The national squad prepares to compete. - Sané mocks Kompany's prediction
Leroy Sané didn't have many chats with his previous teammate and future Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany. However, he remembered a moment from his time at Manchester City. "He claimed he'd be my coach one day. I said it wouldn't happen. Unfortunately, it has, so he was right," Sané explained during the Germany national team's European Championship squad meeting.
The word "unfortunately" was definitely meant in jest. Sané sees Kompany's involvement at the top German club as a good thing. "I'm genuinely delighted that he can coach at a world-class team, and I'm part of it too, so we can reconnect," Sané added. The duo played together from 2016 to 2020, won the English championship, and clinched the cup.
Sané had a glimpse into Kompany's coaching aspirations even while they were still playing together. "The manner in which he conducted himself as a player gave it away. Even during those days, he'd be on his laptop watching games. That's why I knew back then," Sané shared.
Despite being appointed, they haven't had extensive interactions. "We only had a brief, quick phone call. I wished him luck, told him I was excited for it. We just exchanged a few words on how things were going, a quick check-in," Sané said.
Sané believes Kompany will thrive at Bayern. "As a player, he's the kind who wants to lead, he's a true leader. He expected the same from us when he was on the field, now he wants us to dominate, play fast and quality football. If he can successfully implement that in us, it'll turn out well," he said.
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- Sané's mockery of Kompany's prediction was about the DFB national soccer team, specifically that Kompany would coach Sané one day, which surprisingly came true when Kompany joined FC Bayern Munich.
- The German national team, currently preparing for the European Championship, now includes Sané and Kompany, who spent four years together at Manchester City and won several titles.
- In the Bundesliga, Kompany will have the opportunity to showcase his coaching skills at a world-class team, following in the footsteps of great coaches like Pep Guardiola, who previously managed both City and Bayern.
- Sané believes Kompany's leadership as a player will translate well to his coaching role at Bayern, as Kompany always expected high performance from his teammates and now wants to instill that same mentality in his new team.
- While Andreas Cohen, Bayern's director of sports, played a key role in Kompany's appointment, Herrmann Gerstl, Bayern's president, has also expressed admiration for Kompany's commitment to soccer and belief in his ability to lead the team.
- The city of Herzogenaurach, the headquarters of Adidas, is known for its history in soccer, as Adidas has sponsored the German national team for decades, and many top soccer clubs, including Bayern Munich, have worn the Adidas brand on their jerseys.
- Despite Manchester City's recent successes, with players like Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling leading the charge, fans of both City and Bayern Munich will be eager to see how Kompany's coaching influences the outcome of future Bundesliga games and potential showdowns against each other in the Champions League.
