Daniel Farke and Pep Guardiola are knwon to attain a good freindship
Daniel Farke and Pep Guardiola are knwon to attain a good freindship(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
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Leeds United boss Daniel Farke says Pep Guardiola’s legacy as the best manager will "forever" remain unstained, despite Manchester City being found guilty of systemic Premier League financial breaches, pending appeal.
Guardiola won 20 major trophies at the Blues, including six league titles, three FA Cups and a Champions League. One Premier League, a League Cup and a Community Shield were won in 2018, the final year of the charges period.
However, there are arguments that, due to Man City clearly benefitting from this period in later years, that all of Guardiola’s achievements at the Etihad Stadium are tainted given the club’s grievous financial wrongdoing.
Man City were found guilty on all but one of the 100-plus finance allegations by an independent panel last month. The club have appealed the decision, insisting that it has “irrefutable evidence” of innocence. Guardiola himself has come out in support of the club.
Farke, a close friend of Guardiola’s, refrained from commenting on the specifics of the case but gave his view that the legacy of the Catalan coach will be unblemished, regardless of the appeal of the outcome.
He said: “I don’t know anything about the details. I’m not so interested, I have more important things here to worry about.
“For me, there is no doubt that Pep is the best. There is no other manager who has influenced football and other managers, the development of coaches and the game so much as he has done. This will always last forever.
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“If there are decisions, his reign will be judged anyway but wherever he was, he was like this; his thinking about football, being proactive. His tenure at Barcelona when he won every title.
“His tenure at Bayern Munich when he won the German title and the German cup. Right now, Manchester City.
“So I don’t think anyone will doubt his quality or what he has achieved as a coach. If due to this [case] someone wants to judge his time at Manchester City in a different way, I can’t help it. I won’t do this.”
While Farke refused to comment on the panel’s verdict - stating there are “more qualified people” to give their thoughts - the Leeds manager said that clarity would be welcome.
He added: “No comments on this case but in general, clarity is always important. I don’t like it if you go into a season and you don’t know if there are points deductions.
“Because then you don't have a clear vision of the table and you have to take points away or whatever. In general, the earlier you have clarity in a competition, the fairer it is.
"So regardless of this special case, to have clarity as soon as possible, it definitely makes sense.”
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