Vincent Kompany has had a strong season with FC Bayern. The Belgian led the Munich team to the domestic double and to the Champions League semifinals. In a recent ESPN ranking of Europe’s best club coaches, however, that’s only good enough for ninth place—and some of the names ranked ahead of the Bayern coach are likely to spark quite a bit of debate.
For ESPN’s ranking, approximately 50 coaches were initially considered and then narrowed down to the top 30. The assessment also incorporated input from coaches, sporting directors, general managers, and chief scouts within the soccer industry.
The coaches were evaluated based on six categories: coaching acumen, playing style, leadership, communication, past successes, and a so-called “X-factor,” which takes into account, among other things, innovative ability, future potential, and resilience.
PSG coach Luis Enrique tops the list, ahead of Pep Guardiola and Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta. They are followed by Hansi Flick, Unai Emery, Gian Piero Gasperini, Xabi Alonso, and Arne Slot. Kompany doesn’t appear until ninth place. Christian Chivu rounds out the top 10.
Kompany Ranks Only Ninth Despite Bayern Double
Especially in light of last season, Kompany’s ranking seems at least debatable. The 40-year-old led FC Bayern to the German championship and the DFB Cup title.
Internationally as well, the Munich team was among Europe’s best under Kompany. In the Champions League, the record German champions reached the semifinals, where they were narrowly eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain.
Kompany has thus not only brought titles to Munich in a short period of time but also driven the team’s athletic development forward. Nevertheless, eight coaches are ranked ahead of him.
The comparison with Arne Slot is particularly interesting. The Dutchman ranks eighth—just ahead of Kompany—even though his last season at Liverpool ended without a title. In late May, Slot was even forced to step down from his position with the Reds.
Judged by the immediate on-field results of the past season, Kompany thus has the significantly more successful track record.
Flick is also well ahead of Kompany
The gap is even wider when compared to Hansi Flick. The former Bayern coach is ranked fourth, placing him five spots ahead of Kompany.
Although Flick led FC Barcelona to the Spanish league title, the Catalans’ run in the Champions League ended in the quarterfinals. Kompany, on the other hand, won two domestic titles with Bayern and also reached the semifinals of the Champions League.
Of course, the ranking explicitly takes more than just the results of a single season into account. Factors such as the coach’s overall career, playing style, communication, and leadership also factor into the evaluation. In Flick’s case in particular, his successful past with FC Bayern is likely to play a role.
Nevertheless, the ranking shows that Kompany apparently does not enjoy the same international standing that his recent results might suggest.
The Belgian, however, has the opportunity to change that in the new season. After winning the double, Bayern has already made it clear that they also want to take the next step in the Champions League. If Kompany does indeed lead the record champions back to the final or even to the Champions League trophy, it will likely become much more difficult in the future to rank eight coaches ahead of him.
