Guardiola made the right decision by choosing Bayern
Posted on January 16, 2013 5:14 pm
It was a big surprise. Most “insiders” assumed that Pep Guardiola would land in the Premier League next season. Manchester City seemed the most logical destination. Suddenly, he signed with Bayern Munich. It must have been a meditated decision, as most of what the coach has taken in his career and, at least in the surface, has certain logic to it.
In principle, because what steered Guardiola away from the game was the media circus and the partisanship of the press and Spanish fans. The constant tug of war with Mourinho and “his” journalists. The cheap shots and the low blows. In that sense, England, even without being the battlefield that Spain is, has probably the less ethical press in Europe (also the most ethical, but that’s another story) while, except for Bild, which is essentially pro- Bayern, German journalists do not usually mess with the private lives of footballers and managers.
In addition, assuming the Bayern’s helm, he does not risk encountering Mourinho in the near future. Not because he was afraid of the Portuguese coach but because his mind games proved exhausting for Guardiola and undoubtedly one of the factors that weighed in making the decision had to do with working in a low pressure environment.
Of course, Bayern are far from a small side, and they carry the same stress and fans’ demand for immediate results as Madrid or Barça but in terms of success and following, they occupy a throne that doesn’t have too many suitors. True, Borussia Dortmund took center stage last season, but this year the Bavarians have dominated the Bundesliga with absolute confidence so Pep’s top priority will be the 2013/2014 edition of the Champions League.
What should be clear is that the coach from Santpedor will be judged by his results, but also the way he gets them. The Bavarian fans are used to winning, but Guardiola ‘s name evocates dreams of reviving at the Allianz Arena what they personally suffered when their team traveled to the Camp Nou. In Munich they want victories but also fantasy and spectacle. They want goals, but those that are forever remembered.
Could Pep replicate in Munich what he did in Barcelona? In an interview with FIFA.com that hasn’t yet been published but, with this decision, will become an even more essential read, the coach told my workmate Alejandro Varsky that the philosophy of Barcelona is only to pass the ball to an unmarked teammate and not lose it. In practice, of course, it’s way more complicated than that, -Juan Manuel Lillo, his mentor, said to me “it’s not simple, because nothing in life is simple” – and means to get the right players to pass the ball (even in the most difficult circumstances) to an unmarked teammate (even with the best defenders of the world behind them) and not to lose it (even if they are surrounded by four opponents).
Barca’s DNA was constructed by generation after generation learning the same system from the earliest age. Guardiola will not find that at Bayern, so he will need to be astute in the transfer market and intelligent in detecting the youth players that can immediately deliver to the team. In the first part the coach was far from flawless in his Barça stint, but it was his ability in the second which catapulted him to become one of the greatest in just a few years.
In Munich he will have much young talent to work with. Neuer has potential to be the best goalkeeper in the world. Alaba is in the top 3 of left backs, if not the top 1. Kroos, Müller and Martinez and are extraordinarily talented midfielders. Mandzukic has been one of the greatest surprises of the European season and Mario Gomez is returning from injury. The material is there, now Guardiola has to be able to accommodate it to bend it like Barça. It will be, perhaps, more difficult than it sounds but, can anyone doubt one the best coaches in the world in the last five years? I wouldn’t dare.
I think his biggest problem will be that Bayern does NOT spend money like Barca, Real or top EPL teams. Bayern — run by Uli “Tightwad” Hoeness — historically will not overspend on players like so many places Pep has coached previously. This may put him at odds with Bayern management in getting the players he may want. Lastly, for Pep to be considered a “success” at Bayern, winning the Bundesliga or Pokal (league cup) will not matter. He is being brought in to take over for Heynckes and win the CL…period. Anything else will be a failure.
“……overspend on players like so many places Pep has coached previously………”
He only coached Barcelona. What are you talking about?
the thing is, he doesnt know what he is talking about
…one more thing…Alaba is a good DEVELOPING LB, but he is not in the top three in the BL. He has potential and is on the right team, but he’s not there yet.
I love Alaba, in my opinion he’s the best left back in the world. I even included him in my Top XI for the World Soccer nagazine awards.
He is good to be sure, but there are other LBs in the BL better than him right now. If he gets consistent time at Bayern he will become one of the best I think.
You are joking right ?? There are only 2 player that can compete with Alaba as the best LB in the BL … Fuchs and Schmelzer … And last season he did better than BOTH of them …
Don’t forget Lahm…he’s a LB too…depending on how weak Boateng is and how healthy Alaba is. Not sure how you measured that Alaba was “better” than Fuchs or Schmelzer last season…but I will chalk that up to a fan admiring his player more than someone else’s.
Lahm don’t count, as he’ll only play as a LB in cases of extreme necessity…
This season Alaba was injuried most of the time, and in the 11/12 he played only half a season as a LB, however, he immediately made an impact in the position when he started playing there and the combination with Ribery made Bayern’s left side perhaps the best left side in the world.
Fuchs and Schmelzer are great players, and are doing better this season (mostly because Alaba was injuried), but last season Alaba was top 3-5 in the position in the world.
Lahm has played LB a great deal at Bayern, right? So, yes he *IS* a LB. The fact he switches back and forth just makes him versitile but does not negate the fact that he played LB and when he does he is the best in Germany (right now) at it.
easy challenge, everyone can become champion with Bayern.
He would prove his coaching skills if he signed at Chelsea or City
He’d prove it more at Schalke or Leverkusen.
That’s why his real litmus test will be the Champions League. He should win the Bundesliga with his eyes closed.
Tell that to Heynckes.
BVB have had a few things to say about that in the last two years.
Indeed, but they sold too many players for their own good, and I have the feeling that Klopp will take a plane the opposite way than Guardiola in the Summer…
Well, Kagawa was never going to stay with the money being waved in front of him. Lewandoski is in a similar boat. It’s not like BVB *want* to sell these guys. Hell, even Bayern have their players lured away by EPL clubs with suitcases of cash. The BL clubs do not splash out money for players just to keep bookends on the bench like so many EPL and Spanish clubs. Hopefully Pep knows this. Otherwise he’s in for a rude awakening in Muenchen.
Would like to see Marco Fabian land at Munich!
Indeed, but somehow I don’t think that will happen now…
at least this winter transfer window Fabian will not go anywhere, but i see him moving abroad in the summer
Supposedly, Chivas received a nice offer from Schalke today (according to Jorge Ramos)… we shall see if there is any news today.
He’d fit like a glove.
Man City was never in the mix for Pep. Milner and Barry orchestrating the tiki taka is comedic gold.
Genius
I do wonder how Guardiola will do at a club where he was neither a beloved player nor the youth-team manager. At Barcelona he had a nucleus of people who idolized him as children and/or played for him as teenagers. He won’t have that anywhere else.
The best destination for Pep would have been Liverpool!
I was hoping Pep would go back to Dorados and, along with Temo, put them back in Liga MX.
Or the Dallas Cowboys
Pep was handed a very good Barcelona team at a time where Real Madrid wasn’t looking too good. He quits Barcelona, saying he’s too ‘tired’ once Real Madrid wins the league.
Guardiola now joins Bayern when they are 9 points above second place Bayer Leverkusen.
Well played Pep, well played.
You remember it wrongly. Guardiola took a Barça team that had just squandered an 8 point lead to see Real Madrid won the league. The dressing room was a mess and Guardiola responded by sending Ronaldinho and Deco packing. Xavi was about to leave for Man U and he convinced him to stay. He then switched Messi to a striker role. Diminishing Guardiola’s work is nonsense. He was fantastic for Barça but the jury is still out on him managing another team.
He took over a team that finished third, sold Ronaldinho, didn’t buy anyone worth mentioning … and won the treble.
Yes, there were unique circumstances, as I said in my earlier comment. But it’s stupid to claim he didn’t do ANYTHING.
You make it seem like he was left with rags. Of course he did something, I didn’t say he didn’t do anything, I just think he very overrated. He was left with players like Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol, Pique, Messi, and Alves, as well as being given the budget to bring in players like Zlatan and Fabregas.
I was just waiting for the time when Madrid were gonna challenge for the title again to see how he was gonna react. Instead, he comes out saying how he’s tired of soccer and that he’s gonna take a break.
I was hoping to see him sign with a premier league team to see his managerial talents in action. Instead, he signs with Bayern, a team which is currently on the rise on dominating the Bundesliga.
Can’t you possibly see where I’m coming from? I’d love to be a fan of him but he hasn’t convinced me as a manager the way Mourinho and SAF have.
This is good news for the brazilians on the team like rafinha, luis gustavo and dante. They are technically gifted for their positions and Guardiola will give them a lot more playing time then what they’ve been getting.
Gotta love the Brasil-centrics.
Dante is a starter now. Not sure how Guardiola can give him more playing time, except to petition to FIFA to increase the length of matches.
Rafinha is not more technically gifted than Bayern’s other wide players (Alaba, Lahm, Ribery, Robben).
Gustavo is not more technically gifted than Bayern’s other central midfielders (Schweinsteiger, Martinez, Kroos).
Bayern would however welcome a small, quick Romario type of forward to complement their not-small and not-so quick forwards (Gomez, Mandzukic, Pizarro). Does Brasil still produce those?
I believe this is what you are looking for: http://youtu.be/URtx6A8sVb8
rafinha is a lot more technically gifted than alaba and lahm and ribbery and robben are wingers….. and luis gustavo is a lot more technically gifted than martinez and schweinsteiger…. you cant find better technical players than what brasil produces
Huahauhauahuahauhauhauhauahuahauhauhauhauahuahauhauhauhauahuahauhauhauahuahauhauhauhauahuahauhau
Rafinha more gifted than Alaba and Lahm …
huahauhauhauahuahauhauhauhauahuahauhauhauahuah
You sir, if not a comedian, are wasting your time and money in another job, you have a knack for it …
Why don’t you whatch some Bayern games before talking non-sense …
i have watched them that’s why i know what i know
Brasil good.
Everyone else ba-haaaad.
Three years in Bayern gives SAF enough time to retire properly and Pep will finally get his true dream job. (;
whats that? beating man united ?
The 2nd best thing after signing Pep will be Re-signing him and watch all ManUre and EPL fans go mental …
Nice blog. I think people who expect Pep to clone Barca in Germany are going to be disappointed. Both teams have talented players and dominate their leagues. And any professional team’s first choice is going to play a possession game, but then for most teams reality often dictates a different style. The job of a manager of a professional club is simply to win using the players he has against the opponents he faces. The degree to which Bayern in the future appears to play more like Barca is going to be just coincidence. Spain is Spain and Germany is Germany.
My goodness, how many folks here remember that LVG was the coach just a few years ago – and he came from where – Barca.
The stepping stones have been set. Bayern now play a much more attacking, possession style that will flourish under Pep.
Dortmund is a great side, but they have benefited from Bayern’s desire to win the CL in the last 2 years; especially last year when the final was in Germany.
Pep knows the EPL is widely over-rated and is at best the 4th best league in Europe. All the ManU fans who wish he will come there are just drinking the cool-aid and assuming their team is some decent European side. They are not. Bayern are a great side and Pep will lead them to heights that even Barca haven’t known.
About Martin del Palacio
My name is Martín del Palacio Langer, I live in Barcelona and I'm a freelance contributor to FIFA.com, World Soccer magazine, Kicker, MedioTiempo.com, PasionSports and some other publications around the world. I love the tactical and statistical side of football but understand that passion is the most important ingredient in the game. Hope you enjoy this blog and feel free to contact me in the comments section or in www.twitter.com/martindelpENG (for English) and www.twitter.com/martindelp (for Spanish)Popular Store Items
Popular Posts
Latest from the Forum
About Big Soccer
Copyright © 2011 Big Internet Group, LLC. All rights reserved. Click here for our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Views expressed by the bloggers and users of BigSoccer do not represent the views of Big Internet Group, LLC.