Soccer:Manchester City skipper Vincent Kompany claimed last season's thrilling Premier League title success was just for starters after signing a new six-year contract with the Blues. The 26-year-old's new deal, believed to be worth €260,000 a week, is a measure both of the faith manager Roberto Mancini has in his captain and also the direction in which Kompany feels City are heading.
With an FA Cup and league title collected in the past two years, City have already ripped up their tag as great under-achievers. And with another campaign around the corner, the Belgium defender feels there is still much more to do.
“We have laid the foundations and now we want to win more,” he told www.mcfc.co.uk. “If we do that then we can be one of the most successful clubs for a long time to come. That is the aim.”
Given the vast changes that have taken place since Sheikh Mansour completed his buy-out in 2008, Kompany finds himself as one of the longest-serving members of Mancini’s squad. Former boss Mark Hughes spent what is now viewed as a bargain €8 million for Kompany in August 2008, since when he has become one of Europe’s best defenders.
He was named in the PFA Team of the Year in 2011 and won the City Player of the Year award last term, in addition to scoring the crucial goal against Manchester United in April that turned the championship battle their way. “I have been here since the beginning and I have seen everything at the club change inside and out,” he added.
“It is good to know that I can be at City for another six years. It is a compliment that the club feels so highly of me. Hopefully in the future I will have a bigger impact. My family is happy and there are so many more trophies to win at this club that is why it makes it so special.”
Mancini, meanwhile, has shoved the responsibility for the lack of new faces at the Etihad Stadium this summer on Blues’ football director Brian Marwood. City are keen to sign Robin van Persie, with Mancini believing it is crucial to strengthen in order to defend their Premier League title.
So far though, with City unable to off-load any of their unwanted high earners, there have been no signings, with Arsenal snubbing an initial approach for Van Persie. And, ahead of the Blues’ friendly with Arsenal in Beijing tomorrow, Mancini, while not mentioning Marwood by name, made it clear where he feels the responsibility lies.
“For this question, speak to the man in charge,” Mancini told reporters at a press conference in the Chinese capital. “I am not in charge of this. It is important (to get players quickly) because, after what we did last year, we must continue to win.
“This year will be harder than last so we need to improve our team. We have a man who works for this and we hope that they can do a good job.”
Mancini has previously made his admiration for Van Persie well known. However, aware he will be facing Arsene Wenger tomorrow, the Italian opted to tread a delicate path.
“Van Persie is an Arsenal player, not our player,” he added.
“He is a fantastic player, but we have four strikers and with those strikers we won the title last year. Van Persie is a fantastic player, but he is an Arsenal player.”
