Reuven Schröder, the current sporting director of Monchengladbach, recently broke the news in an interview with Sky Sports Germany that when he was the sporting director of Schalke 04, the club seriously considered hiring current Bayern coach Kompany.

Why were you interested in Kompany at that time?

Schroeder: He was still at Anderlecht at the time, and we at Schalke were looking for a coach for the Bundesliga. Being able to talk to such an outstanding player, that in itself was very interesting to me.

What impression did that meeting leave on you?

Schroeder: He was also the captain of Manchester City. That was one of the best conversations I could ever have with a coach. A young, rising coach. Once the door opened, he was tall and super prepared.

What are his personal qualities?

Schroeder: When you meet him, you will find: He has incredible authority and a relaxed temperament. He is very real.

How did he reveal his plan?

Schroeder: He laid out what he was concerned about and what he wanted to do in terms of pregame preparation and postgame review. He prepared an incredible amount of spreadsheets, a PowerPoint presentation that really showed: “Here sits a man who plays football, coaches and leads the way with passion.” Plus his ability to speak multiple languages. You could tell right then that there was something special about him.

So why didn’t this deal happen?

Schroeder: Ultimately it’s because of his huge coaching team. We didn't talk about it anymore. It quickly became clear that this was not financially feasible. This didn't fit our budget at all. Several clubs were chasing him at the time. Whether we will be able to sign him in the end is hard to say.

What do you think of his current success at Bayern?

Schroeder: When you talk to him, you can see how happy he is at Bayern. He is also very grateful to Bayern for giving him this opportunity.