- Guardiola to leave Man City
- Cundy reflects on manager’s legacy
- Compares him with United legend
Jason Cundy has made a bold claim about Pep Guardiola, following the news of his impending departure from Manchester City.
When Pep Guardiola arrived at Man City, he was already a proven winner. However, his accomplishments were with European supergiants whose squads were laden with world class players.
The Citizens had added a few trophies to their cabinet during the seasons before Guardiola’s arrival, but they were not viewed as a big club in Europe.
One decade on, global perceptions of City have changed so much, and it is thanks to the incredible management of the 55-year-old.
Averaging two trophies a year, Guardiola has completely redefined what a successful season looks like at the Etihad Stadium
Pep Guardiola has had a bigger impact than Sir Alex Ferguson
According to ex-Chelsea and Spurs defender Jason Cundy, Guardiola’s contributions at Man City have had a major impact on the English game as a whole.
In fact, he has gone so far as to claim that Guardiola is the greatest manager the country has witnessed, ranking him above the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson.
👀 "Pep's going to go down, probably, as the best manager this country has ever seen."
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) May 19, 2026
🔥 "He's probably had the biggest impact on English football ever."
Jason Cundy makes the case for Pep Guardiola, not Sir Alex Ferguson, to be English footballs greatest ever manager pic.twitter.com/5vAlO2KuCx
“Pep’s going to go down as probably the best manager this country has ever seen,” Cundy told talkSPORT.
“I think when you look at what Pep has done, I think we will reflect and go, ‘I think Pep probably is’.
“I’m starting to come round to that way of thinking. Six Alex changed the face of football, I agree with that as well, but Pep probably has had the biggest impact on English football ever.”
Guardiola could have surpassed Ferguson’s trophy record
It is no longer a secret that Guardiola is leaving Man City, after collecting 20 pieces of silverware during a 10-season period.
Had Guardiola continued to lift trophies at his current rate, he could have surpassed Ferguson’s tally a number of years before the ex-United manager made it to 38.
| Trophy | Sir Alex Ferguson (Man United) | Pep Guardiola (Man City) |
|---|---|---|
| Premier League/First Division | 13 | 6 |
| FA Cup | 5 | 3 |
| League Cup/EFL Cup | 4 | 5 |
| FA Community Shield | 10 | 3 |
| UEFA Champions League | 2 | 1 |
| UEFA Super Cup | 1 | 1 |
| FIFA Club World Cup | 1 | 1 |
| UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup | 1 | 0 |
| Intercontinental Cup | 1 | 0 |
| Total Trophies | 38 | 20 |
Excluding Community Shields, Guardiola would have caught up with Ferguson even quicker, showing just how well he has done since coming to England.
And it is not as if there is an argument to be made about the City boss slowing down. After all, he has already won two trophies this season, and a potential third is not off the table yet.
Guardiola has changed the way teams play
Being the best is one thing, but Guardiola’s effect on English football has altered the strategy managers in this country implement.
His style built on possession based dominance has been replicated by so many teams, including those much further down the football pyramid.
Guardiola has been an inspiration, and it is hard to see which other manager has had more of an impact than the Man City legend.
While the styles of some top managers become outdated, Guardiola has always managed to stay relevant.
Whatever he decides to do next, there can be no doubt that the man from Catalonia will make a success of it.
