Soccer-Bayern Munich's success goes 99% to the players not the coach, says Kompany


FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Bundesliga - Borussia Moenchengladbach v Bayern Munich - Borussia-Park, Moenchengladbach, Germany - January 11, 2025 Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany before the match REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay/File Photo

MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) - Bayern Munich's strong Bundesliga season that has seen the club score 53 league goals in 17 matches is almost exclusively down to the quality of the individual players and not the coach, Vincent Kompany said on Friday.

A day before the Bavarians take on VfL Wolfsburg, the Bayern coach told a press conference that while a coach does take key decisions in preparing the team and offering a clear plan, success was dependent on the players.

"Ninety percent of the job is individual quality of players," he said. "Maybe even 99%. I have no arrogance when it comes to that. I have no desire to make myself important," the Belgian said.

Kompany took over Bayern this season and his team has gone back to the top of the Bundesliga, four points ahead of champions Bayer Leverkusen, in second place.

With only one league loss so far Bayern have scored 53 goals while conceding just 13 in the Bundesliga so far as they battle to reclaim their domestic dominance after last season's league and Cup double by Leverkusen.

"Goals is something I would always put forward for all the teams I am able to coach," Kompany said. "I am a (former) defender but I grew up in Brussels and Anderlecht and street football, and for me it was all about the things you could do when you have the ball."

The 38-year-old Kompany, who retired five years ago, was a longtime Manchester City defender after starting his professional career at Belgian club Anderlecht.

"I would always credit the team. Sometimes it is outside perception to make everything about the coaches. We make a lot of important decisions that's true, the energy of the squad, the clarity and the plan," he said.

"But I really, really think that why so many coaches can be successful with so many different styles and ideas it is because they have good players. That's the key thing."

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ros Russell)

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