Kompany: Neuer 'only has to utter one sentence' to get team in line
Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany attends a press conference ahead of Tuesday's UEFA Champions League Quarter-final soocer match against Real Madrid. Peter Kneffel/dpa Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany has praised Manuel Neuer's qualities as a team leader but did not want to get involved in a contract renewal dabate around the long-time goalkeeper. Bayern captain Neuer, who turned 40 on March 27, is yet to decide whether he wants to renew his contract for another year.
He arrived in 2011 from Schalke and has played 592 matches for Bayern, winning every club title on offer and the 2014 World Cup with Germany. He had another man-of-the-match performance in Bayern's 2-1 Champions League victory at Real Madrid on Tuesday, after which board member for sport Max Eberl suggested the club was ready to renew the deal. Kompany did not want to comment on the issue ahead of Saturday's Bundesliga match at St Pauli, saying: "I won't talk about his future out of respect for a top career and a top club.
" Instead, Kompany praised Neuer's dedication and qualities as a leader who had made his start last year "much easier than I thought. "When I arrived, I immediately had Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer and Joshua Kimmich in the captain's group, which made my job much easier," he said. "Someone like Manu is more in the background ...
But Manu only has to utter one sentence and that gets the team in line. That's why his role as a leader is just as important to me as it is on the pitch. "I'm delighted to be able to work with him.
It's fun that someone with so much talent, who has achieved so much, expects his coaching team to work with him and try to improve him further. " Former Manchester City and Belgium defender Kompany turned 40 on Friday but said that "the difference between him and me is that he trains an incredible amount and has an agility that's just not possible for other players. "