Michail Antonio believes Vincent Kompany should succeed Pep Guardiola as manager of Manchester City.
The present contract of the Spaniard at the Etihad Stadium is slated to expire at the end of next season.
Guardiola has been at the club since 2016, and the subject of his prospective succession has lately come up, with one current Premier League footballer speculating on who could take over once the 52-year-old departs.
Antonio backs Kompany to replace Guardiola
Antonio had this to say on who he thinks will replace Guardiola at City in a recent episode of The Footballer’s Football Podcast.
“Honestly,” he said. I believe [Kompany] will be the future manager of Manchester City. That’s what I believe if Pep ever walks down and Burnley continues to do well. That appears to be the next phase.
“The distinction between David Moyes at Manchester United and Vincent Kompany at Manchester City lies in the fact that Kompany has a strong history and reputation within the club. When he steps in, he should be capable of having a conversation with the team and saying, ‘I’m not Pep Guardiola. I want to introduce a new philosophy, my own philosophy. Pep’s ideas are deeply ingrained in the club, so it won’t be easy for me to change that, and there might be challenging times.’
Given his long-standing relationship with the club and status as a Man City legend, Kompany should have the opportunity to implement his vision, possibly for two or three years, before facing pressure for change, unless he performs extremely poorly, which is unlikely.
With 360 appearances for City during nearly 11 years as a player, the 37-year-old possesses the knowledge and connections needed to integrate well within the club.
Regarding his managerial experience, Kompany had a winning record in 41 out of 90 games during his time with Anderlecht, with 30 draws and 19 losses before taking over as Burnley’s manager in July last year. Although Burnley had a successful campaign in the Championship last season, helping them return to the Premier League, the club has faced challenges in the top flight this year, losing six out of eight games, drawing one, and winning one.
If Guardiola were to depart City when his current contract expires, it is crucial for the club’s decision-makers to prioritize selecting a candidate based on their professional suitability to succeed Guardiola, rather than making a sentimental choice by hiring Kompany.”
Leave a Reply