Aaron Danks has become Kompany’s go‑to lieutenant at Bayern, even stepping in when the captain‑coach was unavailable. Who is the Birmingham‑born tactician behind the Bavarian rise?
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Stats correct as of 21 October 2026
Age: 43 (15 June 1983)
Club: Bayern Munich
Role: Assistant coach
Country of birth: England
Born in the United Kingdom’s second city, Danks never had a professional playing career, taking up his first role in the sport in 1999 as a Birmingham City Community Football Development Officer at 16. He then moved into coaching in the club’s academy before doing the same for Midlands rivals West Bromwich Albion for over a decade.
In 2016, he joined the English FA to work with the national team at several levels, and was part of the coaching staff when the Three Lions won the U20 FIFA World Cup in 2017.
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Danks spent several years working with England’s national teams. – Andy Rowland, via www.imago-images.de –>
After a brief stint with the Golden State Warriors in the NBA, he earned his coaching badges and spent a year as England U21 assistant before linking up with Kompany as his deputy at Anderlecht.
His next stop was Aston Villa, where he spent another season and briefly ran the dugout after Dean Smith’s exit and before Unai Emery arrived. He then joined Middlesbrough, working under future Manchester United boss Michael Carrick.
At Bayern, Danks has already collected two Bundesliga crowns and filled in for Kompany when the Belgian was suspended for the Champions League semi‑final second leg against PSG.