- Two years post-VfL interview, Kompany makes his debut in Wolfsburg
Vincent Kompany, the 38-year-old Belgian, will kick off his Bundesliga coaching tenure with FC Bayern Munich on Sunday, in an ironic twist against Wolfsburg. Two years ago, Kompany was in discussions with Wolfsburg as a potential replacement for Florian Kohfeldt, according to a report by the "Wolfsburger Allgemeine Zeitung". There was even a meeting between Kompany and Jörg Schmadtke, Wolfsburg's sporting director, in 2022.
Instead, Wolfsburg picked Niko Kovac, who was later replaced by Ralph Hasenhüttl in March. Hasenhüttl has a history with Kompany, having dealt with a few of his players during his time in England.
At a press conference ahead of their first Bundesliga match against Bayern (Sunday, 3:30 PM/DAZN), Hasenhüttl praised Kompany's skill on the field and his legacy at Manchester City. "He was a fantastic footballer and holds legendary status at ManCity," Hasenhüttl said. "I had a few players at Southampton who later played under him at Burnley. They thrived under his coaching." One of those players is Nathan Tella, now with Bayer Leverkusen, the German champions.
Hasenhüttl is excited for the Bayern match ("We can't wait for it") and has high regards for Kompany's work in Munich. "I think they've made a great impact so far," said Hasenhüttl. "He's already demonstrated in the pre-season where he wants to take his team. It's quite energetic what they're doing."
Despite the past discussions between Vincent Kompany and Wolfsburg's sporting director, Jörg Schmadtke, two years ago, Kompany ended up joining FC Bayern Munich instead. Niko Kovac, who was initially considered for the Wolfsburg role, was ultimately replaced by Ralph Hasenhüttl, who has had interactions with Kompany's coaching style due to handling some of his players during his time in England.
