Kompany seeks positive response to poor campaign
Vincent Kompany believes Bayern Munich's players are "showing a lot of hunger" in keeping with club traditions as they look to bounce back from a disappointing 2023-2024 season.
The Belgian was appointed as Thomas Tuchel's successor in May after a rare trophy-less campaign at the Allianz Arena.
Bayern surrendered its 11-year grip on the Bundesliga title to Xabi Alonso's unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen, while Real Madrid defeated it in the Champions League semi-finals.
Several players are linked with moves away, with Kompany quizzed by reporters at the club's pre-season training camp in Tegernsee.
However, the new manager insists a collective team spirit will be fundamental as he targets a response in the 2024-2025 campaign, highlighting his learnings from a recent visit to the FC Bayern Museum.
"They explained everything that has made Bayern so successful," Kompany said. "I learned a lot about Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Uli Hoeness, Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller - the big names. They all had one thing in common: they always kept going, even after success. That has always characterised the club.
"We're making such a mistake talking about individuals. None of the history of this club shows that; it's been about hard work and resilience.
"We've worked hard in the last weeks. Every player in the team has a lot of talent. It's about the future. I don't want to talk much about the past. I want to work with the lads. I feel like everyone is showing a lot of hunger.
"I don't want to look back too much. What I can say is that players like the ones we have always show a reaction. It's important that we show a reaction together. We don't need to make big speeches. It's important for me that we show that we're up for it.
"We have to win and to celebrate, but we also have to keep going. It's about the club, the next step - how can we get better? We can be proud of the past, but we are successful because we think about the future."
