Vincent Kompany planning ‘smart’ recruitment and ‘healthy decisions’ for Burnley
Vincent Kompany insists Burnley must be “smart” in the summer transfer window as they gear up for their return to the Premier League. In his first season in charge, Kompany has guided the Clarets back to the top flight 12 months after relegation, winning the Sky Bet Championship title and reaching 101 points with a 3-0 victory over Cardiff in Monday’s final game of the season. The success came after Kompany oversaw a major overhaul of the squad last summer, when 13 senior players left and 16 arrived to replace them. There will be nothing on that scale this time, but Kompany knows further investment is needed to try to ensure Burnley can re-establish themselves in the Premier League. “We’ve been planning for comfortably six months for this scenario,” Kompany told the PA news agency. “We’re going to have to be smart but, because we’ve been planning for a long time, I feel confident we can improve the squad without losing what has been good for us this season. “At the same time we have to make sure we don’t go and bankrupt the club. It’s about healthy decisions, protecting the club, but at the same time trying to be competitive.” Last week Kompany signed a new five-year Burnley contract, designed to end speculation linking him to Tottenham and Chelsea so that prospective new signings know who they will be playing for. Kompany said the contract reflected how happy he is with his Turf Moor set-up. “I’ve been in football for 20 years and I know how difficult it is to find a healthy environment in football,” the former Manchester City captain said. “We’ve achieved something together now and that will count towards the future. “It’s a good environment with good people and that is special. I hope everyday fans will be proud of the work we do and even when it doesn’t work out they know we work hard, we work our socks off for this club. “I choose not to participate in the speculation. Everything I need to discuss I discuss openly with the chairman (Alan Pace). Other than that it’s business as usual. “Whatever happens needs to be something that makes sense. I speak with the chairman very openly. I protect the working environment more than anything else.” After a season of hard work, Kompany enjoyed the rewards on Tuesday night as the Clarets paraded the Championship trophy through the streets of Burnley. A four-time Premier League champion as a player, Kompany is no stranger to an open-top bus but said it was different as a manager. “I feel like I am more wanting to share this moment with many people, wanting to make sure many people enjoy this moment,” he said. “As a player you feel like it is your moment. As a manager you feel like it is everybody’s moment and you want to make sure everyone enjoys it. “Only a chosen few get to experience what we are experiencing.” Kompany picked out home and away victories over rivals Blackburn as the highlights of the season, particularly the 1-0 victory at Ewood Park on April 25 that sealed the title. But he also said the reaction to the 5-2 loss to promotion rivals Sheffield United in November was vital. “We got spanked, but after that we went on to win every game for 10 games (in the league) and that showed the character of this team,” he said. Kompany was part of the Manchester City side that racked up 100 points in the Premier League in the 2017-18 season, and now he has a triple-digit tally as a manager in the Championship. Such records are often downplayed by managers in the moment, but Kompany said he could appreciate it now. “When it’s achieved you realise what it means,” he said. “I’m happy for everyone we’ve been able to achieve this tremendous amount of points.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Look back at Gothenburg Greats as Aberdeen mark 40th anniversary of European win Arsenal to play five Women’s Super League games at Emirates Stadium next season Sergio Busquets calls time on ‘unforgettable’ Barcelona career
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Spain star Irene Paredes denied 100th cap due to ‘computer error’
Irene Paredes was denied the opportunity to make her 100th appearance for Spain after an computer error meant that she wasn’t listed in the squad for Tuesday’s match against Switzerland. The Barcelona defender had missed her country’s 1-0 win against Italy last Friday with injury but was hoping to make her return to the team for their Nations League fixture in Zurich. However, a computer glitch in Uefa’s system meant that the Spanish Football Federation were unable to update their squad list ahead of the game. The squad from the previous game - which Paredes missed - was instead submitted, meaning the 32-year-old was unable to be selected. The error also meant Amaiur Sarriegi still appeared in the squad list, despite being withdrawn from the national squad due to injury. “There was some kind of computer problem,” Spain’s head coach Montse Tome said. “I was told about it at the hotel so I had to adapt to the situation. From there, we chose the 11 that you saw.” On the pitch, Spain extended their perfect start in their Nations League group, running out comfortable 7-1 winners against Switzerland after a brace from Alexia Putellas. Aitana Bonmati also started the game after being crowned Women’s Ballon d’Or winner earlier in the week. Paredes could still earn her 100th cap for her country in next month’s international break when Space take on Italy and Sweden. Putellas and Jenni Hermoso are the only current players to have reached the landmark for the national side. Hermoso made a triumphant return to the national side last week, coming off the bench to score the winner against Italy in her first appearance for Spain since the kiss scandal involving former Spanish football president Luis Rubiales at the women’s World Cup final. Read More Why the Ballon d’Or still doesn’t care about women’s football Lionel Messi wins record eighth Ballon d’Or as Aitana Bonmati and Jude Bellingham also pick up awards Luis Rubiales banned from football for three years after World Cup final kiss
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Rob Page admits Wales’ best chance of making Euro 2024 likely to be in play-offs
Rob Page accepts that Wales’ Euro 2024 destiny might lie in the play-offs following their damaging draw with Armenia. Wales needed a Nair Tiknizyan own goal on the stroke of half-time to give them a 1-1 draw in Yerevan, when Armenia were the most dangerous side for large parts of a low-quality contest. Croatia are now favourites to take the second automatic qualifying spot behind Turkey, who travel to Cardiff for Wales’ last group fixture on Tuesday safe in the knowledge they will be playing in the finals in Germany next summer. Having dropped points to remove automatic qualification from their own hands, manager Page said: “There’s a disappointed group in there, but we’ve got to pick ourselves up and finish on a high on Tuesday. “Unfortunately it’s now out of our control. With a win, we’d all have been buzzing and looking forward to the game on Tuesday, and a win would have seen us qualify. “It’s not materialised as we’d like, but that’s life and we have to get on with it. “It’s about building momentum and, if it’s a play-off in March, it’s a play-off in March. “If results go for us, we’ve still got an opportunity to qualify (automatically). “We can only control what we can do, get the players in the right frame of mind, mentally and physically ready for Tuesday.” Wales were beaten 4-2 by Armenia – ranked 95 in the world and 67 places below them – at the Cardiff City Stadium in June, and Page’s side were shaken again within five minutes of the Yerevan return. Lucas Zelarayan, who scored twice in Cardiff, worked space on the edge of the area after Wales failed to clear a corner and slotted the ball into the corner of Danny Ward’s net. Page said: “We got off to the worst possible start, we knew they were going to come out the traps fast. I’m disappointed with that. “I thought we grew in the first half and scored at the perfect time. “But the break came at a bad time for us because I thought we were growing in momentum. “We got into some OK positions. Whether it was the final pass or the final ball, that final detail wasn’t quite right for whatever reason. “We threw everything at it and both teams were going for the win. “You could see by the changes we made. We took a wing back-off and put a winger on to try and get as many forward players on the pitch as we could.” Wales had beaten World Cup semi-finalists Croatia last month to put them in control of the race for a top-two place. But on a poor pitch that neither team were able to master, Wales did not remotely come close hitting the heights of that performance. Reflecting on the contrasting two displays, Page said: “It’s not to say there were a lot of players who had off-days, but you do have that in transitions, you have inconsistencies. “I’m not going to fault the players for their effort. Their effort, to a man, was commendable. They gave everything, like they always do. “The pitch was heavy, like nothing we’ve seen back home, but it was the same for both sides. “We’ll get them recovered, have a recovery session on Sunday and go through with the medical team who we’ve got available for Tuesday. “We need to finish the campaign on a high. It’s important to have some momentum if there is a play-off in March.” Read More James McAtee scores twice as England Under-21s win comfortably in Serbia A look at the data behind Virat Kohli’s record 50 ODI centuries Steve Clarke wants return to winning ways – Scotland v Norway talking points Steve Clarke not concerned over which pot Scotland are in for Euro 2024 draw Liam Broady replaces injured Andy Murray in Great Britain’s Davis Cup team Matt Wallace produces stunning back nine display to shoot 60 and lead in Dubai
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