KOMPANY EXPECTING A TOUGH TEST AGAINST NORWICH

Main Club Sponsor

TICKETS

SHOP

Manager looks ahead to this weekend's visit to Carrow Road

2023-02-02T17:44:58.494Z

KOMPANY EXPECTING A TOUGH TEST AGAINST NORWICH

Manager looks ahead to this weekend's visit to Carrow Road

2023-02-02T17:44:58.494Z

Manager looks ahead to this weekend's visit to Carrow Road

Following last weekend's FA Cup action, it's a return to the league for Burnley this weekend, with a trip to Norwich City.

Speaking to the media on Thursday afternoon, manager Vincent Kompany is only too aware of the tough challenge the former Premier League side will pose but was feeling positive when reflecting on the Clarets January transfer recruitment, following the closure of the window earlier this week.

“I think you always find out a little bit later, but in terms of the goals we had during the transfer window we’ve not had to make any compromises. We have the players that we wanted to bring in and we hope they can help us for the last run of games.”

On the subject of games, it's a gruelling February schedule for the squad, with 7 league fixtures in 21 days, and the addition of FA Cup games should the Lancashire side progress in the competition, making the new signings a timely addition to the squad.

Clarets chief looks ahead to Wednesday's visit to Yorkshire

“Obviously with all the respect to the games we have to play, you know there’s 90 minutes before we can hopefully get into a further round in the FA Cup as well. Although it’s 50/50, let’s put it this way, the potential is there for a lot more games. There couldn’t have been a better moment to have a few new additions to the squad.”

It took an 82nd minute goal from Jay Rodriguez to clinch the win for Burnley when Saturday's opponents visited Turf Moor in October, however the manager is aware of the different circumstances this time round.

“I remember that we played extremely well. It was one of our better games of the season, but it’s a new manager, it’s a new situation, they have a little bit of momentum, we go away from home. So, I don’t know, other than facing the same players, I think there’s a lot of things that have changed since."

When asked on the home side's form of late and position in the table, he added: “I mean, at the start of the season, it wasn’t for me I couldn’t tell you who was going to be there at the end, at the top or at the bottom of the league. I think now it’s pretty clear, the teams who are now competing for the play-off places, they are teams with strong squads as well. You wouldn’t expect them to drop too many points, other than if their facing direct opponents. It’s a tough league but these teams are amongst the strongest in that league.”

KOMPANY EXPECTING A TOUGH TEST AGAINST NORWICH - Image 2

The Canaries also have a new manager David Wagner, who joined the Club at the beginning of January.

“Norwich has always been a positive footballing side, very, very dangerous in the final third, lots of combinations. I think they had that before and they’ve got that little bit of intensity on top of it that you always get anyway but obviously with the playing style of the manager - it’s a good team, with good players and for us it’s one of the toughest games we can face in the division.

“I find myself repeating this quite a lot because there are no easy games, after that it will be Luton and Millwall away and there will be a story about that. It’s constant isn’t it.”

Finally, it was announced today that Kompany had been named on The Football Black List 2022, a list highlighting the most influential black figures in English football, with the Clarets manager named alongside Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, Raheem Sterling and Patrick Vieira.

Talking about his inclusion on the list and it's impact, he added: “It’s a difficult one, it’s such a heavy subject. I mean I suppose the key point from my side is, if you can inspire kids from any type of disadvantaged communities to do well, to make them believe that they can achieve whatever they set out to, whatever their dreams are, then I hope it can be an example in that way.

“Then there’s a bigger picture in which you, and I mentioned it before, you have to have a true reflection of your society within any kind of organisation in the country. That helps then to create a much more fairer starting point for everybody growing up, ultimately, it’s about that.

“I suppose many years ago this wouldn’t have been possible and now it is, so we’re making steps and we just need to keep making steps.”