Kompany not blue about City's future

Vincent Kompany is optimistic for the future at Manchester City despite missing out on a Champions League spot. The versatile defender refused to wallow in the disappointment of the 1-0 defeat on Wednesday that allowed Tottenham to claim a top-four finish and he predicted City would grow stronger next season. He said: "It's the role of the manager or the owners to make the team look sexy towards the players they want to attract, but I'm here experiencing it from the inside and I can assure you that the standards that are being sought off the pitch are just as high as the ones we want to achieve on it. We are only going to get better."

Kompany said the reasons for falling agonisingly short of their fourth-place target were obvious. Roberto Mancini came in to replace Mark Hughes as manager in December while key players such as Robinho, Emmanuel Adebayor, Carlos Tevez and Wayne Bridge were all affected by personal issues that had a damaging impact on the club. Crucially, they also dropped seven points in three games against Burnley and Hull, who were both relegated.

"So many games we can look back on and think, 'If we would have played those games today, we wouldn't have lost or drawn them'," he added. "You also tell me a team that's had as many off-the-field problems as us. I'm thinking let us have a bit more of a quiet season next year and let everyone focus on the game and I would definitely not put my money against a good Manchester City." Kompany said stability was the key to success.

"I was the longest serving player on the pitch [that started against Spurs] and that says it all really. I've only been here for two years. Look at the best teams. They have not been built in a day, but over years and some of them decades. Stability will eventually get us there. One more year playing together - I would back that team all day." akhan@thenational.ae