Pep Guardiola

[Neil G]

I'm guessing you think hes been talking to chelsea every day?

 

 

Eh?

[Coro]

Your argument is about getting a team's best player to score as many goals as possible. My argument is about getting a team to win trophies. They're not always the same thing. Personally I think trophies are more important, but each to their own.

 

I've already said it once, but it looks like I'll have to repeat myself: I am NOT passing comment on Barca's league performance this season. I'm just commenting on the Champions League, because that's a better indicator of how Guardiola might fare managing in a different country. We're obviously not going to agree on why they went out to Chelsea.

 

Guardiola obviously doesn't agree with you, otherwise he wouldn't have spoken about the need to revise the tactics.

 

OK, very simply -

 

(1) Messi is the best player in the world, maybe of all time. He wins you trophies.

 

(2) Guardiola's team has won 2 out of the last 4 CL's.

 

(3) I don't need Guardiola to tell me what i've seen.

[Neil G]

OK, very simply -

 

(1) Messi is the best player in the world, maybe of all time. He wins you trophies.

 

(2) Guardiola's team has won 2 out of the last 4 CL's.

 

(3) I don't need Guardiola to tell me what i've seen.

 

 

(1) No argument from me, but you posted about his hat-trick last night as if it somehow invalidated what I've been saying.

 

(2) With the best team in the world, which he wouldn't have if he was managing us. The two he didn't win raise doubts about his tactics for me, as did the manner of the Chelsea semi win in 2009.

 

(3) Whoah, sounds like you're questioning his judgment there! :whistle:

 

 

We're not going to agree on this and we're both repeating ourselves, so I'm happy to leave it if you are.

[Il Fenomeno]

Ok, so if Barca had lost the final against Man United last year, that would have improved their chances of going through against Chelsea last week? How does that work? How does being the reigning champions of a competition make it harder for you to win any given individual game?

 

Because you have less to prove if you're the reigning champions of a competition. Especially when you've been winning as much as Barca and Spain have in the last 4 years.

 

Plus the luck you get one year on the way to winning it often goes against you in the next year. Like Barca with the Van Persie red card last year got very lucky and it changed the game in their favour, this year Pique went off and it swung the game in Chelsea's favour in my opinion.

 

The CL is not like the league where the most consistent team over the course of the year, its about all kinds of factors. Even the fact Barca had a massive game against Real Madrid just before the second leg must've taken it out of them.

[Coro]

(1) No argument from me, but you posted about his hat-trick last night as if it somehow invalidated what I've been saying.

 

(2) With the best team in the world, which he wouldn't have if he was managing us. The two he didn't win raise doubts about his tactics for me, as did the manner of the Chelsea semi win in 2009.

 

(3) Whoah, sounds like you're questioning his judgment there! :whistle:

 

185 goals in 61 games invalidates what you've been saying.

 

He didn't inherit the best team in the world, he inherited some very good players. 2 out of 4 Cl's and we're talking doubts around his tactics. This is insane.

 

What he said was tongue in cheek, i'm speaking more generally.

[Saintslfc13]

Because you have less to prove if you're the reigning champions of a competition. Especially when you've been winning as much as Barca and Spain have in the last 4 years.

 

Plus the luck you get one year on the way to winning it often goes against you in the next year. Like Barca with the Van Persie red card last year got very lucky and it changed the game in their favour, this year Pique went off and it swung the game in Chelsea's favour in my opinion.

 

The CL is not like the league where the most consistent team over the course of the year, its about all kinds of factors. Even the fact Barca had a massive game against Real Madrid just before the second leg must've taken it out of them.

 

Agreed.

 

The last paragraph is especially pertinent to us. In 04-05 we were the best team in that competition, but when you look at the other teams involved we weren't really in the same class as them as far as consistency and the squad on paper. In 08-09 we were one of the better teams in the competition in terms of consistency and the squad on paper and ended up going out in the quarter-final. It's all about the moment in the CL, 2 games against every team you play. In the group you just have to be good enough for second, and in the other stages you just have to be better than that team over two games. The luck or lack thereof can make or break you. Whilst in the league things tend to even out over the course of the year, except this season with us having a personal vendetta against the woodwork of every premiership stadium. Dodgy refs also play less of a role in the CL because UEFA tends to make sure sound officials are there for the majority of the matches from the group stage on in.

[Neil G]

Because you have less to prove if you're the reigning champions of a competition. Especially when you've been winning as much as Barca and Spain have in the last 4 years.

 

Plus the luck you get one year on the way to winning it often goes against you in the next year. Like Barca with the Van Persie red card last year got very lucky and it changed the game in their favour, this year Pique went off and it swung the game in Chelsea's favour in my opinion.

 

The CL is not like the league where the most consistent team over the course of the year, its about all kinds of factors. Even the fact Barca had a massive game against Real Madrid just before the second leg must've taken it out of them.

 

 

I'm not having the first paragraph at all. This is the Champions League we're talking about, it's the biggest and most prestigious club competition in the world and the one that players want to win above any other. No footballer with even a shred of ambition or professional pride is going to lose their hunger for it because they're reigning champions. If they've won it 3 or 4 years in a row then maybe, but certainly not when they've got the chance to make their mark as the first team to retain the trophy. I guarantee you every single Barca player on the pitch last week will have been desperate to reach the final again, especially as they'd effectively just lost La Liga days before.

 

I don't believe in luck in football, certainly not in the sense of something that follows patterns like evening out over a period of time. These things are a random series of occurrences. If you believe in something like that though, you can easily shape a series of unconnected events into a narrative that fits your beliefs, just like people who believe in fate, guardian angels and so on.

[Neil G]

185 goals in 61 games invalidates what you've been saying.

 

He didn't inherit the best team in the world, he inherited some very good players. 2 out of 4 Cl's and we're talking doubts around his tactics. This is insane.

 

What he said was tongue in cheek, i'm speaking more generally.

 

 

I didn't actually say he inherited the best team in the world, but now you mention it, who was better than Barca when he took over? They already had Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol, Abidal, Eto'o, Henry and Yaya Toure in the side. Before you start, I'm not saying anybody could have achieved what he did with those players.

 

The reason I mentioned him managing the best team in the world is because he is unlikely to be in that position again if he's managing in England any time soon, certainly not if he's managing us. So if he does come to England you can't assume he'll be able to replicate his success with Barca by doing things the same way, and so he'll have to reconsider his approach.

 

How do you know what he said about changing tactics wasn't serious? Dirk Grout said the same thing before he abused me and spouted some cryptic nonsense about Chelsea. Have you got a link to the full text of the interview where he said that? I've only gone off what I've read from the BBC and the Guardian. The latter was in a piece by Sid Lowe, so I'd have expected him to pick up on something like that if it was the case.

 

On the rest of your points, I've explained my thinking several times already, so if you haven't understood it by now you're not going to.

[dennis tooth]

I didn't actually say he inherited the best team in the world, but now you mention it, who was better than Barca when he took over? They already had Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol, Abidal, Eto'o, Henry and Yaya Toure in the side. Before you start, I'm not saying anybody could have achieved what he did with those players.

 

The reason I mentioned him managing the best team in the world is because he is unlikely to be in that position again if he's managing in England any time soon, certainly not if he's managing us. So if he does come to England you can't assume he'll be able to replicate his success with Barca by doing things the same way, and so he'll have to reconsider his approach.

 

How do you know what he said about changing tactics wasn't serious? Dirk Grout said the same thing before he abused me and spouted some cryptic nonsense about Chelsea. Have you got a link to the full text of the interview where he said that? I've only gone off what I've read from the BBC and the Guardian. The latter was in a piece by Sid Lowe, so I'd have expected him to pick up on something like that if it was the case.

 

On the rest of your points, I've explained my thinking several times already, so if you haven't understood it by now you're not going to.

 

Sounds a bit like 'could Messi do it on a cold wet night in Stoke arguement. When you are as harder working as Guardiola you will always find a way to make it work, that much is a fact. He would excell in England as he would in any other country without question.

[Coro]

I didn't actually say he inherited the best team in the world, but now you mention it, who was better than Barca when he took over?

 

They hadn't won a title since 2006.

 

Guardiola wants to manage abroad, he's ambitious and that's what this discussion should have been about, him translating his methods to a different style of football. Not about him being tactically inflexible after arriving at that conclusion on the back of Barca's performance against Chelsea.

 

It's been difficult to keep up at times, i have to be honest, you've misinterpreted what others have been saying to suit your point but then your point keeps shifting around and becomes more difficult to comprehend.

[WaltonRed]

He wont come to us so people can stop dreaming

[Brownie]

I've just got up (bleedin' kids) and the headline on SSN is that Guardiola is ready to listen to offers and isn't now taking a year out, just a month.

 

I don't think we can attract him, unfortunately, but surely we have to try?!

[Lee909]

I've just got up (bleedin' kids) and the headline on SSN is that Guardiola is ready to listen to offers and isn't now taking a year out, just a month.

 

I don't think we can attract him, unfortunately, but surely we have to try?!

 

Would imagine that the Russians millions at work there.

[Dicko]

Guardiola's been too successful for Liverpool to be interested in him.

When he's been with a team that just avoids relegation three years on the bounce, or has 37 years of experience at winning nothing then Liverpool might come in for him.

 

Until he does that he'll just have to fuck off.

[TheHitman]

Outgoing Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola has given Liverpool and Chelsea hope by confirming he is open to approaches this summer.

 

Guardiola will step down as Barcelona chief at the end of the season, and it was expected he would stay out of the game for at least a season in order to rest.

 

However, the Spanish boss, a reported target for the Anfield and Stamford Bridge clubs, has revealed he would be willing to return to football sooner than had been anticipated.

 

"For the next month I have to charge my batteries," he said. "I will rest and I will wait. I will be ready, if one club wants me, if they seduce me, I will train again."

 

Pep Guardiola open to job offers, in face of Liverpool and Chelsea links | Football News | ESPN.co.uk

[Tyler Durden]

As if

[Melchett]

Them there roubles are a calling!!!

[Brownie]

The thought of him going to Chelsea and us getting Martinez is more than a bit depressing isn't it? How the mighty have fallen.

 

Am I totally kidding myself by thinking there is even a very slight chance that we could 'seduce' him?

[Lee909]

The only way we could seduce him would be with rohypnol and gaffer tape.

[Gym Beglin]

Them there roubles are a calling!!!

 

Surely not, Barca don't exactly pay peanuts.

If it's purely a money thing then I'd be horrified.

[Brownie]

The only way we could seduce him would be with rohypnol and gaffer tape.

 

Haha fair enough, nothing wrong with being ambitious and at least trying.

[Captain]

Them there roubles are a calling!!!

 

I'd say it's either Man City or Chelsea if he comes to England.

[Gym Beglin]

I wonder if Guardiola will recharge his batteries in America for a while...

 

Who the fuck am I kidding.

[a stoner]

Pep Guardiola hints he may return to management next season

Departing Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola has hinted that he could be ready to return to management next season.

 

The 41-year-old, whose final game in charge of the Catalan club is the Copa del Rey final, opted to leave the Nou Camp to take time away from the game.

 

But ahead of Friday's match, he said: "I will receive all calls with pleasure, but for the next month I have to recharge my batteries and my mind.

 

"I will be ready [to return] if one club wants me and seduces me."

 

I'm bored already and there's the euros on so sod all will be happening for a month but if I wait for a whole year the new manager at Chavski may work out well.

Can't take the risk of missing out on that pay cheque!

[Randy Marsh]

JWH needs to take one for the team and send Lynda round to have a go at 'seducing' Pep.