Vincent Kompany is sick of leaving Burnley’s fans nothing to celebrate and is desperate to reward them with a victory fist pump this weekend.
The Clarets boss made a habit of sharing the afterglow of another three points with supporters during last year’s promotion campaign but has found little cause for cheer since returning to the Premier League.
His side have just three wins from 26 games, the last of those coming on December 23, and are rooted in 19th place with the prospect of relegation looming.
Kompany made a forlorn trip to face the travelling fans during their most recent 3-0 loss at Crystal Palace but is eager to join the Turf Moor faithful in a more satisfying reaction after Sunday’s clash with Bournemouth.
“We’re all in it with our passions and emotions. We take a real punch to the guts when we lose and it hurts – just like the fans do,” he said.
“You go to fans when it’s going well and you give them the first pump, then when it’s going badly all of a sudden what are you going to do – run inside?
“The question was asked after the last game, ‘did you go and apologise?’ No, no way. If you work hard in your job from morning to evening, with everything you’ve got to give, you don’t go and apologise.
“Being respectful? 100 per cent. Being together? Yes. I’m just believing the good times are coming again.
“I would love nothing more than to go back to fans and do the fist pumps again, that’s how I visualise Sunday. We’ve got to be able to imagine ourselves winning these kind of games, you have to have that ambition.”
Burnley’s hopes of averting the drop took another blow off the field this week, with the news that Everton had successfully had their 10-point deduction for financial matters reduced to six points on appeal.
There has been some disquiet about points being stripped and reinstated during an active season but Kompany has allowed the matter to wash over him as he keeps his focus closely trained on his own sphere of influence.
“I don’t have the pretension to be able to chip in to this debate. My only focus is Burnley Football Club,” he said.
“I don’t want to give a generic answer and just bat it away but the reality is I really don’t care. I only care about our team and what they do. That what I want to concern myself with.”
Burnley’s ongoing search for the right formula continues, with a midfield replacement needed for the suspended Josh Brownhill following his sending-off at Palace.
Josh Cullen, Jack Cork, Vitinho and Jay Rodriguez – all survivors of last year’s triumph in the Championship – are among those hoping to win promotion from the bench.
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