Vincent Kompany: 'Anderlecht can win Belgian title next season'
- Published
Vincent Kompany (centre) spoke alongside Anderlecht president Marc Coucke (left) and sporting director Michel Verschueren
Player-manager Vincent Kompany says he is convinced he can lead Anderlecht to the Belgian title next season following their disastrous 2018-19 campaign.
Anderlecht missed out on European football for the first time in 56 years and were raided by police in connection with a money-laundering investigation.
"In one season we have to get better than five other teams," Kompany said at his first news conference.
"But I am convinced that with a few changes we will succeed."
Anderlecht are regarded as the most successful club in Belgian football having won the league 34 times, but they hit near rock bottom last season.
They were also fined and docked points when crowd trouble forced a match at rivals Standard Liege to be abandoned. The club then fired coach Fred Rutten after only 13 games in charge.
Kompany added: "I do not want to choose between playing nice football or becoming champions. I want both.
"I know that I put so much pressure on myself. Let's be very clear, I didn't come here to be second."
The Belgium centre-back made his decision to rejoin the Brussels club after helping Manchester City win the domestic treble. He spent 11 years at Etihad Stadium, and won four Premier Leagues, two FA Cups and four League Cups.
Kompany paid tribute to his former City manager Pep Guardiola, who took over in 2016, and said he had been inspired by the Catalan.
"It was like being at university every day," he said. "He explained everything with such clarity and I learnt an enormous amount from him.
"I am no Guardiola by any means. But I think I was a good student."