'I played with Vincent Kompany at Man City - here's why he shouldn't replace Pep Guardiola'

Vincent Kompany is enhancing his reputation with Bayern Munich and the former Manchester City defender is a strong candidate to replace Pep Guardiola.

Joleon Lescott has backed his former Manchester City centre-back partner Vincent Kompany to become manager of the club one day - but isn't sure replacing Pep Guardiola would be the right move.

Kompany's stock is on the rise this season and he has had a remarkable start to the campaign with Bayern Munich, who only suffered their first defeat of the campaign at Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday night. They have scored 41 goals in 11 Bundesliga games and are already six points clear at the top of the league.

The 39-year-old was a surprise choice to take over at Bayern in May 2024, having just led Burnley to relegation in the Premier League. He was by no means Bayern's top target and only ended up with the job after several managers with more established reputations turned them down.

But Kompany has taken his unexpected opportunity with both hands and after winning the Bundesliga title last season, he has taken Bayern to another level this season, with their fast, vibrant, attacking football earning plaudits across Europe.

Lescott played 108 games alongside Kompany while the two shared a dressing room at the Etihad, forming a potent defensive partnership as City won the FA Cup in 2011. They would also win two Premier League titles together before Lescott left in 2014, but Kompany stayed and became a club legend.

That makes him a leading candidate to return as manager one day and his style looks a natural fit in the post-Guardiola era, but Lescott urges caution as to whether Kompany should take the plunge straight after the Catalan's departure.

"I thought Vinny was going to be whatever he wanted to be and very successful at that," Lescott told the Manchester Evening News when asked if Kompany was always likely to be a successful coach.

"What he's doing isn't necessarily surprising me because Vinny is very impressive as a human. So whatever he dedicated his mind to doing, he was going to be successful, whether that be coaching or President of Congo or Prime Minister of Belgium. Honestly, whatever he was going to try to do, he was going to be successful. I'm very pleased for him.

"Even though he's doing amazing things, he's slightly going under the radar. He isn't being glamourised the way he should, in my opinion. We've seen some other great players not being as successful and be given opportunities. And I don't say Vinny's being given the opportunity, but he’s relatively new in his managerial career.

"I see him definitely managing Manchester City at some point. Whether it's next after Pep, I don't know. I don't know if that would be the right move for him. I don't know if the next manager, whether it is Vinny or whoever, will emulate what Pep has done.

"It’s kind of like Sir Alex going. After that, it's going to be very difficult. I don't think the club will decline like Manchester United have. But just this level of success that Pep has had, it's going to be difficult to emulate that.

"Whether that is Vinny's job to do next, who knows? I know he signed a new deal at Bayern, so I don't think they're in a rush to let him leave."