Vincent Kompany’s playing career has been one of winning and success. Now a 36-year-old coach on the start of his journey as a tactician, the Belgian of Congolese roots has taken on the task of guiding Burnley back to the Premier League. And the long journey begins tonight.The EFL Championship, widely regarded as the world’s strongest second-tier division, returns with freshly-relegated clubs looking like favourites to go back up to the promised land. Burnley, Norwich City and Watford boast the best squads and much more money thanks to Premier League’s so-called parachute payments.🗣 “There’s no better way to learn.”Burnley boss Vincent Kompany says going straight from playing to managing is the best way to learn by being thrown in at the deep end. 🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/kmTVDIQorv— Football Daily (@footballdaily) July 29, 2022 But the Clarets’s new boss, who used to star for Manchester City, wants his club to be sensible and don’t overpay their players in a bid to win promotion. He knows that such an approach could have grave consequences in case the club doesn’t finish in one of the top two places – or doesn’t win the promotion play-off. Kompany told The Guardian that he’s building a solid squad for the short, but also for the long term.”You have seen it happening through the transfer window – clubs going down and signing expensive players with no resale value. Those are not the types of deals we’ve done. We’ve done deals where we’ve tried to be smart. We try to do deals where we are not exposed to the downsides if we don’t get promoted this season. If it works then, we’ll be delighted, but if not, we get the chance to go again.”##NAJAVA_MECA_6534016##Speaking ahead of the trip to Yorkshire, Kompany told the reporters that he’s embraced the high tempo at Burnley and is keen to get off to a good start despite never playing or managing in the Championship before.”Relentless is the best way to describe it. In terms of who I am as a person, I think I’m naturally brave but very self-critical. I’m brave because I throw myself into a situation, but at the same time, I’m willing to work hard to make it work and that fits the description here.”Brazilian right-back Vitinho has signed a four-year deal with the Clarets to become their ninth signing during close season, after Scott Twine, CJ Egan-Riley, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Samuel Bastien, Josh Cullen, Luke McNally, Arijanet Muric and Ian Maatsen all arrived to Turf Moor. They will have to replace all those who left the club in the wake of relegation.Vincent Kompany speaks ahead of Burnley’s first game against Huddersfield on Friday night 💬 pic.twitter.com/kQ5XbyFbVp— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) July 27, 2022 James Tarkowski, Phil Bardsley, Dale Stephens, Aaron Lennon, Erik Pieters and captain Ben Mee all left when his contracts expired. Ivorian star Maxwel Cornet is close to leaving before the current transfer window shuts, with Nick Pope, Nathan Collins and Dwight McNeil also gone.The road will be anything but straightforward for Burnley and their new coach. Let’s see what happens.EFL CHAMPIONSHIP – Round 1Friday22.00: (2.85) Huddersfield (3.05) Burnley (2.70)Saturday17.00: (2.42) Millwall (3.10) Stoke (3.25)17.00: (2.55) Wigan (3.10) Preston (3.00)17.00: (2.45) Hull (3.25) Bristol City (3.05)17.00: (2.04) Luton (3.40) Birmingham (3.90)17.00: (2.95) Cardiff (3.20) Norwich (2.55)17.00: (2.19) Blackburn (3.35) QPR (3.50)17.00: (2.70) Rotherham (3.25) Swansea (2.70)17.00: (2.19) Blackpool (3.35) Reading (3.50)19.30: (2.40) Middlesbrou. (3.20) WBA (3.15)Sunday14.00: (2.73) Sunderland (3.10) Coventry (2.80)Monday22.00: (2.40) Watford (3.20) Sheffield Utd (3.15)***odds are subject to change
