Burnley's Kompany and challenge of facing Liverpool and relegation battle (Full Presser)
Burnley boss Vincent Kompany on the challenge of facing Liverpool and the Premier League relegation battle
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00:00 How much has last weekend's result and the comeback given everyone a boost in and around
00:19 the club as well as the players?
00:21 "I hope the lads believe that they can score goals, they can be a good team when they put
00:35 their minds to it.
00:41 Some of the things we showed in that game are more of the things we have to show towards
00:44 the end of the season.
00:48 I think it's something we spoke about a lot but at the moment it's a result issue for
00:54 us.
00:55 In many games we've shown the same signs as against Fulham in terms of finishing either
01:05 strongly or being in the game until the end.
01:07 But for us it's really a case of turning these moments into results and that's maybe a positive
01:13 step for this one."
01:14 How much of it is belief then?
01:20 "Belief is always there.
01:23 When we start the championship season, like the start of last season and all of our players
01:27 are gone and you have to gear up for a new season, the starting ingredient of everything
01:32 is always belief.
01:35 That was there at the time, that's there right now and that's still going to be there always.
01:43 From a side of belief you need to have a good dose of hard work.
01:47 These ingredients are there, it's nothing but the basics."
01:50 What is giving you that optimism that you can get something from this game?
01:58 "It's football.
02:01 Things happen in the game.
02:04 The starting point of a game like this is always...
02:08 We know you go to Anfield, you've got to do everything right and you've got to have a
02:13 few things going your way as well.
02:17 But the biggest thing we can control is what we have to do on the day and that's how we
02:21 prepare for that game."
02:22 You've made 20 errors this season.
02:23 How do you deal with that?
02:24 "That brings me on to something that we never really like to ask about but obviously we've
02:27 seen the Premier League come out with a report into VAR over the last 24 hours.
02:32 Twenty errors so far this season.
02:34 I know you've spoken quite passionately about the subject before but do you feel as though
02:39 the system is currently working as it should?"
02:42 "No, if you've only made 20 mistakes in the whole season then it's fine.
02:50 It's something I don't want to get dragged into because I think I'm in a position now
03:00 where it's important that we don't seem to be deflecting.
03:04 I have to be looking at what I can do, I have to be looking at what my players can do and
03:09 everything around it.
03:11 I think if you go back through each and every game, the post-match analysis that we've done,
03:16 you will see what kind of the trend is in what I've said this season.
03:20 But to bring it back now is not relevant for me."
03:25 "You said after the Luton game there are no consequences if things aren't right with the
03:31 VAR decision.
03:32 I'm just wondering, if there are any changes you'd like to see made that would actually
03:37 make the system work better?"
03:40 "I don't know.
03:43 You're asking valid questions so there's nothing wrong with the questions but you're asking
03:47 it to the wrong person at the moment in terms of I haven't spent a single second of my day
03:51 thinking about how they should adapt policy towards the VAR.
03:57 I just don't have the time for that.
03:59 I just hope that they get it right and I just hope that towards the end of the season it
04:05 all balances out.
04:07 In the end, I mainly don't want to be...
04:12 There's moments where you can reflect on these things but I feel when we are where we are,
04:20 one thing we can't do is deflect or give the impression to deflect and we have to be responsible
04:24 for our own destiny and all these things.
04:28 Hopefully it balances out."
04:29 "You're a renowned winner of course.
04:36 You're used to that situation.
04:39 You're well through the season now.
04:41 How difficult has it been for you to embrace a challenge where you're not winning?"
04:47 "I get to learn about myself as well.
04:53 I like what I see of myself in a difficult situation.
05:01 I think every single job or every single new chapter you start with an idea of how you
05:08 want to be when you're at your best and how you want to be when you're at your lowest.
05:14 But to follow the course when all the emotions kick in and all the forces of the outside
05:21 world is really difficult.
05:23 Really really difficult.
05:24 And from my side, I know I prefer to win but in a situation like this I think I've not
05:32 lost a single bit of motivation.
05:34 I've not lost clarity about the situation.
05:37 I've not lost the sense of responsibility but as well belief.
05:43 So that's why I don't want to deflect.
05:45 I'm not going to start saying about the things we should have done.
05:49 We should have had more.
05:50 It's there against us.
05:52 These are against us.
05:53 It's us.
05:54 And so that side of it, it's not affected me in my happiness of doing the job but it
06:02 just focuses you even more.
06:05 And that's why I'm saying my days are consumed with how we can get it right.
06:09 How we can give that little extra push that tilts us over the top of performances and
06:15 where we get results.
06:16 You'll certainly need your focus this weekend.
06:19 What are your experiences at Anfield and how can you use them and help maybe your team
06:26 to embrace the challenge?
06:29 I've learned as well this year that, I'll put it this way, so last year for example
06:35 in the Championship when we were the bigger team, most away games were really, there was
06:42 an edge to it.
06:44 And it was similar when I was a player for Man City and we used to go to Anfield and
06:49 all these other places.
06:52 But I have to be honest, when you're not the biggest, when you're not the favourites
06:55 and you're travelling away, quite often it's the other team who has to create the
07:02 tempo.
07:03 It's the other team who has to create the momentum.
07:05 So that's a little bit of a difference that you have between when you're travelling
07:12 to these places as a top team and when you're travelling to these places as the team that
07:18 they have to be, if that makes sense.
07:20 So I guess in a nutshell, what I guess I want to say is that I've learned that not all
07:28 my experiences as a player are necessarily valid travelling with Burnley as a manager.
07:36 It's not always the same.
07:38 And coach to coach, what about the prospect of taking on Jurgen Klopp on his own patch?
07:46 It's been one of the privileges of this league, facing all these great managers and
07:53 seeing as well the quality of the work and the quality of their players as well.
07:57 But at the same time, being able to measure yourself against that.
08:00 So it'd be something I'm looking forward to again, for sure.
08:04 Is it somebody you're familiar with personally?
08:06 Is it somebody that you've had plenty to do with in the past?
08:10 No, just from playing against his teams for the past, a good chunk of that 20 years he's
08:18 been a manager for.
08:19 So it started in Germany already for me because I was in Germany at that time playing for
08:24 Hamburg and who he is as a person has always lived in every team, he's coached and that's
08:33 something that I've seen for 20 years.
08:36 Thanks very much.
08:37 Thanks, Ivan.
08:38 Let's go to our studio, thanks.
08:39 Hi Vinny, just on Liverpool, what have you made of their season this year?
08:44 Obviously a lot of people talk about the Liverpool 2.0 and the way they've changed their playing
08:49 personnel but they're coming into this game off the back of a pretty, you might want to
08:54 say damaging defeat at Arsenal for them.
08:57 Yeah, but in terms of if I compare the Liverpool teams I played against and the Liverpool team
09:07 I'm seeing now, for me they're there and thereabouts again.
09:13 It's clear and it has nothing to do just with results, it has to do with how the team moves,
09:17 you know, the confidence they have when they are pressing, when they're on the front foot,
09:24 the players and players who are still getting somewhat integrated as well, some of them,
09:30 how quickly they've assimilated the ideas of the better Liverpool sides we've seen in
09:35 recent times.
09:39 It's normal, it's part of how you turn a squad around, I guess they've evolved as well a
09:44 little bit, especially in how they treat possession but the key ingredients are back from what
09:56 I can tell.
09:58 Just with your team, Vinny, now the January transfer window is out the way, do you know
10:03 your best starting XI?
10:05 When you have three new players in, that's always something that has to play out.
10:14 But we're at the stage of the season where we've got a lot of clarity of course.
10:22 Set pieces, obviously a slight issue this season with the fact you've conceded 10 direct
10:28 from set pieces, what have you done to kind of change that if you like?
10:33 I think it's also a skill, I think we put a lot of time into it, it's not for a lack
10:38 of ideas or a lack of time on the training ground, but it's also a skill.
10:45 We've had many, many chances from set plays actually as well, we're one of the most positive
10:51 teams in terms of chance creation for set plays.
10:55 But putting it in the back of the net is a skill.
11:00 It's no different than other aspects of our game.
11:05 The key thing is to keep working towards making that progress, it's the only way we can improve
11:14 it.
11:15 How much can your system change during a match?
11:22 It depends.
11:26 At your most creative best it can change a lot.
11:29 It depends a little bit on how much of the game you actually…
11:36 I think, because I want to answer the question properly, you really have to have a good understanding
11:44 of the level of opposition that face each other.
11:46 So when you're at equal level, at times that little tactical change will make the whole
11:52 difference.
11:54 Or when you're a dominant side, the change in position, the change in detail that's happening
12:01 on the pitch will make a big, big difference.
12:04 It will open up spaces.
12:06 When you're facing teams that are at times stronger than you and have got that little
12:12 bit more on you, it's a fine balance.
12:18 That little bit of a change might not be more important than just the principles being solid
12:23 and the team actually behaving in a collective way.
12:26 Does that make sense?
12:27 Yeah, it does.
12:28 It's a big…
12:29 I mean, you guys have seen it last year, you know, I could have named you three or four
12:33 shapes in one half at times.
12:36 And that's not a problem.
12:37 It gives you that little bit of an advantage.
12:39 That's why probably the top teams of this world, when they play each other, that makes
12:44 the whole difference.
12:46 For us, you know, when you're facing players like Haaland and you're facing that quality
12:52 of players, it's more about your collective and how together you keep yourself in the
12:59 game.
13:00 Just finally for me, Vinnie, how optimistic do you feel about surviving?
13:06 The margin for error is narrowing by the game, isn't it?
13:09 Yeah.
13:10 You've given the answer in the question.
13:13 No, look, I told you, for me, it's a discipline to not only show belief, to really believe
13:27 and to consistently try and still stay on that path that allows you to, I don't know,
13:36 maybe have a run, have a turn of fortune, because it's been a time nothing more than
13:41 that.
13:42 And the reality is easy to picture, but I've been long enough in the game to be a part
13:50 of exceptional achievements.
13:54 And at times that's how you have to look at it, the opportunity to have an exceptional
13:57 achievement.
13:58 But the magnitude of the challenge, of course, it's clear for everyone to see.
14:05 So there's no reason for me to go and highlight that even more.
14:09 Thanks, Vinnie.
14:10 All the best for the weekend.
14:11 Thank you.
14:12 Hi, Vinnie.
14:13 Hi.
14:14 Manuel Benson is still here, didn't leave last month.
14:16 What does he need to do now to get back in your plans?
14:18 And what has been your message for him?
14:20 No, like everyone else, I think my message is not just to him, but to the entire team
14:25 is that I'm only focused on the team now.
14:30 I think with everyone, I've tried to have the individual approach because I think it's
14:34 the right thing to do in terms of making sure that everyone has a chance to have clarity
14:43 about their future.
14:44 So that's done.
14:45 We've done that during the transfer window.
14:48 Transfer window is done and now we only focus on the team.
14:51 So I think we're at a stage of the season as well where we literally won only one thing,
14:57 is just winning football matches.
14:58 And whichever name gets us there, I'll be just as happy.
15:03 The three players have been injured by Delcroix and Taylor.
15:07 How are they doing?
15:08 Any of those likely to be back this weekend?
15:10 Yeah, hopefully.
15:11 I'm quite positive on Delcroix and Taylor.
15:15 We'll see if the final training session goes to plan.
15:19 But yeah, hopefully it's positive news, but we'll see.
15:22 Can I just ask about Lukaku Kolios, you did say he might get back at the back end of the
15:26 season.
15:27 Is that still on schedule?
15:28 Is he doing OK?
15:29 Yes, but with a long-term injury.
15:32 I think he still has a crucial phase to go through, which is return to pitch.
15:37 So he's not there yet, so we'll see.
15:39 Can I ask, David Fofana, prior to the debut at City, hadn't had any football for about
15:49 a month.
15:50 Is he ready to start games?
15:51 Could we see him start on the weekend?
15:53 It's a good question.
15:55 I mean, he had some solid game time in the top five league in Europe.
15:59 So, but to be honest, we'll see.
16:06 Those discussions, I kind of don't want to start them too early in the week.
16:10 I want them to get through the week and do what they have to do.
16:12 And then tomorrow afternoon, it's something I will think about further.
16:17 Spoken about facing Liverpool in the past, obviously Manchester City had some very close
16:22 title battles with Liverpool.
16:23 You were part of one of them that went to the final day.
16:25 Yeah, more than one.
16:27 Do you feel Jurgen Klopp made City better when you were there?
16:31 Yeah, you have to.
16:33 That's what happened in these type of title battles.
16:38 It's, you know, when you've got three months left to the season and you know you have to
16:43 win your next 15 games or whatever, that, you know, it means you treat wins differently.
16:51 You know, wins are just like one step because, you know, you've got 14 more games to win.
16:56 You've got 13 more games to win.
16:59 And it seemed to be that way for a number of years.
17:02 And good, that was my playing days.
17:05 I'm a manager now, so I have a different focus, of course, but definitely it gets the best
17:10 out of you.
17:11 One other thing I wanted to ask.
17:13 Obviously we know now that Jurgen will be leaving at the end of the season.
17:17 You were in that situation when Manuel Pellegrini was going to be leaving.
17:21 What impact does that have in a dressing room?
17:25 I don't know.
17:26 It's not happened once to me.
17:27 It's happened a couple of times when I was a player.
17:32 It's different everywhere.
17:33 And it's difficult to say.
17:36 I can't go and make any statement to predict how they're going to finish the season.
17:41 To be honest, I don't know.
17:42 You'll find out when you find out.
17:44 But it's also, in all honesty, not too much my concern.
17:49 I wish him and them, after our game, as much good fortune as they need.
17:55 But for me, the priority is what we do on the day.
17:59 Do you feel it had any impact on that City team when you knew that Manuel was leaving?
18:05 I don't know.
18:06 But we knew that the replacement was Pep.
18:10 It's not like I can't say that, all of a sudden you go and think, we can chill now.
18:15 You can't say anything anymore.
18:17 No.
18:18 There are so many factors.
18:20 But as well, you're dealing with exceptional professionals.
18:26 You get to a level where some players should be able to police themselves, police the dressing
18:32 room.
18:33 It'd be players set standards for themselves.
18:36 The manager does.
18:38 But not just the manager.
18:40 Players do that as well.
18:42 And so, everything's a test.
18:45 But the honest answer is, I don't know.
18:48 Thank you.
18:49 You've mentioned in previous weeks that a loss at the top of the table can be more significant
19:02 than a loss when you're fighting towards the bottom.
19:05 Would you say, for that reason, that it's maybe beneficial to be playing Liverpool a
19:09 week after they've just lost?
19:11 Yeah.
19:12 Do you know what?
19:15 Let's frame the thing differently.
19:16 Let's say two wins at the top of the table have less impact than two wins at the bottom
19:20 of the table.
19:21 So, we frame it positively.
19:23 We don't devalue the meaning of a loss.
19:25 Loss is rubbish.
19:26 It's not nice.
19:29 But I don't know.
19:33 They always say big teams never lose twice in a row.
19:36 So, these guys are there for a reason.
19:41 But I can't be dragging too much context into it.
19:44 I'm focused on my team.
19:45 I know it's a big, big challenge.
19:47 They've got a team at home that's always able to perform to the highest level.
19:54 And I don't want to drag much more into it.
19:58 It's a game where everything has to be perfect anyway for us.