Is Pep Destroying Football?

[@kiely4561]

I think its a generational thing, kids of today have grown up and been indoctrinated into thinking this is just how football is whereas the older generation like myself remember when the game was much more entertaining, unpredictable, players would play more on instinct rather than being over coached and data driven, with players now being fitter than ever and far more competent in multiple positions you’d think it would be a net positive for the game but due to advances in technology/sports science and formational systems built simply to win regardless of whether it’s entertaining has paradoxically made the game better and worse simultaneously.

[@Bfg12327]

Very much agree with that assessment, however I just feel it’s so boring now.

[@dshannon565]

Guardiola doesn’t have a gun tot he heads of all other managers. Every manager can play whatever style they want so it’s not guardiolas priblem

[@lutho1230]

It kills me when People mention Grealish and not have stats to back up their claim. HOW is individuality being coached out the game? WHAT was individuality before? WHERE did it come from? Was it common? Was individual brilliance REALLY common before? Man! This conversation and the people that start really kill me.

[@essentila2u]

what about yamin yamal??

[@DarkWebMarkets4Life]

As an Everton fan I can only dream of this approach to football you all find boring. It's grim up here.

[@Donnelly18]

If Pep was the utd manager this article would not have been written

[@jackslack1]

bobbins

[@jc6087]

Grealish cant stay sober enough to play.

[@jamesmichaels4979]

Ruining football? He found a way to win for years. Should be envied.

[@justtim785]

who is the next ronaldinho? the next zidane? next hazard? Rui Costa?

[@mattward4405]

@justtim785 How is that Peps fault or problem?

[@kiely4561]

@@mattward4405 well there’s no doubting Pep has had a massively direct influence on how the game has evolved over the past decade, probably more so than any manager in the last 50 years, so although its not peps fault his influence has had a negative correlation on how the game is now played, its like blaming steve jobs for todays societies toxic social media addiction because he invented the iphone, it wasn’t his vision but its a direct causation.

[@Batemann1980]

Jack grealish not being able to handle moving to a big club shouldn’t be a stick to beat him with

[@jc6087]

Grealish has a drinking problem, also he got his big move and wages then basically retired.

[@benr91377]

I agree with Jonathan. The amount of football i choose to watch now compared to my teenage years and twenties is chalk and cheese. There are not as many wow moments or players. Its the predictability as he said which makes it boring and repeatable. I watched Southend United in the conference league a few weeks back and it was the most enjoyable game I've seen in a long time because i had no idea how the attacks were going to form or the defenders were going to play. And in case anyone says it im not a British long ball merchant i fell in love with La liga in 2006/2016 for the passing football and flair. City i have found boring ever since pep found his successful method.

[@kevinmezue1802]

Good conversation 👌

[@rougemont9553]

In Pep, we trust. Blue since '66.

[@thomaselliott7963]

I'm sure Managers have always been vain to some degree - but does feel like it has went up a notch with the modern lot - projecting philosophies they don't understand onto players that can't play it. At least someone like Guardiola is true to himself and his experience (cryuff, Barcelona). I don't think Norwich or any of the other teams Russell martin played for played anything like that (nor did the united team Rooney played for). It's all went a bit linkedin for my taste.

[@MishaTavkhelidze]

Kvaratskhelia or Mikautadze or Chakvetadze. But they've somewhat subdued them, too.

[@realtalk8665]

System football is killing the beauty 💯 individualism creates new moments but indivualism is the evil of a system and players that share those qualities get coached out of them. That's why Klopps Liverpool teams was a joy to watch and why players like Trent are not appreciated in other systems like Southgate England team

[@selassietetevie4966]

The spectators are the most important part of football, football is entertainment, or supposed to be.but big money and big data and academies is forcing the spectators to become specialist participants watching a chess tournament, rather than pub mates playing draughts, the best team to watch is Newcastle, their entertainment.

[@lutho1230]

Football is a game champ. That's the origin. Whether that game is fun to watch or fun to play is up to the individual but ultimately it was created to entertain those who are watching.

[@JoeyKneecap]

Why does is matter that De Zerbi and Maresca are latins? That sounds weird and not very inclusive. Care to explain Guillem?

[@neopromise]

I can try..... Latins and in generally the Spanish speaking ones are alot influenced by the Argentian way of thinking about football.... they're more lyric about talking about football. Now De Zerbi isn't spanish but he followed that school.....i had the chance to listen to a lecture of Bielsa of some 3 a 4 hours here in belgium.... the way of talking about the game is whole different story.....

[@lutho1230]

This was a lovely explanation

[@mattward4405]

The reality is that Jonathan is blaming Pep. What Pep has done hasn't gone down well over here. People complain about the uniformity, but everyone was happy when it was the same big 4 teams that dominated the league for years. Man City and Pep broke that up and the media over here hate it. Pep created the best team this league has ever seen and they've won everything. What he has done cannot be questioned and he can't be blamed for what others decide to do. He is a genius.

[@mattward4405]

Do you remember when Pep first came to England and the media said his style wouldn't work over here! He's the best we've ever seen and his City team is the best this countries ever seen.

[@Nite-owl]

They hated it because they could see that it was being done unfairly, and 115 charges later we might actually see exactly HOW unfairly. I'm not holding my breath though, we know envelopes stuffed with cash can solve a multitude of problems.

[@mattward4405]

@Nite-owl Exactly. We can't win. We'll be guilty regardless in everyone's eyes. The money is only part of it, Pep is one of a kind. He picks players to suit his system. How much they cost is out of his hands. They're not always well known players either.

[@chiefmwase4562]

It's funny how everyone has nostalgia for the good old days when England Played hack them whack them football.

[@DarkWebMarkets4Life]

You seem to have the wrong end of the stick. He's talking about tedious uniformity of play style, not who wins the league.

[@exerciseisantidote9337]

I'd iot

[@lacielbleu]

The Times! Jewish Mafia?

[@donalpatrickpower5408]

Sir Alex Ferguson is the best manager of all time Pep is among the greatest ever

[@JoeyKneecap]

You might support Man United and think so, but the objective list would be something like this: 1. Carlo Ancelotti 2. Pep Guardiola 3. Alex Ferguson 4. Bob Paisley 5. Johan Cryuff 6. Vicente del Bosque 7. Jose Mourinho 8. Arrigo Sacchi 9. Rinus Michels 10. Ottmar Hitzfeld

[@donalpatrickpower5408]

@JoeyKneecap yes but I was talking more about what he did in Scotland with Aberdeen aswell as Utd

[@JoeyKneecap]

@@donalpatrickpower5408 I didn't know "of all time" was limited to "what he did in Scotland", but ok.

[@SanxBile]

@@JoeyKneecap It's impossible for a lot of people to properly appreciate work being done outside of the UK. "Premier league proven" is one of those phrases that just.. doesn't really make real sense for people outside of it.

[@JoeyKneecap]

@@SanxBile You're right I reckon. Come to think of it, I should have probably included Mário Zagallo on that list.