Here's an article on Guardiola that suggests you're being a bit harsh on him, Bidley. It shows that his job at Barca was more than just putting a bunch of great players on the pitch and letting them get on with it. http://www.owngoalpodcast.com/2012/03/guardiola-the-most-underrated-manager-in-the-world/ Here's another, more in depth, article about how when he retired skillful, ball-playing central midfielders like him were regarded as obsolete. Guardiola the manager is one of the reasons why the successors to Guardiola the player are now, once again, highly coveted. http://www.zonalmarking.net/2012/04...-the-fall-and-rise-of-the-passing-midfielder/ None of that is to say that he'll be an automatic success wherever he turns up next, but if he never manages again he's already done enough to warrent a decent section in any tactical history of the game. He's one of the greats.
Sorry, I still don't agree that winning everything in sight with the best team in the history of football is any kind of proof that he's the best manager around. He's won a lot with Barca, but so has Victor Valdes and nobody thinks he's the best keeper in the world. Again, does this make Tito Valentine a managing genius too?
Did you read the articles Bidley? The point is that because of his management, the way that the top teams play is different. He hasn't just won stuff with great players, he's had a major impact on the culture of football and footballing tactics. Players like Xavi and Iniesta - players who resemble Guardiola as a player - were considered a luxury with no place in the modern game 20 or so years ago. It's in no small part to Guardiola the manager, among others, that now they are looked up to as the kind of players to build a side around.
Having properly read the articles I can see the argument. I disagree that he's made a major impact on football on the whole (obviously everyone is trying to ape Barca now) - he's reverted back to using a model that was deemed obselete, with the exception of the 'false no9' thing. Even then, I don't think that deep-lying ball-player was particularly rare, look at Paul Scholes! The attacker/enforcer combo was fairly commonplace though, even current Barca has players like Busquets who protect the defence. So yeah, he added his own style to a team perfectly suited for it and did well, but I think he's the polar opposite of "the most underrated manager in the world"!
I agree that it's a bit rich to call him underrated, let alone the most underrated in the world. I still think he warrants a bit of acclaim though (and he gets it!).
We have a Chairman who has stuck by the club and gets applauded/cheered by our fans as he walks around the ground. He's seen by an oddball by some outsiders, but MAF has stuck by Fulham for many years. Other clubs should be so fortunate! Contrast to Abramovic, who gives football a bad name.
