City have no history... that’s why we get no credit says Pep
PEP GUARDIOLA radiated contentment, dressed like a Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur in an expensive-looking white T-shirt. And his mood was reflected by his English vernacular, which is improving to the extent that he could mischievously drop in that was he was ‘taking the p**s’ after a lengthy treatise on why it was baffling his players do not receive as much credit as they might.
But beneath the affability and charisma, there was a serious point to drive home. In fact, Guardiola came out swinging, like a boxer in the first round intent on making his mark from the off.
You sense this has been simmering all summer, since Manchester City’s FA Cup final win in May, which secured an unprecedented domestic treble — a quadruple if you count the Community Shield — prompted questions about financial fair play, the nature of Abu Dhabi’s support for the club and the dangers of their domination rather than an appreciation of their achievement.
There was plenty also written in praise of City’s achievement and Raheem Sterling was named Football of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association. But it is probably true that the scale of what Guardiola’s team did has not been as universally acknowledged as it might have been had it not owed quite so much to the wealth of Sheik Mansour, the deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates.
Even in a season in which they won 98 points to Liverpool’s 97, it almost seemed routine.
‘Never was it done before,’ said Guardiola, before dismissing the idea that City can spend £200million every transfer window. ‘It was awesome what they have done. My colleagues, players worldwide, they know how difficult it is, what these guys have done last season.
‘If you want to misunderstand because we spend £200m every transfer window, £200m in the summer and £200m in the winter, so £400m every season, so that is the reason to win, OK? But behind it there is a lot of work, incredible work for all departments in this club, especially in the CFA [City’s academy] and the physios, doctors, everyone, the staff, the players, to do what we have done. All the professionals know how difficult it is. It is the first time in history: four titles in one season.’
Today they attempt to secure the first trophy of that quadruple as they take on Liverpool in the Community Shield.
There is another explanation as to why City struggle to punch their weight in terms of recognition: Guardiola’s curious inability to get past the Champions League quarter-finals in three attempts with the club. Which is why it was interesting to hear him insist he would take domestic domination over a Champions League win.
‘I would sign right now to do what we have done last season again: not win the Champions League and win four titles again in a season,’ he said. ‘I am pretty sure it is not going to happen but it was really good. It doesn’t matter if the people aren’t considered for UEFA awards or FIFA awards, not any player.’
When FIFA named their shortlist of the 10 best players in the world last week, it included five Premier League names: Liverpool’s Sadio Mane, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Real Madrid’s Eden Hazard, who was at Chelsea last season. City players were conspicuous by their absence.
Bernardo Silva, for many the best in the Premier League last season, did not merit a mention; Ederson and his Brazilian team-mate and Liverpool No 1, Alisson, are probably the best goalkeepers in the world yet struggle to make shortlists; Aymeric Laporte, outstanding in central defence, rarely seems to be in the reckoning; and Sergio Aguero’s 164 goals in 239 Premier League appearances have never merited an individual award.
‘Maybe we have to win five titles or maybe Bernardo six because he won five [including the Nations League with Portugal] and it was not enough,’ said Guardiola. ‘Or maybe we have to get 250 points to be there next season. We are going to try.’ Pausing for effect, he added: ‘I am taking the p**s...’
And yet it must rankle. ‘I don’t think one player made a better season than Bernardo Silva, even winning with Portugal,’ said Guardiola. ‘In eight years, this club won four Premier Leagues so it is quite remarkable that never in these four seasons one of our players was nominated the best in the league. Never. We don’t have the history behind [us] but maybe in the future people are going to think, “OK, this club is doing things, because in eight years we won four Premier Leagues”.
‘And never won the player [of the year]: not Sergio, not David [Silva], not Vincent [Kompany], not Yaya [Toure], not the players in the past. The year [we won] 100 points [in 17-18]: huge respect for Mohamed Salah but Kevin de Bruyne was above and beyond the normal situations. But it is opinions and of course we accept that the players don’t deserve it.
‘It’s because Manchester City are new in this situation in the last decade. I cannot imagine Barcelona, Real Madrid winning four titles [in the last eight years] and not one single player being there. Impossible.’
Still, to be globally acclaimed, Guardiola knows the score. Whatever he says about his preference for English titles, there is no place for eurosceptics in the football world. ‘If we win the Champions League, we will be there. These awards are only when you win the Champions League or are in the last stages. These other competitions do not count, not important. It’s seven games [from the round of 16]. That is fair. It’s an important tournament and difficult to win. But I am not going to go to the casino and gamble everything I have in my pocket on seven games. I don’t want that. I want to be happy for 11 months.
‘The Premier League makes me happy. Every game and the cups. When we win I am happy after them and I go to a restaurant feeling better, I work better with my players.
‘Why am I going to wait until February for seven games and put everything on black? From my point of view, that is too risky. You have to handle it but to maintain the health and focus of the team, it’s the Premier League. We will be closer to achieving in Europe when we have more Premier League titles. That is the nice process, the right process to do at Manchester City.’
They may not win every domestic trophy this season. But maybe City will finally pick up some individual player awards.