Keys launches scathing attack on Kompany over Burnley 'vanity project'

25 September 2023 , 20:46

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Richard Keys has hit out at Burnley boss Vincent Kompany (Image: beIN Sports)

Richard Keys has accused Vincent Kompany of "taking liberties" at Burnley, claiming the former Manchester City captain views the club as a "vanity project".

Kompany was appointed Burnley boss last year following their relegation to the Championship and immediately guided them to promotion, with the Clarets winning the league. However, they have struggled on their return to the Premier League so far.

They have picked up just the one point from their first five fixtures, a 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest, and have suffered defeats at the hands of Manchester City, Aston Villa, Tottenham and Manchester United. Those four games were always going to be difficult tasks for Burnley given those clubs all finished in the top eight last season and things will not get any easier for Kompany's side next weekend when they take on Champions League outfit Newcastle.

However, beIN Sports presenter Keys has hit out at Kompany for trying to play "tippy tappy" football. Keys believes Burnley should have "got into" United in their recent 1-0 defeat at Turf Moor, claiming Erik ten Hag's side were "there for the taking" and "s******* themselves" after their 4-3 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

"They're simply not good enough to tippy tappy about against seriously better opposition," Keys wrote in his latest blog. "I know they tore up the C'ship playing that way. So what? That's a totally different league.

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"The three promoted clubs won 78 games between them last season. They haven't got one so far in the PL. United were there for the taking. They were s******* themselves after the defeat in Munich - their latest set-back after a terrible start.

"Burnley should've got into them - dropped some bombs on Onana for 10/15 minutes and earned the right to play a bit if that's what they wanted to do." Instead, Keys has claimed Kompany is simply trying to "raise his reputation" before jumping ship to another club.

Kompany is still searching for his first Premier League win as Burnley manager (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

"Vincent Kompany is taking liberties," he continued. "I'm afraid it looks as though managing Burnley is a vanity project for him. He said afterwards 'any team that is associated with my name will always play good football'. Wrong Vinny. You've got that totally wrong.

"It's the other way round - right now your name is associated with Burnley - a fantastic old club that down the years has always known what it is. Sean Dyche understood that. He bought into the club and the town.

"You knew he was committed. He was 'Burnley' when he was at Turf Moor. Kompany gives me the impression that he's just passing through and he's prepared to sacrifice the club and its fans, who work damned hard for the 90 minutes of distraction in enormously trying circumstances, to raise his reputation and wait for the right one - almost certainly City in his mind."

Matthew Cooper