City slickers must learn to deal with flak
PEP’S ADVICE TO SUPERSTARS
PEP GUARDIOLA has told his Manchester City players they must accept the criticism that comes their way – or find another job.
Star striker Erling Haaland came in for some flak on Sunday from former Manchester United captain and Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane.
Keane said Haaland, who plundered a record 52 goals in his debut season and has 29 to his name this term, was “almost like a League Two player” after his anonymous display in the 0-0 draw with Premier League title rivals Arsenal.
Although Guardiola rejected Keane’s comments and defended his player, the City manager accepted that his squad must learn to live with such verbal attacks in the modern game.
Guardiola said: “They have to do it. It’s their job so accept it. If you can’t accept it as a footballer you have to dedicate to another job, like reading books or [whatever].
“When you are in public so much you have to accept it.”
Guardiola said he was surprised to hear such blunt criticism coming from ex-players, given they have played the game at the highest level and know how tough it is to perform consistently.
He added: “From journalists I can understand, because they have never been on the pitch, but from former players always I’m surprised.
“It’s like the referees when they retire – they always criticise the referees. How difficult is that business for the players? That always surprises me. The memory disappears quick.
“The problems that the players have now, they [the pundits] had. The number of missing actions, they missed it a thousand million times and they were hurt when they were criticised by former players.
“But it is what it is. We have to accept it and move forward – I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future.
“I’m not a guy who is going to criticise my colleagues when I retire. I could be doing it now but I don’t do it. It’s easy
When you’re in public, you accept it
to do – but everyone has to live for something.”
Guardiola was filmed animatedly talking to Jack Grealish on the pitch at full-time against Arsenal, and the Spaniard reminded Keane that Haaland is only as good as the service he gets from his team-mates.
“It’s football, it happens,” he said. “Some actions he missed, sometimes it was down to a lack of supply, sometimes a decision of the manager and sometimes the opponent is really good. It’s a team sport.”
MANCHESTER
CITY (probable): Ortega; Lewis, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic; Bernardo, De Bruyne, Grealish; Haaland. ASTON VILLA (probable): Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Moreno; Luiz, Tielemans, Rogers, Bailey; Diaby; Duran.