Vincent Kompany: ‘Let’s not put a ceiling on how high we can go’

G ood environment. The term crops up regularly in Vincent Kompany’s description of Burnley. His portrait is revealing, getting to the heart of why the coveted manager has signed a new five-year contract and will not place a ceiling on how far his Championship winners can develop in the Premier League next season.

Kompany and his players savoured the good environment of Burnley on Wednesday when thousands of fans packed the town centre to witness the title winners’ open-top bus parade to Turf Moor. The 37-year-old admits he had a plan to reclaim the club’s Premier League status within three years when accepting his first management job in English football last June. It made sense to be prudent at the time. Burnley lost 16 players after relegation – only four brought in a transfer fee – and the first parachute payment from the Premier League repaid debt incurred as part of ALK Capital’s takeover. Ten months and 21 signings later, Burnley were back, Kompany having transformed the squad, playing style and mood way ahead of schedule.

Now he wants to transform how the club is viewed. His new contract, announced at the height of speculation linking the Manchester City legend to the vacancies at Chelsea and Tottenham, forms part of that strategy.

“I am probably going to be the most informed about the decisions I need to make for my career,” he says. “I try not to place too much importance on what other people think. I have also been in top-level football for 20 years now so I know it is really difficult to find a good environment and really difficult to be in a place where you have achieved something. Because we have achieved something this season I think it is only logical that you are surrounded by people who will believe in