Man city’s recruitment of Pep Guardiola was the world’s worst kept secret, but the formalizing of the deal still shook the world of football.
Pep has a highly admirable portfolio that may well be the best in the world, leading his home town club Barcelona to two UEFA Champions League titles, beating Bayern Munich and Manchester United in finals, basing his game on a fluent passing philosophy.
The Abu Dhabi owners of Man City have finally got their man and into the English Premier League, with a view to reign over the football world. Since buying the club in 2008, the owners have long held the ambition to be among the very best.
Pep Guardiola’s portfolio is laden with football prosperity and admirable management skills, and the 46 year old comes to Man city, who has in turn built a club to match the Spaniards recruitment.
Man city have always had the edge over their rivals Chelsea and Manchester United in appointing Pep Guardiola. At Barcelona, Txiki Begiristian and Ferran Soriano shared a successful relationship with Guardiola In guiding the Catalan club to the summit of world football. Begiristian is now Man city football director and Soriano is now Man city Chief Executive. The scale was already tilted.
Man City has gained a glittering status in the football world because of the high pedigree Pep Guardiola brings. The kind of player he can easily attract to the club is one of high caliber. Pep has come from two of the powerhouses of European and world football, immediately drawing huge respect.
The very best players in the world have clearly stated their admiration of Pep Guardiola. Neymar the Barcelona superstar, most recently said he is very happy in Barcelona, but left the door open to play for Guardiola again by not closing the door on playing abroad under Pep. Eidur Gudjohnsen played under Pep at Barcelona is almost certain that wherever he goes, success will follow him.
Bayern Munich players also voice positively behind their caption Philip Lahm, in hailing the abilities of Pep Guardiola after the three years they have been led by the Spaniard. Praises like this from such superstars only mean that Man city can get any player they desire as long as it is financially viable to the club.
Man city will have at the helm an already fluent English speaker who demands high discipline on and off the pitch, and a manager that revels in grooming young academy players to fit and grow into the high levels of top class football.
Retired Manchester United manager sir Alex Ferguson once famously branded Man city as the noisy neighbors, but it now seems the Old Trafford faithful would have dearly loved for Pep Guardiola to have been in their Old Trafford dugout instead, not at the noisy neighbors! This is especially so now, as the Manchester united fans endure an unimaginative philosophy of football under Louis Van Gaal.
Bayern have absolutely dominated German football since Pep Guardiola’s arrival two and a half years ago, bossing passing accuracy, possession and goals scored, with Dortmund closest to them scoring a distant 45 goal less than the Bavarian outfit.
Man city are definitely moving at a better and faster pace than Man United, even though Man United boast of more global fans and being a bigger institution than Man city. In football terms, Man city are now bigger than Man United, armed with an abundance of money to build a true footballing powerhouse.
If Man United fans were worried about being overtaken by the moneybags of Man city, they should be even more worried now after Pep’s arrival. This puts Ed Woodward and Van Gaal under pressure at Man United. Man united fans now want to see some activity to match the ambition of Man city. Jose Mourinho the next Man united manager? Odds will surely drop on that punt.
Will Man united risk appointing managerial novice Ryan Giggs to take on the experienced mastermind in Pep Guardiola? Something to seriously ponder for Man united.
Chelsea has also tried to lure Pep to Stamford Bridge, without success. Chelsea is also on the hunt for a new manager in the summer with current boss Guus Hiddink on a temporary contract. Again, the pressure for a manager to take on Guardiola exists there. Manuel Pellegrini is a name that comes to mind for Chelsea.
Man city since 2008, have been very active, but the arrival of Pep Guardiola poses the most powerful of warnings to the football world. Man city have built in world class facilities into their playing and training bases and Pep was clearly pleased with the project. Trophies have come to Man city, but the club has never really reached the elite level of football clubs. This was all before Pep Guardiola’s arrival. Now football world, sit up and take notice!