Bayern Munich shocked the general populace when it appointed Vincent Kompany as their new head coach following the departure of Thomas Tuchel.
While there are numerous angles from which fans could question the selection of Kompany, from his leading Burnley to Premier League relegation to his lack of experience managing at the top of the game, Bayern director of sport Max Eberl believes the Belgian to have the perfect qualities to lead the club into the upcoming campaign.
As captured by Abendzeitung sports journalist Victor Catalina (via @iMiaSanMia), Eberl had the following to say about Kompany: "He knows how to deal with the players, he knows how a dressing room works. He was more than just a player. He was Pep Guardiola's extended arm on the pitch. He has four years of coaching experience. But in his head he has been a coach for eight, nine, or 10 years."
Eberl makes some valid points, however, there's still no guarantee that Kompany will get Bayern back to their Bundesliga-winning level. On top of existing concerns regarding the ability of Bayern's new manager, the introduction of high-profile players in Michael Olise and Joao Palhinha combined with the potential loss of influential players currently at the club could bring further challenges for Kompany in balancing squad dynamics.
With the number of uncertainties and unfamiliarity surrounding the club going into the 2024/25 season Bayern fans better strap in for what could be a wild ride.
What is Kompany cooking? Are the Pep comparisons really warranted? We discuss all that and more - including parallels to another "Guardiola disciple" in Mikel Arteta - on the newest edition of our podcast! Listen to it below or on Spotify.