"Arnstad must now try to be the best more often"

INTERVIEWS At his press conference in the run-up to the game against Antwerp, Vincent Kompany naturally received questions about Kristian Arnstad, man of the match against Club Brugge. The Anderlecht coach also saw a calm Arnstad this week and hopes he will stay for a few more years.


"I saw the same Arnstad as in the week before Club Brugge and in the weeks before," Kompany told us. "He is a stable guy. His evolution was logical. He remained calm in the period when he didn't play. That his in his first game against Club Brugge was not good and now he is, does not change my opinion of him: he has a lot of talent and will make a great career." 

"Now he just has to fight for his place. Not to be the best once, but to be the best more often. In that competition he has now taken an important step."

"As a young guest, you can now stay longer than before."

Arnstad only has a contract for one more season. Talks are ongoing, but the 18-year-old Norwegian would not have much appetite for 1B. He wants to play in the first team. Does Kompany fear losing him? "It's simple: Anderlecht is one of the best places in Europe to break through. It goes wrong more often than well for guys who leave too early. But I don't want to put any pressure. These are conversations that shouldn't happen through the media."

"The difference with before, with my generation, is that now you can go straight to the European top from Anderlecht. When I was young, you still often had to make an intermediate step. Now Sambi Lokonga goes to Arsenal, Saelemaekers to AC Milan. Some guys can now stay here longer than before. Before, at 18, 19, 20 years of age you had to be gone or it might have been too late. That period has changed. Now you can play soccer at Anderlecht until you're 22, 23 and only then choose to go higher up. Without having to make an intermediate step. Arnstad is well placed here."