On watching Burnley before preparing for this weekend: “No. I saw them
against (Manchester) United why they played in the Carabao Cup, but it was time ago.
Since then I think they’ve changed a little bit, the way they play. He
(Vincent Kompany) has variations; he made many, many good movements, it depends sometimes
they have four-at-the-back, three-at-the-back, sometimes in a diamond, sometimes a structure they
choose, and then the full-backs inside. It is so difficult to understand what they are going to do
because you cannot control everything because you do not know exactly what they are going to do. But
the movements they do, always they have sense, every single action. And you realise when you
see them that there is work behind, a good knowledge, and that’s why…
What I said about Vinny (Kompany) that I think sooner or later he is going to come here,
not because he was an important figure as a footballer player - that helps - or the connection
with the fans or knowing the club and the Premier League - that is important. I’m talking about that
he understands the game, he knows exactly. And I heard rumours that he has an incredible work
ethic, and he’s a guy that puts pressure on every department (in the club) to do it best.
When you combine your knowledge about the game, with your experience, and after your love
for the club that you love - and at the end, these kind of things, must finish together.”
On the impressive rebuild under Kompany: “The results that they
have done so far, with this consistency in the Championship, I can’t imagine how tough
it must be. And being 17 or 18 points in front of second, or third place, I don’t know exactly but
an incredible advantage. But especially the way they play, it’s because there is something there.
We are going to play against a team that is like a Premier League team - almost already. I know
Vinny (Kompany) maybe doesn’t like to listen to this because always you have to be cautious
as a manager, I would do the same, because until it’s done it’s not done. But we have to talk
about it as a Premier League team. When it’s the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, anything can happen,
you have to be careful. But this amount of good results week in, week out is because you are
something. Otherwise you cannot be this kind of consistency for a long time if there is not work
behind, or something that is solid. Always bad afternoons you have, bad moments, but it doesn’t
happen. It happens because result, after result, after result, winning, winning, winning, winning -
that means there is a lot, a lot of work on the pitch, and a lot behind the scenes.”
On moments when Kompany made a major difference off the field
at City: “Yeah, many times. Many times when we had problems, always he was there.
I think he understood perfectly the role of a captain, and he applied himself really well.
There are many, many things of course. He’s a guy who unfortunately was injured quite often,
but always he recovered and after one week he was ready to play.
He didn’t feel the pressure, he was there saying he was going to play. He was already a legend,
imagine being consistent in terms of not injured during the last period - he would be even more!”
On options in defence, how have you managed since Cancelo left to find changes and impact on team:
“The same. I manage the same as when he (Joao Cancelo) was here. In the build-up
with a back-three, it suits perfect with the players that we have. If we need, for example,
to play with full-backs wide, up and down, like 99% of the teams play in that way, we cannot do
it - we don’t have the players to do this right now. We don’t have full-backs who are up and down
every three days, oh my god. We don’t have this quality. So we have to adapt. But it’s the same
with what happened with Joao - with him we lost a little bit, we could play a little bit more there.
But with the players that we have right now, with for example Kyle (Walker) or
Ayme (Laporte), it suits perfectly the way we are building-up, with three at the back or four,
and after two or three, or whatever. So, we can do it. The impact has not been absolutely important.”
On wanting the kind of players in the summer that you don’t have:
“Yeah. (You want to add variety?) Yeah, It’s so important for the future, yeah. (Is that defence,
wing, midfield, everywhere?) Yeah. We need some… we need, yeah.”
On what he thinks is the best way to combat teams that sit back, five-man defence, three man
midfield: “Half-time (Erling) Haaland has scored five goals, everyone. That is the best tactic.
(He doesn’t do that every game though, so how do you get the ball to him?) Put the ball there,
and we will score. That is the best tactic. The quality of the players… tactics is the players.
The players, he’s in-form, he’s fit, he’s doing what he has to
do - that is the best. The rest is numbers, that they move, and
try to help them with what they have to do, but at the end it’s the quality of the players.”
On Ruben Dias, best form again and big impact on everyone around him - fair assessment:
“Yeah, absolutely. He’s the type of player, quite similar with Vinny (Kompany), how it’s not about
how I play myself. Ruben is not playing just his game. He’s playing the game for everyone.
“Oh, it’s not my player,” no. He has the ability to see and solve the problems from many,
many, many things. His character is so important. When you talk about tactics,
this is an incredible, another important part of tactics when we talk about football.
His leadership is huge, especially even when he didn’t play. You should see the impact before
the game, at half-time, or even after the game when he didn’t play game, by game, by game. He
behaved the same as when he was playing. And that makes you deserve to be Captain,
and that’s why he was chosen. His character and leadership is really, really, really important.”
What sort of things does he do when not playing: “Yeah, absolutely (vocal in the dressing room),
and behaves like that the day after in training, and never complains,
works with the same methodology and work ethic, arriving two hours before,
leaving two hours after. Nothing changes. He lives 24 hours for his profession. But in that moment,
maybe from my mistakes or not, I decide that we need something specific, movements or something
where there are maybe players that are a little bit better in that. But maybe it should be in
a tactical aspect. But in the way that we need in that, he can play every single game,
every single game, because he’s not just about me or what he has to do, it’s about what the team.
There are many, many things that he can help when you’re happy to the team. And when that happens,
his mates know it, when you go on the pitch,
always you play good. You don’t have regrets of yourself, you’re always positive,
you know what you have done when the situation is wrong. Always you play good.”
On the way he celebrates
all defensive actions - him and others; Dias has brought some of Kompany’s qualities: “Absolutely.
The body language, gestures, these kind of things are so important in football.
And always since day one, he has been there. Always positive; next one, thinking of the next
action, forget the mistake you have done, or the bad moments. Always it’s thinking about
the next one, next one. He’s so positive. His mentality is top of the top. That’s why
he can play as a central defender in a top, top club like Manchester City.