CHAMPIONSHIP WINNING manager Vincent Kompany has revealed that icon Nelson Mandela is among his role models.

Kompany, one of a handful of Black managers within the professional game, recently signed a new five-year contract to remain with Championship title winners Burnley until the summer of 2028. The 37-year-old led the Clarets back to the Premier League at his first attempt this season, having joined in 2022.

The club became the first Championship side to break the 100-point mark since Leicester in 2013-14 when they beat Cardiff on Monday.

Speaking at the recent Raise Your Game mentoring conference organised by Kick It Out, which bids to inspire a new generation to work within the football industry, the Burnley boss told event organiser, Troy Townsend: “I have a few role models who were footballers and political figures. Nelson Mandela was a massive figure in our household and football wise Patrick Vieira was an important one in terms of leadership and style of play.”

Kompany, a four time Premier League winner with Manchester, played international football for Belgium, the country of his mother’s birth while his dad hails from the Congo.

Of his parents, he added: “My family play such a big and crucial part. I think my story is quite common that we grew up with not a lot, but my parents were always there supporting me and gave every bit of support they could give us, and they taught us to make up our own minds and be strong.

There is a lot of noise out there and everyone will tell you why you will fail or won’t achieve something, but you need consistency and discipline to work towards your goal

“My mother used to work for a government agency, and she was blonde with blue eyes, and she told us because we are Black you have to work twice as hard.

“That stayed with me all my life and still to this day I see it as a strength not a weakness because working twice as hard will make me twice as good. So that started from my parents, and it has passed on to my kids.”

Burnley have been a revelation this season and Kompany was keen to get his ideas over to his team early.

“I had a clear starting point to what I wanted to do. I believe there is a certain way to be successful and get the profile of players that are able to deliver that.

“If you have a bad day, you will feel sorry for yourself and you have every right to, but I think it is important to bounce back and go again and also when you think you have done well to be humble and go again to have a pathway of improvement.”

The Raise Your Game event was attended by a number of aspiring coaches. The Man City legend had a few pearls of wisdom to share. “My biggest bit of advice is consistency,” he said.

“There is a lot of noise out there and everyone will tell you why you will fail or won’t achieve something, but you need consistency and discipline to work towards your goal. Also, surround yourself with people who want you to do well and make you better as a person.”