Josep Guardiola’s arrival at Manchester City was announced 10 years ago (Image: Getty)
Blink and you’ll miss it. The same goes for Josep Guardiola’s tenure at Manchester City, a full 10 years since he took over as Blues manager.
The Catalan manager arrived in the Premier League with a lot of pressure on him, but fast forward to the best parts of this decade and has he answered them all? To celebrate Pep’s 10th anniversary as City manager, All Out Football spoke to those who have lived and breathed every step of Pep’s reign. Here’s what we learned…
Adapting early was the key to Pep’s success
After lifting trophies and winning leagues, it’s easy to forget that Guardiola didn’t do everything his way. The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager’s first season was a bit of a disaster, as he failed to win a silver medal for the first time in his managerial career.
Simon Bakowski, Manchester Evening News’ lead Manchester City writer, highlighted how quickly Guardiola adapted. He said: “A lot of people who wanted to see Guardiola fail in English football were overjoyed (after the first season). He was really swimming against the tide. Like Claudio Bravo to Joe Hart, he’s made a lot of big decisions.”
He adapted and by the end of his second season, City were not only Premier League champions, but also broke the all-time points record.
Pep Guardiola is a weirdo in a good way.
You cannot stay at a football club for 10 years and win everything that Guardiola achieved without fully dedicating yourself to your craft. That’s something journalist and City Rumble co-founder Amos Murphy emphasized.
In the documentary, he said: “I say this with the utmost respect for someone who I consider so dear to me, like family, but he’s a weirdo in the sense that he’s completely obsessed with everything about football. People around him say he’s unstoppable. He’s unstoppable.”
Broadcaster and City fan Ian Cheeseman added: “There’s something different about Pep. It’s not just the love of winning, it’s the love of the game.”
Regarding the psychological impact, Simon said: “It takes a certain amount of character to deal with it. Some players may be able to last five or 10 years, while others may only be able to last one or two years.”
Jurgen Klopp makes Pep Guardiola and Man City even better
When Guardiola finally leaves English football, one of the things he will be most remembered for will be his epic battle with Jurgen Klopp. The German has been a thorn in his side many times, but has Klopp actually made Guardiola better?
City fan Louisa Wilshaw believed so, saying: “He certainly said that Klopp pushed him and made him better and made him a better manager. It made him think about what he needed to do next and how he could improve the team.”
Speaking about the breathtaking 2018/19 title race, in which Liverpool’s 97 points were not enough to win the league, Amos said: “That was the most mentally taxing thing I’ve ever been a part of. That 18/1 The nine seasons were basically from September. Dropping points reduces your chances of winning the league by 5 percent. When you look at the final points tally, it was like…the best heavyweights we’ve ever seen.” ”
Equivalent to Manchester United’s highest full-circle win
City were playing in the third tier of English football when rivals Manchester United won the treble in 1999. But in 2023, Guardiola brought the treble to Manchester’s blue side. This was the perfection of soccer for one avid fan.
Reminiscing on the 2023 win, content creator Big Steve said: “When the final whistle rang, it felt like everything had come full circle and completed what needed to be completed. Starting at Maine Road as a boy, watching them fly through the divisions, and then watching them lift the Champions League as part of the Treble, it was incredible.”
It felt even better for Steve, who was in the middle of the City team’s party. He added: “Things took a turn[after the parade]and I ended up being invited to a players’ party. I was standing there with Pep, Jack Grealish had a few beers, Ederson was shirtless and Erling Haaland was walking around in his pajamas. It was an unbelievable night.”
Winning the Treble was a ‘full circle’ moment for Man City fans (Image: Getty)
Pep will be remembered as the greatest player of all time
When Guardiola leaves City, what legacy will he leave behind? Naturally, those connected to the club already consider him the best of all time.
Simon said: “History and the chance to achieve that is what has really driven Pep and this team over the last 10 years. But to be the first England team to win four games in a row, I don’t know if anyone will ever do it again.”
Luisa added of the achievement: “I think it’s amazing and that’s why he deserves to be the greatest of all time.”
A look back at 10 years of Pep Guardiola | A look back at 10 years of Pep Guardiola All Out Originals Documentary All Out Football YouTube Channel!
