Burnley have been one of the surprises of the season in the EFL Championship, having already comfortably won promotion to the English Premier League. The mastermind behind the club's special feat is former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany, who made the decision to sign Bafana Bafana striker Lyle Foster from Belgian outfit KVC Westerlo in January. Soccer Laduma's Kyle Lewis spoke to The Athletic journalist Andy Jones, who covers Burnley closely in England, to investigate why the Clarets moved for the 22-year-old South African, Kompany's impressive tenure and rumours of a Percy Tau switch.
Kyle Lewis: Let's rewind back a year. What was the mood around the club after Burnley got relegated from the Premier League?
Andy Jones: There was a feeling of devastation, but the main feeling was uncertainty. They were going into a summer where there was financial uncertainty. There was debt that needed to be paid back, which the owners had taken out to buy the club in December 2020. A number of players were on their way out as they were out of contract, or you had to sell them because they wanted to play in a higher division and Burnley did not have a permanent manager either. So, when you look at the situation, there were a lot of concerns. Internally, Burnley were a bit calmer, they felt that there was a plan in place, but from the fans there was a lot of concern about what the club could look like in the next season. Nobody knew what they were going to do in the transfer market in terms of what players were going to sign or who might leave.
KL: Previously, ALK Capital were heavily criticized for loading the club with debt. How are they viewed by fans now?
AJ: There have been question marks about the owners, and they still exist to an extent, but the view and perception is very different. They have done very well to build a new squad, while a large part of the debt has been paid back. So, in a sense, that is really positive. They have put the club in a position where they are going back to the Premier League in a much stronger financial position. The wage bill has been lowered significantly with some players being moved out and younger ones coming in hungrier for less money. In the summer, they sold £70 million worth of players and only spent £25 or £30 million on bringing new players in. There has also been concern about the club's current transfer embargo after submitting their annual accounts late. So, there is still a bit of anxiety around that.
KL: Of all the managers to pick from at the time, why did the club go for Kompany?
AJ: Someone like Kompany is the reason ALK have been highly praised. The ownership was really keen to find a young and hungry manager who wanted to develop young players. This was the rebrand and model that they wanted, which was to buy young stars and develop them. This would allow the club to be sustainable and make them compete. There was obviously question marks and different perceptions on how well he had done with Anderlecht. Some people thought he underachieved, while others thought he overachieved. Burnley wanted a manager who was forward-thinking and had experience at the top of the game, not necessarily as a manager but even just being there as a player. One crucial detail was that the board wanted the team to play an exciting brand of football and also important, work with young players.
KL: With many senior players on the way out and concerns about the club's finances, were you fearing the worst for Kompany when he joined?
AJ: I was less concerned than others, but there were definitely concerns about how this could go wrong. Kompany openly admitted this himself, saying that he did not know the EFL Championship that well. Obviously, he knew about it, but he did not know the finer details. Also, with 16 players coming in and 13 going out, how much time he would need to gel together this new group of stars. This could all go terribly wrong, and they could be looking for a new boss in November. I was not in that ballpark of thinking. I thought they would start slowly but build as the season went on. There were worries about how it would all fit together.
KL: Looking at his attractive style of play, this must have been a refreshing new experience for fans…
AJ: Let us not discredit Sean Dyche because he played a brand of football that was effective and got Burnley results. It may not have been the prettiest, but it worked. Dyche kept them in the Premier League for six years and two promotions from the EFL Championship. I do think it was reaching a point where it was becoming a bit sterile. ALK wanted to take the club in a different direction. It has been a breath of fresh air. There has been a big difference. It is basically opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to style. Kompany been using very similar tactics to Manchester City and Arsenal with ideas like the inverted fullback. I think any fan loves your team when they are winning regardless of how they are playing, but when your side is winning and playing this attacking style of football with a couple of goals almost every game, it has just been such a refreshing change and quite nice.
KL: How did Kompany's interest in Lyle Foster come about?
AJ: Burnley were looking at a certain profile. A striker with height, physicality and the ability to stretch the pitch. They wanted someone who would not make it easy to know what he would do next. The club were looking at a number of strikers, but Foster fitted the profile really well and then obviously they made the move for him.
KL: What are your thoughts on the Bafana Bafana striker so far?
AJ: It is an interesting one because you would not say that he has hit the ground running. Foster's only got the one goal so far in 14 appearances, but what you can see is that every game he is playing, you can see the development in his game and his all-round play. When he first came, you could see the pace and physicality. The fans showed concern because the club spent a certain amount of money on the player. When he came in, obviously you would have loved to see him score goals and even though that was not the case, the one thing Kompany really talks about is his work ethic and how he is learning every single game. Foster has shown a willingness to listen, learn and analyse video clips of when he is playing. Alongside him, he has also got stellar strikers like Ashley Barnes and Jay Rodriguez, who's got so much experience in Premier League football. He's also got Craig Bellamy as his assistant coach, who played at the top level. Kompany's system is not easy to learn, there are a lot of intricate details. What stands out is that you can see the improvements. You can see the understanding from the teammates in terms of reading his runs. They are starting to find him, unlike when he initially came in. His link-up play is getting much better. He had a little bit of a problem with the first touch initially when balls were played into him, and he was losing battles. One more serious quality that still needs to come out is his ability to dribble. Foster was signed in January so that he can have six months to acclimatize while the pressure is off and get used to the system. When he has got a full pre-season, that is when he can take the next step and be ready for the Premier League season. All in all, there are a lot of positives so far. Due to how well Burnley have done to get to the top of the EFL Championship, this allowed Kompany to bring in players in January as he was confident, they would be in the Premier League next season. So, that is why Burnley took the chance to bring Foster in. Kompany clearly rates him very highly because of his work ethic, personality and all that. They needed to figure out how best to use him and for the player to get used to his teammates.
KL: There have been reports that Burnley are looking at a number of strikers. Should this be a concern for Foster?
AJ: When you look at Burnley's forwards, they have Foster, Ashley Barnes, who could leave this summer as he is out of contract, and Jay Rodriguez, who has just come back from injury and previously struggled in the Premier League. Michael Obafemi is there, but he is on loan and Burnley are likely to go for a permanent deal. Looking at Burnley's options, they need more depth. I do not necessarily think it's something for Foster to worry about as the team wants to improve with good players ahead of next season. Maybe there is an element of being worried that he may not be the starting striker, but that is the challenge. This is the life of a footballer; you are part of a squad and you have got to show that you are the best.
KL: What do Burnley need to survive in the Premier League next season?
AJ: Some of Burnley's core players have been on loan from other clubs, so they will explore bringing back at least three for next season. They should probably start at centre-back and look for someone who they think is Premier League quality. I think across the park they will be looking for upgrades. I think improving the central midfield will be a key one, while they probably need to look at strikers, wingers, a left back and a goalkeeper. For the EFL Championship and Premier League, you need depth and if there is a player available at the right price, you have to be willing to explore it. I predict a big summer ahead, but I think central midfield will be the big focus.
KL: There have been reports that Al Ahly star Percy Tau is admired by Kompany. Is there any truth to these reports?
AJ: That would be a new one to me. It is not something I have heard myself. Last summer, Burnley were linked with a lot of players because they do a lot of scouting. He might be someone on their radar, but it is not something I have heard about. Burnley recruitment is so wide as they look at different leagues, so it is hard to keep track.
KL: Thanks for your time!
AJ: Cheers.
