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Vincent Kompany has been slammed for trying to copy Pep Guardiola after failing to win his first four matches as player-manager of Anderlecht.

The famous Belgian, 33, left Manchester City at the end of last season to return to his first club.

But the City legend's coaching career has got off to a nightmare start – and he sent his players out to apologise to fans after their 4-2 weekend defeat at Kortrijk.

And former Anderlecht and Ajax coach Aad de Mos claimed Kompany is failing because he is trying to play Guardiola-style football with inferior players.

"In football, you do not have to copy another coach,” insisted the Dutchman. “Kompany wants to do the same thing as Guardiola in City and that makes me sick.

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"City have players like Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne - Anderlecht needs to get by with more modest players. Guardiola has Aymeric Laporte, Ilkay Gundogan or Raheem Sterling - Kompany does not have them in Anderlecht.”

The Belgium defender was out of position for three goals against Kortrijk and De Mos, 72, added: “He should have been forbidden to do both jobs. It is ridiculous. Vincent is intelligent – he thinks during a match. It is normal that it affects him as a player when his team is not playing well.

"Former Dinamo Kiev coach Valeri Lobanovsky taught me one thing: as a coach, you have to forget his past as a player - all the great coaches started at the bottom of the ladder, like Cocu et Van Bommel.

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"Frank De Boer coached the youth teams in Ajax and then became a national team assistant, and when I evaluate a coach, I look at his track record. Kompany's record is blank. His achievements as a player do not count.”

And the Dutch player reserved special criticism for Under 21 coach Craig Bellamy.

“I saw him at work last weekend - he knows nothing,” said the 1988 European Cup Winners' Cup champion. “I've never seen an Anderlecht youth team coached so badly in the last five years. After ten minutes, I understood that he was rubbish.”

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Anderlecht's next four matches are against top teams and De Mos told La Derniere Heure: “I would give Kompany time until the winter break, but if the results do not improve, we have to look at things again.

"Finishing the season with the current points average is not an option for a club like Anderlecht. He needs to take points in the next four games, otherwise he'll be in the eye of the storm like all other coaches.”

Instead of working at Anderlecht during the international break, Kompany will be on Belgium duty then play his testimonial for charity back at Manchester City on September 11.

Ex-Anderlecht and Sheffield Wednesday striker Marc Degryse added: “Kompany is only human, besides being a good footballer - but I feel he thinks he is God.”