Vincent Kompany has made a name for himself at FC Bayern not only through his athletic achievements. The Belgian is also regarded as a coach who specifically nurtures young players and gives them the confidence they need. One of the biggest beneficiaries of this approach is Lennart Karl. The 18-year-old has now shared some interesting insights into his collaboration with the Bayern coach.
In an interview with DAZN, the forward discussed how Kompany communicates with his players and the role that one-on-one conversations play in daily training. “The coach doesn’t talk to the guys that often; he usually only does so during video analysis. He tells us what he didn’t like, and then we try to implement those changes,” Karl explained.
These comments show that Kompany apparently places great emphasis on joint analysis in his daily work and provides his players with clear suggestions for improvement.
Kompany is deliberately taking the pressure off Karl
Karl is particularly impressed by how his coach handles young players.
Although the 18-year-old now plays regularly for the first team, he says he doesn’t feel any additional pressure from Kompany. “He doesn’t put any pressure on me at all,” emphasized the Bayern youngster.
Karl also pointed to his coach’s public statements, noting that Kompany had repeatedly stepped in to protect his talented forward in the past. “There have been many interviews with him where he’s said after the game, ‘Don’t put too much pressure on me.’”
Kompany is apparently trying to ease the young player into the demands of professional soccer as smoothly as possible.
Karl raves about Kompany’s work with young players
For Karl, this approach has been a key factor in his development so far. The attacking player first proved himself through the Bayern Campus and then made the leap to the professional squad under Kompany.
The 18-year-old has since had the opportunity to showcase his skills in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League.
His assessment of the Bayern coach is correspondingly positive. “That’s why I consider him a top coach. The way he approaches everything, especially with the younger players coming up from the youth teams, and how he manages it all—it really works well,” Karl enthused.
For the German record champions, the youngster’s development is a positive example of how young talent can be gradually integrated into the first team.
Kompany apparently doesn’t rely on putting extra pressure on the players, but rather on trust, clear feedback, and careful development.
In any case, Karl seems to feel right at home under the Belgian coach. His comments make it clear that he’s benefiting not only from the athletic opportunities at FC Bayern but also from his coach’s personal approach to working with young players.