V PAUPERS From their watches to transfer budgets, Guardiola and Wagner are worlds apart
Dave’s tuned in to Terriers, not City PROBABLE TEAMS Foden’s full on for Pep
There’s a similar anomaly in spending power when it comes to the transfer market.
But when David Wagner comes up against Pep Guardiola today, the gulf in cash and panache will be pushed to one side.
The “no limits” mantra, which has served the German so well in maintaining Huddersfield Town’s place among the Premier League elite, will once again form the basis of his team-talk.
Last May, Huddersfield found themselves cast as the unwanted guests to City’s title coronation at the Etihad.
But a goalless draw has set them up to impose an unwanted record on a club, who, under Guardiola, have been busily rewriting history.
If City fail to score against the Terriers, it will be the only time they have failed to hit the target in five successive home games against the same opponents.
“To make a sensation, a few fine margins have to go in your favour,” admitted Wagner, who HUDDERSFIELD boss David Wagner has resisted the temptation to watch Manchester City’s fly-onthe-wall documentary to get an edge on the champions.
“All Or Nothing: Manchester City” was released this week and gives an insightful, and rare, behind-the-scenes look at Pep Guardiola’s memorable second season in charge at the Ethiad.
But Wagner, who orchestrated a battling takes a demanding visit to City straight after a home game against Chelsea in his stride.
Just as he accepts that, personally and professionally, he is worlds apart from Guardiola, a man he hails as “one of the best managers in the world”.
One who was spotted last weekend sporting a £150,000 Richard Mille watch, while Wagner patrolled the technical area with an understated Casio valued at £100.
Huddersfield spent just £40million bolstering their squad after promotion from the Championship – not enough to buy Manchester City one of their muchvaunted full-backs.
They have invested a further £30m this summer, half the amount Guardiola sanctioned for the arrival of Riyad Mahrez (above).
“We are not competitive, in terms of money, with the other 19 clubs,” said Wagner.
“We have to find other ways to be competitive. We will again give ourselves no limits.
“We will try to make happen goalless draw at City last season, admitted: “No I won’t watch it, but I don’t know whether I have Amazon Prime!
“I’m not a TV junkie. Not being disrespectful to City, but if there’s any other documentary I wouldn’t watch it.
“If I get the information [from Pep’s team talks], then that’s really interesting.
“If it is really insightful information that I wouldn’t normally get, then that is very interesting. Maybe again what nobody expected.” Guardiola will fine-tune his stars on a daily basis in their state-ofthe-art training complex.
It’s a far cry from having to contend with pensioners enjoying a game of bowls or croquet, as Huddersfield have to share their modest training facilities with the locals.
But it’s just part of the upstairs/downstairs tapestry of football life. A bust of legendary manager Herbert Chapman reminds everyone of the history of the club.
Under Chapman, who went on to manage Arsenal, Huddersfield won the championship three times in the 1920s. It’s City’s turn now and Wagner knows that every top side, not just City, contains weapons of mass destruction.
Last week, Chelsea could afford to have Eden Hazard on the bench for 76 minutes during their 3-0 victory, a scoreline that didn’t do justice to Huddersfield’s gutsy display.
Wagner insists: “We have our weapons – passion, desire and togetherness.” Having then I’ll watch it. But usually with these [types] of documentary you don’t get a good idea of what’s going on.
“We’re just focused on our team and I want the players to be brave like they were when we played them last season.
I’m not surprised they [City] would grant so much access because what they have done is something very special and extraordinary.
“They deserve the spotlight and all this focus confounded the bookies once with their survival last season, Wagner knows the odds are again stacked against them.
But, as City discovered last season in a goalless draw at the Etihad and a fortunate 2-1 win at the John Smith’s Stadium, there is no shortage of fighting spirit and know-how under Wagner.
He recalled: “We played without fear. We got in their faces. It was about trying to be brave. We got a point and became the only side last season to prevent them scoring in the Premier League at the Etihad.”
Three days later, a courageous 1-1 draw at Chelsea meant Huddersfield would live to fight another season in the Premier League.
Not that the 45-year-old’s job would have been in any danger if they had gone down – because, in true Yorkshire style, chairman Dean Hoyle had announced, before a ball had been kicked in the Premier League, that his manager’s job was secure.
“He stays unless he buggers off,” was the no-nonsense message from the boardroom.
Succinct and straight to the point – a bit like Wagner’s understated watch. they have. I’m very impressed with them and I can only speak in the highest terms of what Pep [Guardiola] has done in England with City.
“But I’m even more impressed because I know what he has done more or less the same with Bayern Munich in Germany.
“What he has done across those countries, as well as Spain [with Barcelona] which I know less of, is very impressive.”
Asked if the Terriers deserved a documentary after retaining their Premier League status, the German joked: “Maybe for Yorkshire TV!!”
Wagner’s only injury worries are Danish defender Mathias Jorgensen (above), definitely out, while midfielder Jonathan Hogg is a doubt. JOHAN CRUYFF knew there was a diamond to be polished when he clapped eyes on Pep Guardiola in his first week as Barcelona boss.
The future Barca star and inspirational coach was just a kid playing at the club’s mini-stadium down the road from the Nou Camp.
Cruyff liked what he saw, asked his name and promoted Guardiola to the first team in 1990 at just 19, ignoring calls that he was too small for the big time with six La Liga titles and the European Cup testimony to his faith.
Now 28 years on, Guardiola is giving the little Stockport Iniesta Phil Foden (above) – also nicknamed “Pep’s Lad” – his full support and approval to see history repeating itself.
It’s a clear “Phil Yer Boots” message this season with Foden, 18, willing and able to follow in the master’s footsteps with a Premier League title medal already in his possession.
Guardiola, now 47, fully recognises the likeness in 5ft 7in Foden in terms of size and skill and even jokes: “Maybe Phil is better. By far, by far…”
He added: “I am better holding midfielder than him. He is better attacking midfielder than me. I would say it depends on the view and what you prioritise.
“Everything is important but Cruyff, in that period, his focus was the quality, the quality, the quality. It doesn’t matter the weight and the size.
“In terms of quality and technique, he had a lot of courage to say: ‘OK, you play’. Always surrounded by important players.
“Maybe other managers at Barcelona at that time looked for more overall physicality. Just strong players and it doesn’t matter about technique. It depends on the manager.
“But Phil is strong. He looks tiny, skinny. Yeah, but he is strong. He is a box-to-box player in terms of he runs a lot. And for example, this season he is stronger than last season.
“So, give him time. In one or two or three seasons he’ll be stronger than now. The process does it – he’ll grow. That will not be a problem.
“That’s why the focus first is teaching the technique as the most important thing as he will grow and take power. Afterwards it will be easy for him. But he has the quality to play with us – that is in no doubt.”