Pep Guardiola: Managerial Genius
“A perfectionist? That's part of my job.”
- Pep Guardiola
After a record-breaking season with reigning Premier League champions Manchester City, Josep “Pep” Guardiola is showing no signs of stagnation. After starting the 2018/19 campaign unbeaten with City so far this season, Pep seeks perfection through cultivating a winning team spirit.
Pep Guardiola took over the manager position of Barcelona in 2008 and led the team to a treble in his first season at the helm, becoming the youngest manager to ever lift a Champions League trophy. He then led Barcelona to a quadruple in the next season and in 2011, Guardiola was named the FIFA World Coach of the Year after leading Barcelona to their third La Liga and Champions League double in a row. He ended his four-year Barcelona campaign in 2012 with a club record, 14 major honors in just four years.
In 2013, Guardiola took over at Bayern Munich in similar winning fashion. Pep won seven trophies during his three-year stint in Germany - including winning the Bundesliga in each season he managed in Bavaria.
After proving himself in Spain and Germany, Guardiola set his sights on the Premier League and took over as manager of Manchester City in 2016. He has since led City to two Premier League titles and has broken numerous domestic records as the team became the first to attain 100 league points.
Already labeled a GOAT, Guardiola is unanimously regarded by most involved in the sport to be one of the greatest managers in the history of the beautiful game. Pep has won 24 major honors and holds the record for the most consecutive league wins in La Liga, Bundesliga and the Premier League.
“He doesn’t give himself a minute’s rest. He’s pig-headed, football is his everything and he puts so much intensity into everything. Pep’s almost got a sickness for football.”
– Xavi
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“I'm sorry, but until my last day as a coach, I will try to play from my goalkeeper.”
- Pep Guardiola
Guardiola’s style of play has had a massive impact on modern football. Always focused on a possession-oriented game, you can bet Pep’s side will dominate the ball in almost every match. Pep positions his players in a way that the opposition must play in their own half the whole game and his team’s trademark counter-pressing defensively up the pitch has become a revolution for many aspiring managers.
His pressing style and insistence on playing out of the back has influenced the managerial styles of big-name managers today including Jurgen Klopp, Unai Emery and many more.
“There is one thing you can be sure of — he wants to dominate. People associate his teams with the number of goals they score but his teams also don’t concede a lot. He always wants to be on the front foot, having the ball, possession, and he wants to dominate.”
– Thierry Henry
Like him or not, Pep Guardiola’s influence on football is undeniable. Pep’s passion on the touchline shows determination on a mission to seek both the tactical and stylistic mastery of football.
Can Pep reach perfection?
Leave a comment below with your thoughts on Pep Guardiola’s managerial style or Manchester City’s title retention chances.
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