Arsene Wenger says there are similarities between himself and Pep Guardiola, and that he admires the Spaniard for his conviction over how he wants his team to play.
The former Barcelona and Bayern manager is finding life in the Premier League a little more difficult than perhaps he’s used to, but the Arsenal boss has backed him because of the way he thinks about the game.
“He started at Barcelona, I started in an academy,” he said. “It’s not the same, but I must say he has done extremely well and he is one of the most respected managers in the game, if not the most and maybe rightly so.
“He tries to play. Every manager has a personality and can only act with his own personality.
“You cannot copy a manager, you can only be who you are, and he has been influenced at Barcelona by the Cruyff period when he was a player.
“I think he has strong beliefs and that for me is the most important thing for a manager.”
Let’s hope that Wenger comes out on top on Sunday, and there’s no doubt Guardiola would have been a nice fit for us if the timing had been right.
The interview with Thierry Henry below is an interesting watch, if you have some time on your hands today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eajVUNs_Wo&feature=youtu.be
The one big difference for me is that Wenger has such unrivaled loyalty! That will always make him the most special manager. How long will Pep stay with City? And how much will he shape the history of that club? Unrivaled! Come on Arsenal!!
I don’t care about respect and all that jazz once the game starts tomorrow. Let’s tear him and his team a new one. COYG
…that term is so grotty. down vote from me 🙂 btw – you can respect and still thrash a team.
What a level of knowledge he has, hopefully he manages us after Wenger.
Oh god. Please no. Can’t stand him and now that he’s in a league where there is some competition it’s showing that he’s not anywhere near as good as people think
All the three clubs he has been with, were/are flush with money. I’m not sure we can match that kind of transfer funding.
I actually preferred Klopp before he went to Liverpool – winning the title against the favourites, while loosing players because of club’s financial situation, sounded just like Wenger vs ManU days. Although he is still very good he is tainted by the Pool association.
An unknown like Wenger was when he started with us will be nice.
Yeah, Good manager respects to best Manager,its the right statement spoken Wenger as a manager….however Sunday clash at Etihad stadium (during 90min) should dominant on Pep & Overcome to him.andthen that would be a motivation for Gunners home matches at Emirates clash Blue vs Red..Gud luck Gunners
Pardon?
Pep’s already he target of the tired tropes the journos have aimed at Wenger for years – arrogant, stubborn, the stuff they like to aim at high level foreign managers. It’s so lazy.
But it’s quite nice for it to be directed elsewhere for a change.
…and it’s sad that the anti-intellectual rubbish sells papers. Clearly makes stupid people feel better about themselves.
Sorry, but there’s something very pseudo-intellectual and pretentious about Pep and his ‘philosophy’. Maybe it might be a good idea to have a goalkeeper that can actually keep goal and some defenders that can actually defend rather than every one of the 11 players on the team having to pass the ball about endlessly until the other team is bored to sleep. I just hope they defend as badly against us as they have done recently – he can obsessively stick to a formula as much as he wants as long as they’re shit against us. And just to get… Read more »
Klopp does heavy metal football and I for one am down with that. Pep can go listen to Baccara or whatever shit he’d be into while me and Jurgen plough through his complete and pristine Kreator and Necros Christos collections.
Pep’s got lots of money
He’s got his strong beliefs
He’s free from desire
He’s got his strong beliefs
Totally agree. Man City don’t have world class full backs or a world class defensive partnership. I somehow feel that a club run by Kroenke would be reluctant to bring in a manager such as Pep who opts for world class signings and a large bank account. Let’s be honest, compared to Barca our academy is crap. Nothimg wrong with that, I don’t think any youth academy around the world could compare with Barca so utmost respect to them there. At Barca, you get to splash the cash and bring in the best players and on top of that many… Read more »
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3l7fgvrEKM
https://youtu.be/28AOBIuZsXA
Its easy to play Attacking Pep football when you manage the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Münich. Wenger would probably have won the Champions league by now to if he had managed those teams. But I dont think neither Wenger nor Pep would have been very successfull if they was put incharge of a small club like Sunderland or Bournemouth if they still insisted on remaining true to their philosophy and the playstyle they are known for at the top level. When you are not the biggest fish in the pond then going all gung Ho attack in every fight… Read more »
I think Wenger could have been successful even at a small club because he is such a great developer of players. Though he would maybe not have been given the time to do that, especially in today’s climate.
Yeah, I don’t get this argument. Wenger has kept us at an high level when he’s had to sell his best players every year, keeping the likes of Denilson in the team, who was probably a championship player at best. See also Bendtner, Eboue, Djourou, Chamakh, etc.
He’s done it with not just no money, but whilst making big profits on player transfers.
IE there were much ‘smaller’ clubs with bigger transfer budgets, who Wenger regularly thrashed & almost pulled off the league (were it not for career threatening injuries to key players). Clearly that demonstrates he could do it with limited resources, which is surely the main cause of difficulties managing a club like Sunderland or Bournemouth.
Considering how much the Arsenal board love to save money, I highly doubt that he’s going to be blind to that. He does love to spend money. At least he uses the money for attacking football not like Mourinho. 11 men behind the ball.
This has been bugging me all day…..
My Pep has got no money
He’s got his strong beliefs
My Pep has got no power
He’s got his strong beliefs
My Pep has got no fame
He’s got his strong beliefs
My Pep has got no money
He’s got his strong beliefs
You’re welcome everyone
I’d take Conte over Pep anyday. Gets shit done, no fuss. Something not working? Bins it. It’s sport, not an art project.
It’s weird that you say that because the best sport is art, isn’t it? Remember Dennis,or Pires or Henry. Why did we like them? The sense of wonder twe exuded after watching them.
I’ve been in toilets that are so beautiful they could be works of art. But first they have to work as toilets. If you flush and nothing happens they fail. Those guys did what they did to win. It wasn’t an end in itself. None of those guys would be held in the esteem they are held today if they did all those amazing things but never won the league.
Please bring in Carlo after Wenger retires (hopefully in 20 years).
Carlo has 3 champs and gets the best of the players he has, instead of splashing 100 mil every window.
I read about Ibrahimovic and his feud with Guardiola which lead to him being loaned to Milan. While there he wanted to stay and threatened to beat Guardiola up if he didn’t sell him to them. Fucking funny!
Tell him to sod off! He is not taking the Ox unless it is a £50m transfer!