Manchester City

[danperkins]

Pep does love the easy jobs. Impossible to judge him as a manager.

[dww]

I think it is fair to say he has improved some of the worlds best players. Which seems like an achievement of itself. If no managers had failed at Bayern of Barcelona then the argument that nothing can be said about his quality would hold some water but they have. He clearly hasn't shown that he can build a new team or manage a tight budget but he has consistently created amazing teams with tactics unlike those used by any other manager.

City will be an interesting challenge as unlike Barcelona and Bayern they haven't been a really top table team in Europe and for every league win there has been a disappointing follow up season. In fact the 'new City', i.e. post Abu Dhabi takeover, they have had excellent players but no legendary team. If Pep manages that then he will rightly be regarded as one of the managerial greats.

[danperkins]

He'll get absolutely silly money to buy whatever he wants. Me or you could give it a good bash. He's a good manager with a great philosophy no doubts but I just wish he wouldn't go for the easy option. City was so obvious. Good for the league I suppose. Mourinho to United & Simeone to Chelsea

[Bender]

They'll be spending some serious cash

[dww]

People say that but I think in general it has been shown that many managers struggle with handling the egos of the biggest players and to fit them into a top team. Even more managers just make decent teams of exceptional players (see Pellegrini, Mancini). I think it is just a different challenge, one that Pep is clearly suited to, to try to create a world class team. At present the PL has a lot of money but no teams in the top 5 or maybe even 10 in Europe. To build a really great team in an environment where everyone else is failing is surely a success?

That said, obviously, he should have taken the football manager option and tried to take Dulwich Hamlet to the Premier league.

[danperkins]

Personally IMO Pellegrini has bought horribly at City. Whether or not it's him or Begiristain making the moves I dunno but with City's clout the should have bought so much better in the last few years. Take out De Bruyne and you can't really pick amny successful singings. Take out Aguero & Silva, I don't see too many exceptional players. They've bought just as much ****e as we have.

With Guardiola there IMO there and unlimited funds... I think we'll see a new force in Europe.

[Irishnev]

Personally IMO Pellegrini has bought horribly at City. Whether or not it's him or Begiristain making the moves I dunno but with City's clout the should have bought so much better in the last few years. Take out De Bruyne and you can't really pick amny successful singings. Take out Aguero & Silva, I don't see too many exceptional players. They've bought just as much ****e as we have.

With Guardiola there IMO there and unlimited funds... I think we'll see a new force in Europe.

He inherited a super young squad at Bayern & Barca and they both have a DOF structure who buy players. All managers are ultimately as good as the players they buy and while he will be have a major say in their signings so will Begiristain.

For the money they have City have really bought badly over the past few years. Mangala, Bony, Navas, Negredo and Jovetic being the most high profile failures. They are still v dependent on their old spine of Kompany, Yaya, Silva & Aguero with Yaya needing replacing in the summer.

[danperkins]

He inherited a super young squad at Bayern & Barca and they both have a DOF structure who buy players. All managers are ultimately as good as the players they buy and while he will be have a major say in their signings so will Begiristain.

For the money they have City have really bought badly over the past few years. Mangala, Bony, Navas, Negredo and Jovetic being the most high profile failures. They are still v dependent on their old spine of Kompany, Yaya, Silva & Aguero with Yaya needing replacing in the summer.

[rodo]

Pep does love the easy jobs. Impossible to judge him as a manager.

[Shaggy]

Mourinho has made a career of easy jobs for over a decade and it never affects how he is viewed.

Also, belittling what Guardiola did at Barcelona is absolutely mental. They were a bit of a shambles when he took over - came 3rd on 60 odd points. He shipped out Ronaldinho, Deco, Eto'o and others, promoted some B team players and built a new team. He is brilliant.

[RedAndWhite]

He inherited a super young squad at Bayern & Barca and they both have a DOF structure who buy players. All managers are ultimately as good as the players they buy and while he will be have a major say in their signings so will Begiristain.

For the money they have City have really bought badly over the past few years. Mangala, Bony, Navas, Negredo and Jovetic being the most high profile failures. They are still v dependent on their old spine of Kompany, Yaya, Silva & Aguero with Yaya needing replacing in the summer.

Thing is club will know City have money to spend - and will seek to maximize their take. We can expect City to break several transfer records in the coming few transfer windows I bet.

[danperkins]

Thing is club will know City have money to spend - and will seek to maximize their take. We can expect City to break several transfer records in the coming few transfer windows I bet.

they'll go all out. With Guardiola at the helm and his eye for a player... IMO they'll be a force to be reckoned with.

[Phoenix07]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see turning City, bankrolled by Abu Dhabi, into a European force, when they've already won domestic titles, as a big challenge. I would've respected Guardiola a lot more if went to Man Utd, and tried to get them back to the top.

I think Guardiola's a top manager. I'm just not sure I buy into the narrative of turning City into a legendary team as a challenge, given the resources at his disposal, and what's taken place prior to his arrival (winning titles, invested astronomically in the youth set-up).

[peekay]

Mourinho has made a career of easy jobs for over a decade and it never affects how he is viewed.

Also, belittling what Guardiola did at Barcelona is absolutely mental. They were a bit of a shambles when he took over - came 3rd on 60 odd points. He shipped out Ronaldinho, Deco, Eto'o and others, promoted some B team players and built a new team. He is brilliant.

What he did at Barcelona was brilliant. But there were favorable circumstances - emergence of Messi, top quality youth team prospects who were comfortable in his style of play. Credit to him for taking bold decisions though.

To me Messi always diminishes the achievement of any Barcelona manager. Again Guardiola did change Messi's position from the wings allowing his talent to explode. But the fact that Luis Enrique (a very average manager prior to Barcelona) is well on his way to matching Pep's achievements somewhat diminishes that achievement.

I think one thing which will always be held against him is that he does not have the "Against all odds achievement" like Rafa at Valencia and Istanbul and Mourinho at Porto.

[peekay]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see turning City, bankrolled by Abu Dhabi, into a European force, when they've already won domestic titles, as a big challenge. I would've respected Guardiola a lot more if went to Man Utd, and tried to get them back to the top.

I think Guardiola's a top manager. I'm just not sure I buy into the narrative of turning City into a legendary team as a challenge, given the resources at his disposal, and what's taken place prior to his arrival (winning titles, invested astronomically in the youth set-up).

Given how poor the competition has been, City should be walking away with the league this season.