- Pep Guardiola steps down from Man City role
- Micah Richards pays tribute to manager
- Names coach who should replace him
Micah Richards has made the case as to why there is no greater coach in the history of football than Pep Guardiola.
‘One more year Guardiola’ was the song belted out by the away section at the Vitality Stadium on Tuesday night.
However, this was based more on optimism than genuine belief that Guardiola would stay another season.
And now the news has dropped which no fan wanted to hear. Guardiola will leave Man City this summer, bringing to an end his decade of dominance.
Micah Richards calls Pep Guardiola the greatest manager in the modern era
Wilf Wild’s achievement as Man City’s longest-serving manager will remain intact, but Guardiola has been the most impactful boss the Citizens have ever had.
Micah Richards has even gone as far to say that Guardiola is the best manager of the modern era, comparing him with Sir Alex Ferguson.
He told BBC Sport: “He’s a true legend of the game, and I am gutted he is going – the Premier League just won’t be the same without him.
Pep is one of the best managers we’ve ever seen. The greatest ever? Well, it’s hard to disrespect Sir Alex Ferguson when you have that conversation, but those were different times – Pep’s the greatest manager of the modern era, that’s for sure.
“If you look at what they both won – and I know everyone will read this and say City have spent more, which I get – then Pep has won a Treble at Barcelona and a Treble with City. That’s incredible in itself,” Richards continued.
“But the biggest difference between the two is that ‘Fergie’ was a great manager but Pep is the greatest coach.
“He has transformed the way football is played in England in a way that no-one has ever done before.
“I played against Fergie’s teams and the way he galvanised them was incredible.
“Facing them was horrible because you knew something special could happen and they would fight to the end, and that’s coming from someone who played for City. He did it with loads of different sides too.”
He added: But as a pundit I’ve analysed dozens of Pep’s games, and he’s a genius. It’s as simple as that.
Guardiola could have caught up with Fergurson’s record
Had Guardiola opted to stay on at Man City in the long-term, he would undoubtedly have continued to lift trophies.
The ex-Spain international has won 20 pieces of silverware with the Sky Blues, which is more than half of Ferguson’s overall tally.
Yet while Guardiola is heading off after a decade, Ferguson spent 26 years in charge of Manchester United.
Therefore, Guardiola would certainly have had a good opportunity to smash Ferguson’s record as the most successful manager in English football.
Delivering two trophies this season, the Catalan was showing no signs of slowing down. Additionally, this has been a campaign full of transitions.
Next season the club should be in a more stable position, so Guardiola could even have been looking at potential Premier League and Champions League successes.
Richards wanted Man City to hire Vincent Kompany
Unfortunately, Guardiola’s mind is made up and he has officially confirmed his intention to leave his current position.
Enzo Maresca is set to be hired by Man City, but Richards would have preferred to see Vincent Kompany return to the club.
“If the reports are correct and it is Enzo Maresca they go for, then I can understand why. He knows the club and how Pep worked, and City will know all about him too,” he said.
“But, if he wanted it, I would have given the job to my old City team-mate Vincent Kompany, after seeing the way his Bayern Munich side played in their Champions League semi-final against Paris St-Germain – especially when they were behind in the first leg.
“A lot of managers would have changed the way they played and gone against their principles, but Vinnie didn’t. I loved that.
“I also remember him talking about his side’s win over Real Madrid in the previous round. He was asked if should have gone more defensive when they were ahead and he said no, he wanted to play in a certain way and believed in his players to do that,” Richards continued.
“Vinnie ticks that box, obviously, and he also plays an attacking brand of football which the City fans would take to.
“Maresca is a very good manager, but I feel like Vinnie would have been perfect – I really do.”
Perhaps Kompany will be considered by Man City some time in the future, but it is Maresca who is going to be given the job this time around.
And the club will hope that like Guardiola’s time in charge, this will be a long period which is defined by successes year-on-year.
