It’s exciting news for the Premier League and all football fans that Pep Guardiola is coming to England to take charge of Manchester City next season.
However, from a personal point of view I think there’s a really clear question that needs answering: “Can he win the Champions League without Lionel Messi?”
Pep joined Bayern three years ago after they had just won the treble, but he’s not been able to cut it at the business end of the Champions League. Compare that to the situation at Barcelona where Luis Enrique was put in charge despite a pretty chequered managerial record, but inherits the big three superstars in Neymar, Suarez and Messi and sweeps the board.
The impact Pep will undoubtedly have is that he will attract genuine world class players to the club. Whereas in the past City have maybe overpaid to secure the services of the best players, now you would expect the world’s elite to consider Man City a viable option. It certainly changes the dynamic of their transfer policy.
In terms of who might be on his hit list, Paul Pogba at Juventus is the obvious target. He would make a natural midfield replacement for Yaya Toure, who Pep didn’t rate at Barca. It will also be interesting to see whether he will raid Bayern Munich for players as well.
Farewell JT?
Just a word on John Terry’s planned departure from Chelsea at the end of the season. The timing has surprised me as it doesn’t seem to be the way he would want to announce his departure after so many years’ service at the club, having clocked up 700-plus games.
I think he must have his next move already sorted, but in a way it’s a good time to be leaving the club. The team needs rebuilding and players need moving on.
It will be a clean slate for whoever the new guy might be — and there are lots of managers out there with very good CVs and track records of winning trophies that could do the job.