Ex-manager reveals: Kompany was close to joining Schalke | OneFootball

Before his meteoric rise at FC Bayern, Vincent Kompany almost joined Schalke. Former manager Rouven Schröder has now revealed that the current Bayern coach was indeed a hot candidate for the coaching position at the Royal Blues a few years ago.

In the Sky90 talk on Sunday, Schröder spoke about a previously unknown meeting with the Belgian that left a deep impression. “When he was at Anderlecht and we were looking for a coach for the Bundesliga at Schalke, I was simply intrigued to speak with such a great player,” Schröder explained.

The then Schalke sporting director wanted to get to know the former Manchester City captain better – and the conversation apparently went exceptionally well. “It was one of the best conversations you can have with a coach,” said Schröder. “A young, aspiring coach. The door opens, he’s huge and super prepared.”

Schalke wanted Kompany – but the budget was too small

Photo: IMAGO | Photo: IMAGO,

The meeting took place during Schröder’s tenure in Gelsenkirchen, between 2021 and 2022. At that time, Kompany was still head coach at the Belgian traditional club RSC Anderlecht. The then Bundesliga relegated Schalke 04 was looking for a long-term solution for the coaching position – and internally, Kompany was considered an exciting candidate.

“When you meet him, you immediately notice: He has an incredible authority, an ease. He is authentic,” Schröder recalled enthusiastically. He was particularly impressed by the meticulousness with which Kompany presented his ideas.

“He laid out what concerns him, how he prepares and follows up. He had an incredible number of sheets, a PowerPoint presentation that really showed: There’s someone who coaches football with passion, leads the way. Then there’s this multilingualism – you could feel something there.”

In the end, the potential engagement didn’t fail due to the coach’s persuasiveness but because of money. “It was ultimately due to his large staff. We didn’t continue the talks. It quickly became clear that it wasn’t financially feasible,” said Schröder.

Kompany traveled with an extensive support staff – simply too expensive for the cash-strapped Schalke. “There were several clubs interested in him at the time. Whether we would have gotten the nod is unclear,” admitted the current Gladbach sports director.

Instead of Schalke: Kompany’s path led from Burnley to FC Bayern

After the failed Schalke deal, Kompany moved to the English second division club FC Burnley in 2022 – and promptly led the club to the Premier League. Just two years later, he landed at FC Bayern, where he caused a sensation in a very short time.

Under Kompany, the Munich team won the championship and started the current season with a historic record: 13 wins in 13 competitive matches.

Schröder is pleased with the Belgian’s success story: “You can tell when you talk to him how happy he is at Bayern. He also appreciates that Bayern gave him the opportunity.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.