Monday gossip

by MCFC Editorial

Media: 'Departing Kompany a true City legend'

One man dominates the Monday morning news agenda with Vincent Kompany’s decision to call time on his extraordinary 11-year Manchester City career prompting an avalanche of praise and admiration throughout the media.

Just over 12 hours after helping City create English football history with our 6-0 FA Cup final win over Watford, the captain revealed that he was leaving to take up a new challenge as player-manager of Anderlecht in his native Belgium.
In the wake of the news, tributes to Kompany’s influence and impact poured in from his City team-mates and football alumni and that admiration is mirrored in this morning's press round-up.
The Manchester Evening News’s chief City correspondent Stuart Brennan, who covered the majority of Kompany’s glittering career at the Club, penned a glowing tribute to the Etihad icon.
And for Brennan, Kompany’s impact and qualities off the field as well on it are the true hallmark of the man.
Brennan scribed: “Words are not necessary to convey what Vincent Kompany means to Manchester City fans.

“The song says it all. They love him more than he will know, and with good reason.
“Bought before the takeover for a bargain £6million, not only did he survive the astonishing revamp of the club that followed, but he thrived on it, he fed it, and he led it.
“Ten years down the line, at the age of 33, he has again found the spirit to conquer the fragility of his own sinews and contain the advance of years to ensure that the Blues won an epic Premier League title race, and then added the FA Cup.
“But the true greatness of Kompany is that, for all his outstanding qualities on the field of play – the rock-hard defender, the inspirational leader, the tackler and header of every ball that dared to come near, the consummate passer, the shrewd tactician and the scorer of astounding, match-winning, title-deciding goals – his football qualities only tell half of the story.
“Here is a man, born in Belgium, half Congolese, who came to Manchester as a young man.
“Not only did he embrace the city, he has become a symbol of all that is great about it, compassionate, spirited, blunt and ballsy.


“He is a true Mancunian, and there can be no greater praise from fellow denizens of this wonderful, battle-scarred place."
There are similar glowing sentiments from the BBC’s chief football writer Phil McNulty who says Vinnie’s place in the pantheon of truly legendary Premier League figures is assured.
McNulty writes: “Kompany will be remembered as one of the greatest and most enduring figures of the Premier League era after winning four titles, four League Cups and two FA Cups since joining City from Hamburg in August 2008.
“He can also take his place among the great leaders of the Premier League era, a statesmanlike and inspirational figure off the pitch and the man coach Pep Guardiola still turned to in the closing days of his City career.
“When City could not afford to blink in the title race with Liverpool, when they effectively needed a 14-game winning sequence to see off Jurgen Klopp's side, Guardiola put Kompany at the heart of his defence and relied on his experience, quality and know-how to guide them over the winning line.
“And so it proved, especially when he provided one of the great City moments with his unlikely - and, not to be too unkind, uncharacteristic - 25-yard thunderbolt that flew high past Kasper Schmeichel to give them the 1-0 win against Leicester City that set the platform for a glorious finale at Brighton.

“Kompany was no stranger to those decisive moments in unfamiliar territory, scoring the vital winner against Manchester United in April 2012 that allowed City to take control of the title race with two games left, then scoring the second goal that provided the cushion against West Ham when victory was required to see off Liverpool once more on the final day of the 2013-14 season.
“The Belgian, however, means so much more.
“Kompany straddled City's great transition from the early days of the Abu Dhabi revolution, signed by Mark Hughes then subsequently a trusted general on the field and off for Roberto Mancini, Manuel Pellegrini and latterly Guardiola.
“No matter how much the scenery changed, Kompany was a constant, consistent presence.
“He has also been a spokesman for wider issues, such as racism, and all the proceeds from his testimonial in September will be donated to Manchester's homeless, an individual who recognises his influence and voice can stretch beyond football, who sees the bigger picture and context away from the game.
“He is guaranteed his place in City's hall of fame and, indeed, the Premier League's."