What does it mean to have a lucky break?
On 29th May 2024, football fans were shocked when Bayern Munich the biggest club in Germany announced their newest club manager. A popular sports media agency carried the announcement with an headline saying “the World has officially gone mad.”
Apparently, this manager is inexperienced. Just four years of coaching experience. And one of those years was spent in the English second division.
His only European campaign ended in a Conference League qualifying loss. He has never coached in a Champions League game.
In corporate terms, it’s like a multibillion international company hiring for the role of their managing director. A position that demands decades of experience and influence.
Then this company gives this position to a young man who has only managed a small startup in a local city.
This man does not appear to have the capability or achievements to get the coaching role.
But this is what the available data indicates.
Stay with me. There are important lessons to be learned from this appointment.
Vincent Kompany. That’s the name of Bayern’s newest manager. He is not at fault here, even if it feels like a massive jump.
At 38 years old, Kompany is still a promising manager with the potential to become a great one. After a few seasons at mid-level clubs, he should be able to refine and expand on his ideas, and then he could be prepared for a position as important as that of Bayern Munich. However, it all seems to be happening much too soon.
From a wider angle, it highlights the mess Bayern were in. This ‘multibillion dollar organization’ blew through their managerial targets after asking their current manager to leave the club.
They were left with a manager who appears underqualified and unprepared for a job of this magnitude. Months of searching Europe for possible targets. Pursuing big names, and repeatedly failing. All efforts were in vain.
Getting a Lucky Break
When Preparation Meets Opportunity
“If you are very skilled in a field, you will notice when a lucky break happens in that field.” – Naval Ravikant
A “lucky break” is often seen as a stroke of good fortune. However, those who are skilled recognize these breaks because they understand the context and the implications of the opportunities presented.
When a prepared individual encounters an opportunity, they can take immediate and effective action. This ability to act quickly and appropriately can create what seems like “luck.”
It looks like Vincent Kompany already knew about this one.
His managerial credentials don’t jump off the page. Kompany first became player-manager at his boyhood club, Anderlecht, in 2020. The club legend was tasked with bringing the sleepy giant back to the top by the Belgian team, who offered him a four-year contract.
Anderlecht finished fourth in his first season in charge. He also finished third in his second season while making the Belgian Cup final. Kompany then accepted a coaching job at Burnley.
His first season was historic as the team played delightful playing football. Burnley topped the Championship, winning the league with 101 points – becoming the first team to hit triple digits in nine years.
To be frank though, it felt Kompany was doing something great with Burnley.
Small club or not, the quote of “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity”
I understand that his next season with Burney was disastrous, that saw them finish 19th in the Premier League, being relegated back to the Championship.
But his “lucky break” came at the right time.
LESSON 1: THERE’S ALWAYS A COMEBACK
Life is in cycles and seasons will always come back and go.
Therefore, everyone in life would experience significant life changing opportunities.
You will have several opportunities in life to experience breakthroughs.
Before these breakthroughs arrive, have a combination of hard work and the ability to recognize and act on opportunities.
Like Kompany, this combination is essential in becoming the best option for successful breakthroughs
Will you be prepared when your own lucky break comes?
When Opportunities are already missed
At the start of 2024, Bayern Munich decided to rid their previous manager before the season ends. With this strategy, they believed they could get a head-start on finding the best candidate to take over.
Their primary target was the manager of their domestic rival club. It was Bayern’s tradition to bring anyone who threatens their dominance in their league to their club and it was believed that their primary target would carry on that tradition.
After all, they were the biggest club in their country. It was not to be, though. In retrospect, this was a messy strategy.
Because of this rejection, Bayern were then left scrambling for other options. They turned to the man they had sacked only 12 months previously in controversial circumstances. This man rejected them too.
The German giant began a second wave of search. Rejection. Upon. Rejection. All potential candidates turned down the role. Because they had signed new contracts with other clubs. Or personal reasons.
And this is how the biggest club in Germany ended up with a manager of a relegated club in England.
LESSON 2: DON’T BE ANGRY IN THE FACE OF REJECTION
“Even the migratory birds are punctual to their seasons.] Yes, the stork [excelling in the great height of her flight] in the heavens knows her appointed times [of migration], and the turtledove, the swallow, and the crane observe the time of their return.” – Jeremiah 8:7 AMPC
You might have missed some opportunities in the past. Or gotten rejected.
This does not mean you get angry or bitter in those times. Rather look at them as learning opportunities
It is like what an old king once said, “The stone which the builders rejected eventually becomes the chief cornerstone.”
Rejection might just be a step in fulfilling your destiny. So don’t be careless in the times of abundance. Don’t be afraid in the times of leanness too.
This is all for my end.
Will Kompany be successful at Bayern Munich? We don’t know yet.
That’s your homework to find out as the year goes on 😉.
