Football League World
·14 December 2022
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·14 December 2022
Burnley midfielders Josh Cullen and Jack Cork say they are loving working under manager Vincent Kompany, but warned that there is much more to come from the team.
The Clarets currently sit top of the Championship, three points clear of second-placed Sheffield United and eight clear of third-placed local rivals Blackburn Rovers.
Kompany’s side returned to action following the World Cup break with an emphatic 3-0 win over play-off chasing Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road on Sunday thanks to goals from Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Ian Maatsen and Nathan Tella.
They are the top goalscorers in the division with 43 goals to their name and look in pole position to make an immediate return to the Premier League.
Kompany brought in an influx of signings from both the domestic leagues and abroad in the summer as he looked to transform the playing style from that of his predecessor Sean Dyche. The Belgian’s recruitment has been exceptional and he has implemented an attractive, attacking brand of football at the club.
It has been a seamless transition so far, but Cullen, who worked under Kompany previously at Anderlecht, believes that his side will get even better as the season progresses.
“I still think there is improvement for us although we are in a good position in the league,” Cullen told Lancashire Live.
“I don’t think by any means we are as good as we can be. We are working as hard as we can in training to improve as a team. The manager and the players are demanding it.
“But we won’t get carried away and expect that to just happen, we know we will have to work hard, but we are confident we can finish the season strongly now.”
Cork was part of the core of Dyche’s team for many years in the top flight and the captain has continued to be a mainstay under Kompany, praising the job the manager has done so far and the atmosphere he has created at the club.
“I hope so,” Cork told Lancashire Live when asked if there was more to come from his side.
“It has taken a while to gel and get used to the style of play the manager is playing and there is still a lot more improvement to come and we are still getting used to it.
“We have a lot of young players who are getting used to this league and league football in general so it is really exciting. I am sure the fans are loving it and I am really enjoying playing the style of football we are playing and it is a really positive atmosphere around the place at the moment.
“To be top at the minute is something we were not expecting, we had a lot of changes and we were hoping to get a few good results and have a good start to the season. But we have got ourselves in a very good position now, top of the league, and we want to stay there and fight for all the points we can. We know it is not going to be easy, we have had difficult spells this season, but hopefully we can go up.”
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The verdict
It is no surprise to hear Cullen and Cork talking so positively about Kompany.
He has done an outstanding job at Turf Moor since taking over in the summer, both in terms of results and recruitment and his players are evidently enjoying working with him.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Cullen and Cork’s comments is the attitude they are showing. There is a clear determination not to let complacency creep in and constantly keep improving.
It is a huge positive for Kompany that his squad are setting such high standards for themselves, but it also demonstrates the way he is developing the same winning mentality at the club that saw him win multiple titles as a player at Manchester City.
Cullen and Cork both say there is more to come from Burnley, which is a frightening prospect for the rest of the league given what they have displayed so far.
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