Pep Guardiola responded to Liverpool fans' taunts by reminding them how many Premier League titles he's won
Pep Guardiola responded to Liverpool fans' taunts by reminding them how many Premier League titles he's won
What was that line from Rudyard Kipling about treating the twin imposters of triumph and disaster the same as being the real test of a man?
Well, if that’s true then Pep Guardiola is failing it miserably. He’s behaving like a spoilt child as he grapples with failure for the first time in his long and trophy-laden career.
He’s had 15 seasons as a manager at his beloved Barcelona, Bayern Munich and now Manchester City. He’s only had one barren campaign - his first at City in 2016-17 - and has amassed 12 league titles and three Champions Leagues in those 15 years.
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Guardiola has been rightly applauded and feted for his ridiculous success, but now he’s displaying a much-less appealing side. It’s true if you show me a good loser, I’ll show you a loser, but Guardiola’s inability to cope with City’s collapse leaves much to be desired.
He has hit out at his critics, saying City’s rivals will be enjoying their struggles. But isn’t this the case for every manager of a big side?
No British side, definitely not City, is bigger than Manchester United, yet Erik ten Hag did not lash out as their rivals gleefully lapped up their demise. Even Jurgen Klopp learned to accept defeat, especially when up against City, and his press conference before the second leg of their Europa League tie in Atalanta was about “failing in the most beautiful way”.
Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, during the loss at Anfield
Pep Guardiola tries to come to terms with losing at Liverpool ( Image: 2024 Liverpool FC)
Guardiola isn’t doing that and he was clearly riled by the Anfield crowd singing ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ by raising six fingers to them to signify the number of Premier Leagues he has won. Guardiola isn’t used to losing because he has been so successful his entire managerial career and he can’t cope with this sea change.
He always was arrogant, but now he’s becoming prickly and sarcastic. He firmly planted his foot in his mouth when he was asked after the draw with Feyenoord how he had scratched his nose and he made a lame joke about self harm. Guardiola had to apologise the next day and this is a man struggling in uncharted territory.
Sir Alex Ferguson didn’t lose much either, but he still displayed grace. I remember watching him on the pitch at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light when he was told City had beaten QPR in stoppage time to lift the Premier League in 2012 and he simply shrugged.
The lack of class being displayed by Guardiola is contagious and Stefan Ortega made crass comments about Merseyside after City’s humbling by Liverpool. “Someone told me before that this area is probably not the best part in the UK,” he said.
Or Ruben Dias throwing his toys out of the pram when former Norway striker Jan Aage Fjortoft, who is now a reporter for Scandinavia channel ViaPlay, asked him how would City’s players take responsibility for their meltdown. Dias replied: “You know that you’re talking to one of the players of one of the teams in the world that has won the most in recent years? Have a think about that.”
Yes, City’s sense of entitlement is overwhelming - unlike their form.
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