Former Real Madrid and Bolton Wanderers star Ivan Campo believes that to succeed in English football, Pep Guardiola needs to change Manchester City’s playing style and that winning trophies by emulating Barcelona’s footballing approach is not possible.
Speaking to Omnisport, Campo said that Pep Guardiola was not guaranteed Premier League success with Manchester City. “The football that he lives for is different than the Premier League,” said Campo, who was capped four times by the Spanish national team.
“For example, compared to when you touch the ball in Barcelona, in England it is very different. The football is faster, there is more fight. The problem is that if you want to play in the Premier League the same as Barcelona, you will lose.”
Good start followed by a slump
Guardiola’s career as manager of Manchester City got off to a dream start earlier this season, as he won his first ten competitive matches in charge of the team. However, the team went through a lean patch post those victories, with defeats to Chelsea and Leicester City severely damaging their hopes of winning the Premier League title.
Consecutive victories over Watford and Arsenal have gotten City’s title bid marginally back on track.
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However, Campo, who has played both in the La Liga and Premier League still believes that unless Guardiola adapts his approach to suit the rough and tumble nature of English football, he will not have much success. “Now he's (Guardiola) living a very difficult moment in the Premier League because Guardiola is saying, ‘Okay, if I play the same way that we play in Barcelona I will win’ but in the Premier League, it is very different.”
Guardiola defends his methods
Guardiola received criticism for his post-match comments after the 4-2 defeat to Leicester City at the King Power stadium earlier this month, when he insisted that he is “not a coach for tackles.” He put up a defence of his methods, adding, “What I want is to try to play well and score goals. What are tackles? It is another aspect of football but in the end we are not going to win or lose because of the tackles.”
Many, including the likes of Campo, see these comments as an indication that Guardiola will not compromise on his methods or philosophy. Only time will tell whether it pays off in the long run. City next play bottom of the table Hull City on boxing day, before a crucial match away at Anfield against title contenders Liverpool.
