Manchester City await arrival of Pep Guardiola but success is not a cert

Guardiola may boast the best managerial CV on the planet but he has scant ­experience of actually building a team says Sunday People columnist Neil Moxley

 

 

 

Seven or so years ago, Pep Guardiola gathered five players around him on Barcelona’s training pitch.
Andres Iniesta and Xavi were told to stay put in the centre-circle, along with Lionel Messi.

Guardiola walked Thierry Henry to one wing. And then guided Samuel Eto’o out to the other.

He said to them both: “When Xavi and Iniesta receive the ball, this is where I want you to go.”

He walked his stars individually through their movements.

Returning to midfield and leaving Henry and Eto’o out wide, he turned to Iniesta and Xavi saying: “When you have the ball, that pair know what they’ve got to do.

               Pep talk: Former Barcelona boss with Messi 

“What I want you to do is ignore them,” he added, pointing first at Henry and Eto’o and then directly at Messi. “And pass the ball to him.”

We start with an anecdote this week, gleaned from a Spanish goalkeeping coach, because it refers to that age-old chestnut about the characteristics of a top-class boss.

As Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger once said, when quizzed, it is great players that make great managers.

And for all the fact that Guardiola’s impending arrival at Manchester City is being hailed in some quarters like he’s the living embodiment of Messrs Clough, Shankly and Ferguson – it doesn’t yet bear scrutiny.
Yes, yes, yes – I accept the fact that the Barcelona side circa 2011 was about as good as it is ever going to get. But look at some of the players...

The five above weren’t bad for a start. Toss Eric Abidal, Carles Puyol, Sergio Busquets, Dani Alves and Javier Mascherano into the mix and you’ve got stars of a generation.

Seven of the side starred in Spain’s World Cup win.

Many of those talents were nurtured at Barcelona, granted.

And, as a former graduate himself of the system, Guardiola knew better than most the talent at his disposal. And for that, he must be saluted.

Pep-si Max: Guardiola won Bundesliga title with Bayern 

 

Fast-forward a couple of years and he is lifting the Bundesliga title in Germany. But Guardiola took over a Bayern Munich side from Jupp Heynekes that had won the Champions League as well as their domestic ­competition the ­season before.


Although again winning a ­competition in any country is an achievement, how do you put that into perspective? Certainly, he has failed since in European competition and it is to be wondered if Guardiola’s talents were that stellar why it is that the Bavarians – who really are European powerhouses – have not battled to keep him?

If, as now seems certain, Guardiola turns up at the Etihad, he is not ­inheriting a dressing-room full of ­top-class stars Good, yes. Great? Apart from Aguero, no. The striker adds a sheen to a Manchester City squad that struggles to truly convince.

The Argentinian alone cannot carry a side that is yet some way short.
And Guardiola’s recruitment policy has not always stood up.


For instance, Barcelona paid a king’s ransom for Zlatan Ibrahimovic. And didn’t know how to use him properly.

Flying Swede: Ibrahimovic had a pop at Pep in his autobiography 

What’s more, the larger-than-life Swede caned Guardiola in his ­autobiography, accusing him of failing to communicate with him. Other expensive mistakes include Dmytrio Chygrynskiy, (£18miliion) Keirrison, (£14m) and Alexander Hleb. (£14m)

Doesn’t inspire too much confidence.

Of course, the sheikhs can afford to rid themselves of any issues, should they arise in the dressing room. It could end up being a hefty bill. Guardiola’s arrival will crank up the pressure on those in the corridors of power to come up with better ­recruits than they did in the 12 months after Roberto Mancini won City’s first title of the new era.

At the moment, what exactly is the new man walking into?

The defence is crying out for the ­addition of a first-rate left-sided ­centre-back. Vincent Kompany ­desperately needs to rediscover his form and fitness.
Fabian Delph adds energy, but is not the top-class midfielder who can carry Yaya Toure on an off-day.

The unlucky Kevin De Bruyne can go missing away-from-home.
Raheem Sterling is still learning his trade. Strange sentence to write that for a £49m player.

Manchester City remain very much a work-in-progress. For all that Guardiola boasts in terms of the best managerial CV on the planet – he has scant ­experience of actually building a team.
It’s as much as the club can do to bring them success, but, as ever in ­football, it comes with a warning that it is no guarantee.