a team filled with players and people that
11:41 I know of course, but mainly probably the best challenge you could ever have, you could
11:48 ever ask for.
11:49 And I want the team to embrace this game and hopefully the fans can do the same.
11:57 Do you know your team at the moment?
11:59 You've had such a lot of changes here in the last few weeks.
12:02 Do you know you're starting XI?
12:04 I'm used to change.
12:06 I've not had the luxury yet as a manager to have a pre-season without change, but I think
12:11 it goes with accessing to a different level, the Premier League.
12:18 And yeah, of course I have an idea of my team, but the start of the season is always about
12:22 building cohesion as fast as you can and without it costing too many results.
12:28 But we've been through it before, so we know what we have to be cautious about and what
12:37 also are the opportunities once you've gone through it.
12:40 Can I ask you about the latest addition, Sander Berg, a new deal for Manuel Benson and a lot
12:45 of talk about Aaron Ramsey.
12:47 Can you discuss those three for me?
12:49 Yes, Sander Berg.
12:50 I think Sander Berg is a player with Premier League experience, which is important for
12:54 us in our team.
12:55 We don't have a lot at the moment, but everyone knows a player with size, I think technically
13:03 good, able to receive the ball either in the first phase in a build-up or in between the
13:08 lines a little bit higher up.
13:10 So technically good, good physicality and a player who we hope we can bring to his full
13:16 potential.
13:17 Those who have followed him for many years know that he's a player that has real potential
13:22 to access to the highest levels in the Premier League.
13:26 But he needs to prove it and hopefully this is a platform.
13:30 And then you mentioned Aaron Ramsey, the latest I've heard is that we're close.
13:34 So a talented player.
13:37 He's not our player yet, but I hope he will be soon.
13:41 You mentioned the last one?
13:42 Manuel Benson.
13:43 Yes, Manuel Benson.
13:44 Look, I think with Benny, for those who have followed us last year, he's been a game-changer
13:50 for us.
13:53 Goals are difficult to find, scoring from low XJ positions and all that kind of data
14:00 talk.
14:01 But the thing that's more important for us is he's a player who can change a game, whether
14:04 he does it for 90 minutes or whether he does it in 30 minutes.
14:08 And these type of plays, we have to cherish them.
14:10 So it was important for us to keep him up early.
14:14 Still hopeful of maybe Teller, maybe Mattson?
14:16 Or are those deals not going to happen?
14:19 The reality is they used to be our players, they're not our players at the moment.
14:23 So you're always a little bit in that conflicted situation because obviously I know those players
14:27 really well.
14:30 And obviously the moments we had together, we've had very good experiences together.
14:34 But at the moment they're not our players.
14:36 So I have to respect that the decision is not ours, even if they're very good players
14:43 that we like, of course.
14:44 I think the last time Burnley got a point against City, you would have been playing
14:47 for City at Turf Moor back in 2018.
14:50 Do you remember that game?
14:52 Yeah, I might do.
14:55 I think in this part of the world I've been reminded about this game specifically quite
14:59 enough.
15:00 What are the outstanding memories of that game?
15:03 Oh, I couldn't tell you.
15:06 Honestly, I couldn't tell you.
15:08 All I know is that probably I've put in a few headers and cleared a few balls.
15:15 And we faced at the time probably a very resilient team.
15:20 Those games at Turf Moor, I would say it's fair to say that City has had a little bit
15:25 of an advantage in the tie between the two clubs over recent years.
15:30 But tomorrow is another day and that's the only thing we care about.
15:35 How significant is that for you?
15:37 You've played the Cup games against them last season, but in many ways this season
15:40 maybe a lot of the Premier League don't know about Burnley, don't know about your new players.
15:44 Is the element of surprise maybe something you can milk?
15:47 Yeah, look, we played three Premier League oppositions last season and each of them were
15:54 a different level.
15:55 I think City was at the highest, highest level probably in world football that you could
15:58 face.
15:59 And then we had United, we had Bournemouth.
16:03 So those three games were a little bit of different levels.
16:06 And they were very interesting for us.
16:07 We learned a lot.
16:08 I hope that meanwhile our team has improved and will move on again.
16:15 I'm not sure whether everything we'll be able to show on the first day of the season, but
16:18 in the way our mindset is, it's a matter of time before those players blend in and then
16:23 eventually compete at this level.
16:26 So our idea is that we'll be a better team this season.
16:29 City have lost a couple of players, as you'll know.
16:32 They feel maybe they're a little bit behind everybody else fitness-wise.
16:36 Is that playing maybe mind games a little bit or is that something you can take advantage
16:39 of?
16:40 I'm sure after winning the Treblis, it's all right starting the season slightly behind.
16:44 I think it'll be all right.
16:48 Before I go, can I just ask you about the big news today regarding Harry Kane?
16:53 You must have marked him on a number of occasions, I would have thought.
16:55 How significant a move is this for Harry if he goes to Germany?
17:00 There are numbers and discussions that are very, very far from my bed at the moment,
17:08 so I haven't focused too much on it.
17:11 But he's a top player and he's improved with age, so it makes sense.
17:15 He still has a lot of football in him and top clubs have always been after him.
17:22 I don't know if it happens or not, it's not really been my concern, but I can see why
17:27 even at his age he's still a very attractive proposition because he's kept improving.
17:31 He's probably better now than when I played against him, even though supposedly he would
17:36 have been in his peak back then.
17:39 You played them third game, I think, so I suppose in a way if he does go, Spurs without
17:44 Harry Kane is good for you, isn't it?
17:45 Yes, but I can't imagine them just sitting on that money coming in and doing nothing
17:50 with it.
17:51 I try not to speculate too much.
17:54 My preparation is always against the best possible team that we can face.
17:58 The best version of City tomorrow and the best version of whoever comes after.
18:02 I'm not too worried about the rest of it.
18:05 Thank you for your time.
18:06 Good luck.
18:07 Thank you.
18:08 John Tee from Rugby League Productions.
18:09 Ben, good to see you.
18:11 In the build-up to this one and since the fixtures were announced, have you spoke to
18:14 Pep or any of your old friends at Man City?
18:17 This must be one that personally you're really looking forward to.
18:20 No, I think there's probably been an awkward month where there was just congratulations
18:26 flying back and forth between a lot of the people.
18:31 When you congratulate for the league and then the FA Cup and then the Champions League and
18:37 in the end you're like, 'When is the right timing?'
18:40 But look, they are people that I've worked with and lived with for many years in my life.
18:52 The contact will always be there.
18:54 Now for a minute we have to put everything behind us and just go toe-to-toe.
19:01 We'll try and do the best we can.
19:03 I'm sure they showed last game that they won't really put the foot off the gas pedal and
19:08 that's something we love as well about it.
19:11 Your pre-season has seemed absolutely meticulous.
19:15 Long nights, early starts.
19:17 Talk us through what you've learnt about your team in the build-up to this campaign.
19:21 The pre-season for us was an extended pre-season but it was the best decision we made.
19:29 It was so valuable.
19:33 Even at our level, you get put to sleep a little bit by success.
19:39 You win a lot of games, everything is nice, you're the best team and you go to the next
19:44 level.
19:45 Even to be fair, the games we played against the Premier League opposition last year gave
19:49 us a feeling that we were on the right track.
19:53 The biggest thing is to recognise what the level is that's required to be able to compete
19:57 next season.
19:59 I think this pre-season gave us the time to be together, reassess the levels, look
20:04 at what we wanted to become and just act.
20:08 I think that's what we've done.
20:09 It's been a really valuable period of time.
20:13 But the most valuable period of time comes now with the games and the new players coming
20:16 in.
20:17 You know yourself, I'm really big on cohesion and that aspect of a squad.
20:25 You can't force that.
20:26 I hope I can trim it from three months to six months, rather than three months or two
20:30 months.
20:31 But that's the nature of the game we're going to be playing now.
20:41 Just going back to Sander Berger, has it been a conscious decision to add height to the
20:45 team given he's six foot five?
20:51 We're in a market where usually we compromise, right?
20:55 You've got to compromise on something.
20:58 If you want height, speed, good on the ball, they'll play in the opposition team tomorrow.
21:04 It's a different price tag.
21:07 I think with Sander, the opportunity in terms of the profile is that he has the potential,
21:16 but it's time to show it.
21:18 With us, I think he's in an environment where we don't need him to be perfect yet.
21:23 We just need him to be willing to go to his best level and that's exciting for us.
21:29 If you bring Ramsey in as well, that obviously gives you plenty of options in midfield as
21:34 well, doesn't it?
21:36 Yeah, yeah.
21:37 I think with Sander you have someone that's ready now to add to the people that we already
21:44 have, but it won't be long before.
21:48 For those who have followed the Championship and know a little bit about the upcoming talents
21:54 in English football, it won't be long before.
21:57 I think Ramsey will be in English international form, it's just a matter of time.
22:04 We're going to be a big part of that journey, I think, but we don't have to force it.
22:10 These type of players, you go with them and then at a moment it becomes clear and then
22:14 you give them a chance.
22:16 Are we going to see evidence of a change in style for you?
22:20 Do you have to change from the Championship to play in the Premier League and be competitive
22:25 and successful?
22:26 I think you have to adapt and evolve.
22:30 Name me one style that guarantees you success and one style that makes you go down.
22:35 You can go through every flavour you want going down and every flavour you want winning
22:40 the leagues, maybe not in recent years to be fair.
22:44 But the reality is it's the quality of plays and the quality is not linked to necessarily
22:50 bringing players in, it's just about making sure players get better at what they've done
22:55 well.
22:56 The demand will be to be better, but to tilt it around style, it's like an ideological
23:04 discussion.
23:06 If you believe one way, you're going to keep believing that way and as soon as things go
23:09 bad you're going to revert to, "Yeah, but you see, you need to change style."
23:13 But it goes both ways, so I'm not too concerned about that.
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