Pep’s made just one mistake in his whole career
AJAX CHIEF SAYS BLUES BOSS UNDERESTIMATED PREMIER LEAGUE
AJAX coach Erik Ten Hag says City boss Pep Guardiola is the best manager in the world, and has only made one mistake in his career.
Ten Hag worked with the Blues boss during his time at Bayern Munich, before taking the job he now has in Holland.
And he insists Guardiola’s only mistake in his career came at City during his first year when he ‘underestimated’ the Premier League.
“Only once in his career has Pep made a mistake – in his first year at Manchester City when he completely underestimated the power and speed of the Premier League,” Ten Hag said.
“He realised you can’t play the kind of football he loves without having a couple of physically strong athletes – and so he brought them in. So he’s not a stubborn coach.
“Yes, he is stubborn in his philosophy, but not in the execution. And that makes him the best.
“Nobody will ever forget Guardiola. He has won so many trophies for a start, but it is mainly about how his teams play.
“Guardiola only wants to win games with beautiful football, just like his teacher Johan Cruyff.
“And what makes him stand out is that he is proving his quality as a top coach in Spain, Germany and now England.
“He has adapted to the culture in every country.”
Ten Hag also says Guardiola’s ability to blend great players together into great teams makes him the best in the world, and says that even a player as good as Lionel Messi has not improved since he left Camp Nou to become Bayern boss.
“Guardiola had great players at Barcelona, like Andreas Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Xavi and others,” Ten Hag added.
“But it takes a lot of quality from a coach to make top players play in a great way as a team.
“You have to convince them that they each have a role in that team. Guardiola is a master of that. Some top players cannot play in his teams – like Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
“Everyone has to contribute. The team comes first and not the individual.
“Even Messi was more of a team player under Guardiola. He has never been as brilliant again as he was under Pep.
“Now, Messi is above the team and everyone has to work for him.
“And we see that Barca have not won as much in recent years as they did under Guardiola.”