Wasn't there a poll on this forum a little while ago in which 8/10 among our fans voted that they would love to see him managing our club? I know that he signed to City but this surely isn't a good enough reason to start consider him a "plain" manager.
Anyway, in my opinion he's the most important manager of the last decade in terms of bringing something new to the game. It's not so much about whether it was his tactical nous or the incredible quality of his players more important in creating one of the greatest football sides of all time, it's more about the circumstances under which this particular team was created.
Football was much different in the early 00s, the norm was to defend with ten men behind the ball and look for the spaces to hit on the counter. All big clubs were happy to allow the opponent have the lion's share of possession, their goal was to defend in tight spaces in their half and then use quick attacking transition in order to create the big spaces in the attacking half. Everybody did it in various degrees in order to become successful in Europe, Ferguson in his greatest United in Europe (2008-09), Chelsea, Arsenal (2006), Milan, Juventus, Rafa at Liverpool and the list goes on and on. The most prolific new manager this type of football produced was Mourinho whose expertise was good defensive organization, excellent reading of the opponent and lightning speed transition.
Guardiola went completely against the grain and he deserves full credit for that. Until then applying very high pressing was considered an act of suicide by most football experts. Until then working on technical and short passing, on building attacks patiently and on controlling the tempo by having the ball was way down on the list of things that could lead to European dominance. On the contrary, it seemed like playing right into a counter attacking team's hands. But not only it worked but it also changed the whole map of European football and the way the game is played. This alone earns Guardiola a place among a very short list of footballing persons. It doesn't take anything away from managers like Mourinho or even Ferguson who excelled at the game without reforming it but it is an achievement in itself.
I, for once, am glad Manchester will be center of this battle of football philosophies. And i'm happy we have Jose because i believe that his style suits our players better and it's much closer to what the fans of this club have learned to appreciate over the years. I truly believe that, if everything clicks together well, we'll have a side as strong as Ferguson's 2007-08 & 2008-09 United in two years time under Mourinho. But i also admit that my biggest fear is Pep leading City to a CL win during his time at the club.
Anyway, in my opinion he's the most important manager of the last decade in terms of bringing something new to the game. It's not so much about whether it was his tactical nous or the incredible quality of his players more important in creating one of the greatest football sides of all time, it's more about the circumstances under which this particular team was created.
Football was much different in the early 00s, the norm was to defend with ten men behind the ball and look for the spaces to hit on the counter. All big clubs were happy to allow the opponent have the lion's share of possession, their goal was to defend in tight spaces in their half and then use quick attacking transition in order to create the big spaces in the attacking half. Everybody did it in various degrees in order to become successful in Europe, Ferguson in his greatest United in Europe (2008-09), Chelsea, Arsenal (2006), Milan, Juventus, Rafa at Liverpool and the list goes on and on. The most prolific new manager this type of football produced was Mourinho whose expertise was good defensive organization, excellent reading of the opponent and lightning speed transition.
Guardiola went completely against the grain and he deserves full credit for that. Until then applying very high pressing was considered an act of suicide by most football experts. Until then working on technical and short passing, on building attacks patiently and on controlling the tempo by having the ball was way down on the list of things that could lead to European dominance. On the contrary, it seemed like playing right into a counter attacking team's hands. But not only it worked but it also changed the whole map of European football and the way the game is played. This alone earns Guardiola a place among a very short list of footballing persons. It doesn't take anything away from managers like Mourinho or even Ferguson who excelled at the game without reforming it but it is an achievement in itself.
I, for once, am glad Manchester will be center of this battle of football philosophies. And i'm happy we have Jose because i believe that his style suits our players better and it's much closer to what the fans of this club have learned to appreciate over the years. I truly believe that, if everything clicks together well, we'll have a side as strong as Ferguson's 2007-08 & 2008-09 United in two years time under Mourinho. But i also admit that my biggest fear is Pep leading City to a CL win during his time at the club.
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