Kompany Says He Did Not Expect to Lead Burnley to Promotion in First Season

Burnley's Belgian manager Vincent Kompany applauds supporters ahead of kick-off in the English FA Cup quarter-final football match between Manchester City and Burnley at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north-west England, on March 18, 2023. (AFP)
Burnley's Belgian manager Vincent Kompany applauds supporters ahead of kick-off in the English FA Cup quarter-final football match between Manchester City and Burnley at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north-west England, on March 18, 2023. (AFP)
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Kompany Says He Did Not Expect to Lead Burnley to Promotion in First Season

Burnley's Belgian manager Vincent Kompany applauds supporters ahead of kick-off in the English FA Cup quarter-final football match between Manchester City and Burnley at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north-west England, on March 18, 2023. (AFP)
Burnley's Belgian manager Vincent Kompany applauds supporters ahead of kick-off in the English FA Cup quarter-final football match between Manchester City and Burnley at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north-west England, on March 18, 2023. (AFP)

Burnley manager Vincent Kompany said he did not expect to lead the Lancashire club to promotion to the Premier League in his first season in charge, but having achieved that return to the top tier he said his side are now aiming for more.

Burnley secured automatic promotion to the Premier League with seven games to spare after Friday's 2-1 victory at Middlesbrough ensured Kompany's side will finish in the second-tier Championship's top two.

They make their return to the top flight after one season, having been relegated on the final day of the 2021-22 campaign, in which they finished third-bottom.

Kompany, appointed in June 2022, said he had not dreamt of this outcome.

"It's Easter, there are seven games to go, and we are already celebrating," Kompany told Sky Sports. "We didn't expect this. We wanted to experience it one day, but we had a different timing on it. Quicker is better sometimes.

"Days like today happen more than you think, we found a way it was not easy at all. But somehow this season we also ended up on the good end of the game.

"There is a belief in the team, and it is still a team that can improve and that is the exciting part. They're like kids, they're celebrating like kids and that's fun to see."

Club chairman Alan Pace said the promotion came as a "complete surprise".

"Vincent and I spoke during the summer and talked about it in great length. We gave ourselves two to three years ... What you're seeing is a lot of magic coming together," Pace added.

Burnley need 11 points from their last seven games to win the Championship title, while 13 points will see them become the first Championship team to rack up more than 100 points since Leicester City in 2013-14.



Klopp Hopeful Salah will Agree New Liverpool Deal

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Manchester, England. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Manchester, England. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
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Klopp Hopeful Salah will Agree New Liverpool Deal

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Manchester, England. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, in Manchester, England. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp expressed hope that Mohamed Salah will sign a new contract to stay at Anfield beyond the end of this season.

"I hope he stays. He is a fantastic player, a fantastic human being, an outstanding athlete, the best ambassador your country could have. So I hope he will stay at Liverpool," Klopp replied to a question about Salah from an Egyptian journalist during a press conference in Austria.

Klopp was speaking at his unveiling as Red Bull's head of global soccer, a role in which he will oversee the energy drinks conglomerate's football empire, AFP reported.

The German is starting out in the position having left Liverpool at the end of last season, after close to nine years as the club's manager.

Red Bull controls clubs in several countries around the world, including RB Leipzig in Klopp's native Germany, while it recently acquired a minority stake in French second-tier side Paris FC.

Klopp reiterated that he felt it was the right time to step down at Anfield and said he did not miss the daily grind of club management.

"I am more than happy not to be there," he said.

"It is really great that they are doing so well, I wish them all the best. I watch as many games as I can.

"It is great football. Even if you don't support Liverpool right now you had better watch them because it is really top football, maybe the best balanced in the world right now."

The former Borussia Dortmund coach added that he hoped Salah's fellow stars Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold would also choose to extend their contracts, which expire at the end of the season too.

"I am so happy I am not in charge in that situation, having to answer these questions," he sighed.

"From my point of view I would love all three of them to extend their contracts but I don't know, they didn't tell me."

Asked if he could try to sign any of them for the Red Bull empire, which includes New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer, he responded with a touch of irony:

"Oh yeah. Virgil I am sure would love to have five more years at Liverpool and then play from 41 to 44 for New York Red Bulls because he probably underestimates US football.

"Mo, yes I would love to, but I don't think we have a chance to pay him to be honest."

"I am just really happy I am no longer a part of it."