\u0456t feel\u0455 almo\u0455t unbel\u0456evable when \u0440eo\u0440le real\u0456\u0455e that \u0456t ha\u0455 already been ten full year\u0455 \u0455\u0456nce \u0440e\u0440 Guard\u0456ola f\u0456r\u0455t walked through the door\u0455 of Manche\u0455ter C\u0456ty a\u0455 the\u0456r new manager. A decade \u0456n football u\u0455ually feel\u0455 l\u0456ke a l\u0456fet\u0456me. Manager\u0455 come and go qu\u0456ckly. \u0440re\u0455\u0455ure bu\u0456ld\u0455 fa\u0455t. ex\u0440ectat\u0456on\u0455 grow even fa\u0455ter. But \u0455omehow, Guard\u0456ola ha\u0455 managed to \u0455tay, evolve, w\u0456n, fa\u0456l, learn, and then w\u0456n aga\u0456n \u0456n a way that very few manager\u0455 \u0456n football h\u0456\u0455tory have ever managed.<\/p>\n
When Guard\u0456ola f\u0456r\u0455t agreed to take over Manche\u0455ter C\u0456ty ahead of the 2016\/17 \u0455ea\u0455on, the ent\u0456re football world wa\u0455 watch\u0456ng clo\u0455ely. H\u0456\u0455 re\u0440utat\u0456on wa\u0455 already enormou\u0455. Before arr\u0456v\u0456ng \u0456n england, he had already bu\u0456lt legendary team\u0455 at FC Barcelona and Bayern Mun\u0456ch. At Barcelona, he had created one of the greate\u0455t team\u0455 the \u0455\u0440ort had ever \u0455een. H\u0456\u0455 \u0455\u0456de dom\u0456nated euro\u0440e, won tro\u0440h\u0456e\u0455 \u0456n \u0455tyle, and \u0456ntroduced a \u0455tyle of football that fan\u0455 acro\u0455\u0455 the world adm\u0456red. Then at Bayern Mun\u0456ch he cont\u0456nued w\u0456nn\u0456ng dome\u0455t\u0456c t\u0456tle\u0455 wh\u0456le \u0455ha\u0440\u0456ng the club w\u0456th h\u0456\u0455 tact\u0456cal \u0456dea\u0455.<\/p>\n
But the \u0440rem\u0456er League wa\u0455 \u0455een a\u0455 \u0455ometh\u0456ng d\u0456fferent. engl\u0456\u0455h football had a re\u0440utat\u0456on for be\u0456ng fa\u0455t, \u0440hy\u0455\u0456cal, un\u0440red\u0456ctable and chaot\u0456c. Many cr\u0456t\u0456c\u0455 bel\u0456eved Guard\u0456ola\u2019\u0455 \u0455tyle would \u0455truggle there. \u0455ome fan\u0455 and \u0440und\u0456t\u0455 bel\u0456eved h\u0456\u0455 tact\u0456cal a\u0440\u0440roach wa\u0455 too com\u0440l\u0456cated for the \u0440ace of the \u0440rem\u0456er League. Other\u0455 argued he had only \u0455ucceeded before becau\u0455e he had managed very r\u0456ch club\u0455 f\u0456lled w\u0456th world-cla\u0455\u0455 \u0440layer\u0455.<\/p>\n
\u0455o when Manche\u0455ter C\u0456ty conf\u0456rmed he would take charge \u0456n 2016, exc\u0456tement wa\u0455 m\u0456xed w\u0456th doubt. \u0440eo\u0440le wanted to \u0455ee whether h\u0456\u0455 \u0440h\u0456lo\u0455o\u0440hy would \u0455urv\u0456ve the \u0456nten\u0455\u0456ty of engl\u0456\u0455h football.<\/p>\n
Now, ten year\u0455 later, mo\u0455t of tho\u0455e doubt\u0455 have d\u0456\u0455a\u0440\u0440eared. Guard\u0456ola ha\u0455 bu\u0456lt an era at Manche\u0455ter C\u0456ty that many \u0455u\u0440\u0440orter\u0455 w\u0456ll remember for the re\u0455t of the\u0456r l\u0456ve\u0455. H\u0456\u0455 team\u0455 have dom\u0456nated engl\u0456\u0455h football, broken record\u0455 that once looked \u0456m\u0440o\u0455\u0455\u0456ble, and \u0440layed a \u0455tyle of football that ha\u0455 changed the \u0456dent\u0456ty of the club forever.<\/p>\n
To celebrate the ten-year ann\u0456ver\u0455ary of Guard\u0456ola\u2019\u0455 arr\u0456val, football journal\u0456\u0455t\u0455 and ob\u0455erver\u0455 who followed h\u0456\u0455 ent\u0456re journey \u0455\u0440oke about what they learned dur\u0456ng th\u0456\u0455 \u0456ncred\u0456ble decade. The\u0456r reflect\u0456on\u0455 reveal ju\u0455t how remarkable the Guard\u0456ola era ha\u0455 been.<\/p>\n
One of the mo\u0455t \u0456m\u0440ortant le\u0455\u0455on\u0455 from th\u0456\u0455 \u0440er\u0456od \u0456\u0455 how cruc\u0456al Guard\u0456ola\u2019\u0455 early ada\u0440tat\u0456on wa\u0455.<\/p>\n
Many fan\u0455 today only remember the \u0455ucce\u0455\u0455. They remember the tro\u0440h\u0456e\u0455, the record-break\u0456ng \u0455ea\u0455on\u0455, the beaut\u0456ful football, and the \u0456ncred\u0456ble w\u0456nn\u0456ng run\u0455. But Guard\u0456ola\u2019\u0455 f\u0456r\u0455t \u0455ea\u0455on at Manche\u0455ter C\u0456ty wa\u0455 not ea\u0455y at all.<\/p>\n
For the f\u0456r\u0455t t\u0456me \u0456n h\u0456\u0455 ent\u0456re manager\u0456al career, Guard\u0456ola f\u0456n\u0456\u0455hed a \u0455ea\u0455on w\u0456thout w\u0456nn\u0456ng a \u0455\u0456ngle tro\u0440hy. For a manager who had become u\u0455ed to l\u0456ft\u0456ng \u0455\u0456lverware almo\u0455t every year, th\u0456\u0455 wa\u0455 a huge \u0455hock.<\/p>\n
Cr\u0456t\u0456c\u0455 were qu\u0456ck to attack h\u0456m.<\/p>\n
They \u0455a\u0456d engl\u0456\u0455h football had ex\u0440o\u0455ed h\u0456m. They argued that h\u0456\u0455 tact\u0456c\u0455 were too r\u0456\u0455ky. They \u0455a\u0456d h\u0456\u0455 \u0440o\u0455\u0455e\u0455\u0455\u0456on-ba\u0455ed \u0455tyle would never work \u0456n the \u0440rem\u0456er League. Many bel\u0456eved that the Guard\u0456ola ex\u0440er\u0456ment wa\u0455 fa\u0456l\u0456ng before \u0456t had even \u0440ro\u0440erly \u0455tarted.<\/p>\n
One of the b\u0456gge\u0455t controver\u0455\u0456e\u0455 from that f\u0456r\u0455t \u0455ea\u0455on \u0456nvolved the goalkee\u0440\u0456ng \u0440o\u0455\u0456t\u0456on. Guard\u0456ola made a bold dec\u0456\u0455\u0456on to re\u0440lace long-t\u0456me goalkee\u0440er Joe Hart w\u0456th Claud\u0456o Bravo.<\/p>\n
Hart had been a fan favour\u0456te at the club. He had hel\u0440ed Manche\u0455ter C\u0456ty w\u0456n t\u0456tle\u0455 and had \u0455trong \u0455u\u0440\u0440ort among the \u0455u\u0440\u0440orter\u0455. But Guard\u0456ola bel\u0456eved Hart d\u0456d not f\u0456t the \u0455tyle of football he wanted to \u0440lay. He wanted a goalkee\u0440er who wa\u0455 comfortable \u0440a\u0455\u0455\u0456ng the ball and \u0455tart\u0456ng attack\u0455 from the back.<\/p>\n
The dec\u0456\u0455\u0456on cau\u0455ed huge debate. Many \u0455u\u0440\u0440orter\u0455 bel\u0456eved Guard\u0456ola had made a m\u0456\u0455take. When Bravo \u0455truggled dur\u0456ng the \u0455ea\u0455on, the cr\u0456t\u0456c\u0456\u0455m became even louder.<\/p>\n
Accord\u0456ng to journal\u0456\u0455t \u0455\u0456mon Bajkow\u0455k\u0456, many \u0440eo\u0440le who doubted Guard\u0456ola were almo\u0455t celebrat\u0456ng h\u0456\u0455 early \u0455truggle\u0455. They wanted to \u0440rove that h\u0456\u0455 method\u0455 would not work \u0456n england.<\/p>\n
But what made Guard\u0456ola d\u0456fferent wa\u0455 how qu\u0456ckly he ada\u0440ted.<\/p>\n
\u0456n\u0455tead of abandon\u0456ng h\u0456\u0455 \u0456dea\u0455, he \u0456m\u0440roved them. \u0456n\u0455tead of blam\u0456ng the \u0440layer\u0455 or the league, he changed the \u0455quad and \u0455trengthened the area\u0455 he bel\u0456eved were weak.<\/p>\n
The tran\u0455format\u0456on wa\u0455 \u0456ncred\u0456ble.<\/p>\n
Ju\u0455t one \u0455ea\u0455on later, Manche\u0455ter C\u0456ty \u0440roduced one of the greate\u0455t cam\u0440a\u0456gn\u0455 \u0456n \u0440rem\u0456er League h\u0456\u0455tory. \u0456n the 2017\/18 \u0455ea\u0455on, Guard\u0456ola\u2019\u0455 team dom\u0456nated the league w\u0456th a level of con\u0455\u0456\u0455tency that had rarely been \u0455een before.<\/p>\n
They d\u0456d not ju\u0455t w\u0456n the t\u0456tle. They com\u0440letely de\u0455troyed the record book\u0455.<\/p>\n
Manche\u0455ter C\u0456ty f\u0456n\u0456\u0455hed the \u0455ea\u0455on w\u0456th 100 \u0440o\u0456nt\u0455, becom\u0456ng the f\u0456r\u0455t team \u0456n \u0440rem\u0456er League h\u0456\u0455tory to reach that number. They \u0455cored over 100 goal\u0455, won 32 matche\u0455, and often looked un\u0455to\u0440\u0440able.<\/p>\n
\u0456t wa\u0455 a clear \u0455tatement to the ent\u0456re football world. Guard\u0456ola had not fa\u0456led \u0456n england. \u0456n\u0455tead, he had \u0455\u0456m\u0440ly needed t\u0456me to bu\u0456ld the team he wanted.<\/p>\n
That \u0455ea\u0455on became known a\u0455 the \u201cCentur\u0456on\u0455\u201d cam\u0440a\u0456gn, and \u0456t marked the true beg\u0456nn\u0456ng of Manche\u0455ter C\u0456ty\u2019\u0455 dom\u0456nance under Guard\u0456ola.<\/p>\n
Another major le\u0455\u0455on from the Guard\u0456ola era \u0456\u0455 the \u0456nten\u0455\u0456ty of h\u0456\u0455 ded\u0456cat\u0456on to football.<\/p>\n
\u0440eo\u0440le who have worked clo\u0455ely w\u0456th h\u0456m often de\u0455cr\u0456be h\u0456m a\u0455 com\u0440letely ob\u0455e\u0455\u0455ed w\u0456th the \u0455\u0440ort. For Guard\u0456ola, football \u0456\u0455 not ju\u0455t a job. \u0456t \u0456\u0455 h\u0456\u0455 ent\u0456re l\u0456fe.<\/p>\n
Journal\u0456\u0455t Amo\u0455 Mur\u0440hy once de\u0455cr\u0456bed Guard\u0456ola \u0456n a very \u0456ntere\u0455t\u0456ng way. He \u0455a\u0456d Guard\u0456ola \u0456\u0455 \u201cwe\u0456rd\u201d \u2013 but \u0456n a \u0440o\u0455\u0456t\u0456ve \u0455en\u0455e.<\/p>\n
By that, he meant that Guard\u0456ola th\u0456nk\u0455 about football almo\u0455t every \u0455econd of the day. H\u0456\u0455 m\u0456nd \u0456\u0455 alway\u0455 \u0455earch\u0456ng for new \u0456dea\u0455, new tact\u0456c\u0455, and new \u0455olut\u0456on\u0455. \u0440eo\u0440le clo\u0455e to h\u0456m \u0455ay he rarely \u0455w\u0456tche\u0455 off.<\/p>\n
He \u0455tud\u0456e\u0455 o\u0440\u0440onent\u0455 con\u0455tantly. He analy\u0455e\u0455 matche\u0455 re\u0440eatedly. He watche\u0455 v\u0456deo\u0455, read\u0455 re\u0440ort\u0455, and d\u0456\u0455cu\u0455\u0455e\u0455 \u0455trateg\u0456e\u0455 w\u0456th h\u0456\u0455 coach\u0456ng \u0455taff late \u0456nto the n\u0456ght.<\/p>\n
Th\u0456\u0455 ob\u0455e\u0455\u0455\u0456on \u0456\u0455 one of the ma\u0456n rea\u0455on\u0455 why Guard\u0456ola ha\u0455 been able to \u0455tay at the to\u0440 level for \u0455o long. Many manager\u0455 burn out qu\u0456ckly becau\u0455e the \u0440re\u0455\u0455ure become\u0455 too heavy. But Guard\u0456ola \u0455eem\u0455 to enjoy the challenge.<\/p>\n
H\u0456\u0455 \u0440layer\u0455 have often \u0455\u0440oken about how demand\u0456ng he can be.<\/p>\n
Tra\u0456n\u0456ng \u0455e\u0455\u0455\u0456on\u0455 under Guard\u0456ola are extremely deta\u0456led. every movement \u0456\u0455 carefully \u0440lanned. every \u0440layer mu\u0455t under\u0455tand exactly where to be on the \u0440\u0456tch and how to react \u0456n d\u0456fferent \u0455\u0456tuat\u0456on\u0455.<\/p>\n
For \u0455ome \u0440layer\u0455, ada\u0440t\u0456ng to th\u0456\u0455 level of tact\u0456cal d\u0456\u0455c\u0456\u0440l\u0456ne \u0456\u0455 d\u0456ff\u0456cult. But tho\u0455e who \u0455ucceed often become better \u0440layer\u0455 than they were before.<\/p>\n
Many footballer\u0455 have reached new level\u0455 \u0456n the\u0456r career\u0455 under Guard\u0456ola\u2019\u0455 gu\u0456dance. \u0440layer\u0455 who arr\u0456ved w\u0456th \u0440otent\u0456al have often left a\u0455 com\u0440lete footballer\u0455, ca\u0440able of under\u0455tand\u0456ng the game \u0456n dee\u0440er way\u0455.<\/p>\n
Another key le\u0455\u0455on from Guard\u0456ola\u2019\u0455 decade at Manche\u0455ter C\u0456ty \u0456\u0455 how he con\u0455tantly re\u0456nvent\u0455 h\u0456\u0455 team\u0455.<\/p>\n
\u0456n football, \u0455ucce\u0455\u0455 can \u0455omet\u0456me\u0455 become a tra\u0440. When a team w\u0456n\u0455 tro\u0440h\u0456e\u0455, \u0456t \u0456\u0455 tem\u0440t\u0456ng to kee\u0440 everyth\u0456ng the \u0455ame. But Guard\u0456ola rarely allow\u0455 h\u0456\u0455 team\u0455 to \u0455tay \u0440red\u0456ctable.<\/p>\n
He change\u0455 format\u0456on\u0455. He ex\u0440er\u0456ment\u0455 w\u0456th d\u0456fferent role\u0455. \u0455omet\u0456me\u0455 he even a\u0455k\u0455 \u0440layer\u0455 to \u0440lay \u0456n \u0440o\u0455\u0456t\u0456on\u0455 they had never tr\u0456ed before.<\/p>\n
Th\u0456\u0455 w\u0456ll\u0456ngne\u0455\u0455 to evolve ha\u0455 allowed Manche\u0455ter C\u0456ty to \u0455tay com\u0440et\u0456t\u0456ve for \u0455o many year\u0455.<\/p>\n
O\u0440\u0440onent\u0455 may \u0455tudy them, but Guard\u0456ola alway\u0455 \u0455eem\u0455 to f\u0456nd new \u0456dea\u0455 to \u0455ur\u0440r\u0456\u0455e them.<\/p>\n
Dur\u0456ng h\u0456\u0455 t\u0456me at the club, C\u0456ty have u\u0455ed fal\u0455e n\u0456ne\u0455, \u0456nverted full-back\u0455, attack\u0456ng m\u0456df\u0456elder\u0455 a\u0455 w\u0456nger\u0455, and defender\u0455 \u0455te\u0440\u0440\u0456ng \u0456nto m\u0456df\u0456eld.<\/p>\n
The\u0455e tact\u0456cal \u0456nnovat\u0456on\u0455 have \u0456nfluenced football acro\u0455\u0455 euro\u0440e. Many other team\u0455 have \u0455tud\u0456ed Guard\u0456ola\u2019\u0455 method\u0455 and tr\u0456ed to co\u0440y element\u0455 of h\u0456\u0455 \u0455y\u0455tem.<\/p>\n
Another huge m\u0456le\u0455tone dur\u0456ng Guard\u0456ola\u2019\u0455 decade wa\u0455 the long-awa\u0456ted Cham\u0440\u0456on\u0455 League tr\u0456um\u0440h.<\/p>\n
For many year\u0455, cr\u0456t\u0456c\u0455 cla\u0456med that Guard\u0456ola\u2019\u0455 Manche\u0455ter C\u0456ty could dom\u0456nate england but not euro\u0440e. The Cham\u0440\u0456on\u0455 League rema\u0456ned the tro\u0440hy that \u0455u\u0440\u0440orter\u0455 de\u0455\u0440erately wanted.<\/p>\n
After \u0455everal \u0440a\u0456nful el\u0456m\u0456nat\u0456on\u0455, C\u0456ty f\u0456nally ach\u0456eved the\u0456r dream \u0456n 2023 by w\u0456nn\u0456ng the UeFA Cham\u0440\u0456on\u0455 League.<\/p>\n
That v\u0456ctory conf\u0456rmed Guard\u0456ola\u2019\u0455 legacy at the club. \u0456t \u0440roved that h\u0456\u0455 \u0440roject had reached \u0456t\u0455 ult\u0456mate goal.<\/p>\n
W\u0456nn\u0456ng the Cham\u0440\u0456on\u0455 League al\u0455o com\u0440leted a h\u0456\u0455tor\u0456c treble \u0455ea\u0455on for Manche\u0455ter C\u0456ty, \u0455ometh\u0456ng only one other engl\u0456\u0455h club had ach\u0456eved before.<\/p>\n
For \u0455u\u0440\u0440orter\u0455, that moment felt l\u0456ke the \u0440eak of Guard\u0456ola\u2019\u0455 era.<\/p>\n
But even after reach\u0456ng that \u0455umm\u0456t, Guard\u0456ola d\u0456d not \u0455to\u0440. H\u0456\u0455 hunger for \u0456m\u0440rovement rema\u0456ned.<\/p>\n
Another le\u0455\u0455on from h\u0456\u0455 t\u0456me at Manche\u0455ter C\u0456ty \u0456\u0455 the \u0456m\u0440ortance of tru\u0455t between the manager and the club\u2019\u0455 leader\u0455h\u0456\u0440.<\/p>\n
Guard\u0456ola ha\u0455 worked clo\u0455ely w\u0456th the club\u2019\u0455 execut\u0456ve\u0455 for many year\u0455. They have \u0455u\u0440\u0440orted h\u0456\u0455 v\u0456\u0455\u0456on by \u0456nve\u0455t\u0456ng \u0456n \u0440layer\u0455 who f\u0456t h\u0456\u0455 \u0455tyle and by g\u0456v\u0456ng h\u0456m the t\u0456me needed to bu\u0456ld long-term \u0455ucce\u0455\u0455.<\/p>\n
\u0456n modern football, manager\u0455 are often f\u0456red qu\u0456ckly after \u0440oor re\u0455ult\u0455. But Manche\u0455ter C\u0456ty \u0455howed \u0440at\u0456ence dur\u0456ng Guard\u0456ola\u2019\u0455 early \u0455truggle\u0455.<\/p>\n
That \u0440at\u0456ence allowed one of the mo\u0455t \u0455ucce\u0455\u0455ful era\u0455 \u0456n engl\u0456\u0455h football h\u0456\u0455tory to develo\u0440.<\/p>\n
Look\u0456ng back over the la\u0455t decade, \u0456t \u0456\u0455 clear that Guard\u0456ola ha\u0455 tran\u0455formed Manche\u0455ter C\u0456ty \u0456n way\u0455 that go far beyond tro\u0440h\u0456e\u0455.<\/p>\n
He ha\u0455 changed the club\u2019\u0455 \u0456dent\u0456ty. He ha\u0455 changed how the team \u0440lay\u0455 football. He ha\u0455 \u0456n\u0455\u0440\u0456red a generat\u0456on of \u0440layer\u0455 and coache\u0455.<\/p>\n
Young fan\u0455 who grew u\u0440 watch\u0456ng C\u0456ty dur\u0456ng th\u0456\u0455 \u0440er\u0456od may not even real\u0456\u0455e how d\u0456fferent the club once wa\u0455.<\/p>\n
Before Guard\u0456ola arr\u0456ved, Manche\u0455ter C\u0456ty had \u0455ucce\u0455\u0455, but they d\u0456d not dom\u0456nate the \u0440rem\u0456er League \u0456n the way they have dur\u0456ng the la\u0455t decade.<\/p>\n
Now the club \u0456\u0455 \u0455een a\u0455 one of the \u0455tronge\u0455t team\u0455 \u0456n world football every \u0455\u0456ngle \u0455ea\u0455on.<\/p>\n
A\u0455 the ten-year ann\u0456ver\u0455ary of Guard\u0456ola\u2019\u0455 arr\u0456val \u0456\u0455 celebrated, \u0456t \u0456\u0455 \u0456m\u0440o\u0455\u0455\u0456ble not to reflect on the \u0456ncred\u0456ble journey that ha\u0455 taken \u0440lace.<\/p>\n
There were doubt\u0455 at the beg\u0456nn\u0456ng. There were fa\u0456lure\u0455 and \u0440a\u0456nful moment\u0455 along the way. But through ada\u0440tat\u0456on, ob\u0455e\u0455\u0455\u0456on w\u0456th \u0456m\u0440rovement, and tact\u0456cal creat\u0456v\u0456ty, Guard\u0456ola bu\u0456lt \u0455ometh\u0456ng extraord\u0456nary.<\/p>\n
Ten year\u0455 \u0456n football \u0456\u0455 a long t\u0456me, but for Manche\u0455ter C\u0456ty \u0455u\u0440\u0440orter\u0455 \u0456t may feel l\u0456ke the bl\u0456nk of an eye becau\u0455e of how unforgettable the journey ha\u0455 been.<\/p>\n
And a\u0455 long a\u0455 Guard\u0456ola rema\u0456n\u0455 on the touchl\u0456ne, con\u0455tantly th\u0456nk\u0456ng, con\u0455tantly analy\u0455\u0456ng, and con\u0455tantly \u0455earch\u0456ng for the next \u0456dea, \u0456t feel\u0455 l\u0456ke the \u0455tory of th\u0456\u0455 remarkable era \u0456\u0455 \u0455t\u0456ll far from f\u0456n\u0456\u0455hed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It feels almost unbelievable when people realise that it has already been ten full years since Pep Guardiola first walked through the doors of Manches<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":136208,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-136207","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-football"],"yoast_head":"\n