Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Pep may not deliver holy grail for City but he’s still a champion
Our Anfield legend always hits the mark
ALREADY you are hearing from some quarters that if Pep Guardiola doesn’t win the Champions League before he sets off into the sunset in two years’ time he will be dubbed a failure.
From an ownership point of view there’s no doubt that he was brought in to land Europe’s most prestigious club trophy.
After all, both Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini won the Premier League during their time at the Etihad.
OK, Guardiola hasn’t yet delivered the holy grail.
But in all other senses he has been an outright winner.
And if you’re a betting man, you would put money on him winning more trophies before he says farewell to Manchester City. There’s still time to deliver the Champions League in his final two seasons.
He came so close last season and the heartbreak of missing out against Chelsea in the final will be an added motivation.
I’m certain that he has the raw ambition to win the Champions League again. It’s been an age since the last time – back in 2011 with Barcelona.
He’s had some great players at
Barca, Bayern Munich and now City. But that just shows you how hard it is to win an outstanding competition. Great players and a great manager doesn’t guarantee you Europe’s biggest prize.
If it doesn’t happen for Pep there will be no criticism from me. I think he is a brilliant manager. Some will quickly point out that he has always had bags of money to bring in top players, but his management style is outstanding. He is technically very good and excellent tactically. Guardiola has won trophies wherever he has been.
Yes, I know the critics will point out that since leaving the Nou Camp he hasn’t won the Champions League – but that doesn’t dilute what he has achieved as a manager.
It’s human nature that in the world we live in people are quick to go on the attack.
Especially if they think you’ve had it easy with all the money spent on transfers. At times, Pep has suffered from that.
For me, if he was to retire right now I would say his managerial career at City has been outstanding despite the Champions League being absent from his Etihad CV. In any case, when he was brought in I’m sure he wouldn’t have only been told you MUST win the Champions League – there would have been more to it.
During his time in Manchester the club has expanded on the playing front, won loads of silverware and been a delight to watch.
That counts for a lot.
All of his teams have been great on the eye, so there won’t be one iota of criticism from me even if they miss out on the Champions League again this season and next.
If Pep Guardiola were to leave the Etihad tomorrow, would rational people say he has been a failure?
Of course they wouldn’t.
Having great players and a great manager doesn’t guarantee you Europe’s biggest prize