De Bruyne: I try and keep away from the boss!
KEVIN de Bruyne says new City players can be overawed by the tactical detail given by Pep Guardiola in training as he explained why he avoids a close relationship with his manager.
De Bruyne was speaking to Los Angeles Lakers star Alex Caruso for Bleacher Report, where he was discussing the differences between Premier League football and the NFL.
De Bruyne explained how the level of detail the Blues boss gives City players has proved daunting to new arrivals in the past.
“He explains so much to some people when we have a meeting,” De Bruyne said. “In football, you have tactics, but it’s not like the NFL.
“There’s players when they come in and have a few meetings and he explains so much in the beginning. Like football, you don’t think so much, you just do it. You know a few things that you need to do but then in the beginning, people are just wondering, ‘Oh, my head is blown off.’
“I think first of all is tactical. I think player relations, sometimes it’s difficult because you have 25 players and to have a personal relationship with everybody is difficult.”
That personal relationship with players is something De Bruyne said he was keen to keep professional, to avoid any suggestion of favouritism when it came to Guardiola’s team selections.
“On one hand, I think also because you’re the boss there’s always going to be a certain distance,” he continued.
“Maybe in 10-15 years when I’m done, you’re going to have a different relationship. But for us, it’s impossible to have like a real close relationship with a coach because
Kevin de Bruyne says new players can struggle at first at City
otherwise you’re going to ask 24 other people who are saying, ‘Oh yeah, you only play because of the coach,’ and all that stuff, so that’s not possible.”
Meanwhile, as City prepare for life without David Silva - who is leaving the club at the end of this season - De Bruyne has joined the growing number of players and pundits heaping praise on the Spaniard.
“Somebody with the best fundamentals in the game, and has the things that you need, for me is David Silva,” De Bruyne said.
“In every sport you can do the flashy things, but to do the basics so well is amazing.
“Even in training, he does everything so well, even in training you can’t take the ball off of him, it’s incredible to see because in England they say you need power and speed but you work with your brain and the rest comes.
“He’s won everything as well, trophies here, titles in Spain. I think he’s played 125 times for Spain with Xavi and Andreas Iniesta, if you’re playing that much in that team, it says enough.”