Pep Guardiola

[DonAK]

Pep taking over at Bayern was announced in January when Bayern were clear at top of table and quite clearly the best team in the league.

Not saying he chose them as easiest job but it was not like he chose to come and save Bayern after two years of not winning it either.

Bayern initiated talks with him in October that year.

Obviously not saying he was their Messiah, but it's not like he chose them after they won the treble.

His other possible option was Man Utd who won the league that season. People would have most likely complained then too had he joined them. It's almost like some people want him to take up a relegation side to "prove himself".

Personally I'd like to see him at a team like Arsenal, but it's not like he can kick Wenger out.

 

[JamDav1982]

Bayern initiated talks with him in October that year.

Obviously not saying he was their Messiah, but it's not like he chose them after they won the treble.

His other possible option was Man Utd who won the league that season. People would have most likely complained then too had he joined them. It's almost like some people want him to take up a relegation side to "prove himself".

When he agreed to take the job is more relevant than when talks were initiated. They approached him when still Barca manager I think so could go even further back.

It was quite clear that season that Bayern had really started to get their house in order and were starting to over take Dortmund again.

Man Utd never offered him the job, he had agreed to join Bayern before even speaking to them. Fergie has said as much. They had asked him to speak to Fergie before making any decision but he didnt and signed up at Bayern.

Choosing Bayern was one of the easiest options at the time. So easy it back fired a bit when they won the treble!

 

[Flavia]

I wonder if he will truly return to us one day in a different capacity when he is done with coaching. Perhaps not as long as Barto is still the president?

He says he wants to retire at 50. Or to coach the nt after that. So I guess he won't come back.

 

[Luftstalag14]

He says he wants to retire at 50. Or to coach the nt after that. So I guess he won't come back.

He is going to be 45 next month. So after 3 years or longer at City, maybe a stint at the Spain NT and he is done? Chucks. It would be a loss for us and the world of football if his expertise is not put to use.

 

[Barcaman]

He also said he respected the club with history and business and social model before he joined Bayern.
I guess he won't cite those reasons for joining City.

 

[Obiaseti]

City makes the most sense for pep if my estimate of his personality is accurate. I think pep is extremely passionate about football at a theoretical level and as far as he is concerned he just needs a team to test his ideas out on and build his ideal team. Now it just so happens that implementing his ideas requires players of a very high skill level,intelligence and possessing excellent work ethic. I don't think he is motivated by the challenge of rebuilding a club/developing a club at a lower level unless that meets his primary requirement.

In some senses Barca really is the perfect place for him. His stint at Bayern gave him the players he required, however any club with a big history and a style of playing will resist change because of a fear of losing their identity and because all their previous successes are associated with said identity. In fact we do the same too (see Tata). City will give him all the flexibility in the world with respect to the style of play and also give him the resources to buy players that suit his style without any pressure to buy local players.

 

[Barcaman]

Noone talked about lower level teams. People are just disappointed he picks the easiest choices.

And Bayern actually played closest brand of football to Barcelona (along with Arsenal) so you missed the point when you talked about "Bayern" resisting change.

 

[FCBarca]

I see a NT and perhaps lower division team in his future after City...He is a Barcelona legend, no one is more blaugrana...You rubbish Pep, you sully a club icon who we all should be indebted to

 

[Trickykid]

He is going to be 45 next month. So after 3 years or longer at City, maybe a stint at the Spain NT and he is done? Chucks. It would be a loss for us and the world of football if his expertise is not put to use.

I honestly wouldn't want him back here. As much as we can romanticise about the idea of Pep back in the Camp Nou coaching seat, the reality is that the risk of failure would be huge, his first tenure taken into account.

I'd rather not risk the legacy of those unbeatable years being tainted by a potential bad second spell. For me, Pep's time at Barça is over - at least as a coach.

 

[Alik]

I honestly wouldn't want him back here. As much as we can romanticise about the idea of Pep back in the Camp Nou coaching seat, the reality is that the risk of failure would be huge, his first tenure taken into account.

I'd rather not risk the legacy of those unbeatable years being tainted by a potential bad second spell. For me, Pep's time at Barça is over - at least as a coach.

For me I guess it would depend on the situation of the club. If the club were in trouble, like it was with Tata, I would like Pep back. Because it that situation, the expectations on the manager would be lower.

However, if the club is being successful as we are now, then yes, the risk of disappointment would be high.

 

[raskolnikov]

I aways hoped for Pep to be our Ferguson. Grateful for everything he has done for the club but I didnt like how he bailed when he thought he couldnt motivate the players anymore nor his refusal to step in when Tito became sick.

 

[6 Ballons for Messi]

You can't say "always" as it's only been Bayern for now.
He took over Barca when chips were down. We did have great players but system was breaking. He made everything work to perfection.

If he indeed takes City, it's the easiest route and there's little left that's special about pep. Memories remain though.

This is so wrong.
First of all, we see how important Pep was right after he left and everything crumbled.

Second, there's nothing easy about him going to man.c. They are a nobody team that bought a couple of pl titles with money.
It will be an enormous task for anyone to lead them to CL glory, it would be easy if he went to an established team, like man.u, chelsea or even arsenal as they play sort of what he likes already.

"there's little left that's special about pep" This is just unacceptable comment.

 

[JamDav1982]

This is so wrong.
First of all, we see how important Pep was right after he left and everything crumbled.

Second, there's nothing easy about him going to man.c. They are a nobody team that bought a couple of pl titles with money.
It will be an enormous task for anyone to lead them to CL glory, it would be easy if he went to an established team, like man.u, chelsea or even arsenal as they play sort of what he likes already.

"there's little left that's special about pep" This is just unacceptable comment.

Never really crumbled. Barca won the league with a record points tally that next season. Reached the semis of Copa and CL.

Trophies wise a better season than Peps last.

 

[BarcaOG]

It is hilarious to me when people use Tata's Barca as a sign of utter failure, when he took the team on short notice, without any transfers, no preseason almost, with problems in the squad, comming after a 0-7 in CL with Bayern, with Thiago leaving, with Messi off form and comming after injuries, with Pinto in the goal for the most important part of the season, Neymar just comming in Europe and getting used to the league, no Suarez etc.

And he still was a wrong offside call away from winning the league, a league in which we beat Real Madrid both home and away.

Just give the man a break.

Thank you.

 

[El Flaco]

Thierry Henry's tactical analysis of Pep's Barca in Monday Night Football

https://streamable.com/u4uj