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Pep Guardiola has won 19 trophies in six-and-a-half phenomenally successful seasons as manager of Barcelona and Bayern Munich, but how does he do it? Nick Wright examines his methods and looks at what he will bring to Manchester City… Pep to replace Pellegrini Manchester City have confirmed Pep Guardiola will succeed Manuel Pellegrini as manager this summer. In Marti Perarnaus Pep Confidential, a behind-the-scenes account of Pep Guardiolas first season at Bayern Munich, close confidant Manel Estiarte sums up the Catalans obsessive approach to the job with what he calls the law of 32 minutes.You invite him for a meal in a restaurant, hoping that hell forget about football, but 32 minutes later you can see his mind is already wandering, explains Estiarte, who has worked on Guardiolas backroom staff at Barcelona and Bayern. Guardiola has enjoyed remarkable success at Barcelona and Bayern Munich He starts staring at the ceiling and, although hes nodding as if hes listening to you, hes not looking at you. In actual fact hes probably thinking about the opposition left-back, the marking scheme for the midfielder, how much the wingers can support the inside-forwards… The guy can only manage half an hour then he goes straight back to his mental contemplation.Guardiola is a man driven by a constant pursuit of perfection. A man who, after winning consecutive Bundesliga games 8-0, 6-0 and 4-1 in February last season, said: We must do better in attack. The meticulousness of his preparation is legendary, and his devotion to his work is such that he needed a whole years sabbatical to recover from his astonishing, whirlwind spell in charge of Barcelona. Peps league record at Barcelona and Bayern Munich Club Wins Draws Losses Win % Barcelona 116 25 11 76.32% Bayern Munich 71 8 8 81.61% No matter the opponent, his preparation never changes and he will not rest for a second until all the variants have been dissected and assessed, writes Perarnau. He has doubts. Pep always has doubts. He goes over everything a thousand times. How to attack opponents, his line-up, the instructions he needs to give individuals and the whole team.Guardiola asks for the same dedication from his players. His former charges recall the sophistication, innovation and brutal intensity of his training sessions, and the 44-year-olds hyper-active demeanour on the touchline - where he barks orders, cajoles and incessantly tweaks his formations - mirrors the speed and constant movement he demands on the pitch. Guardiola watches his Bayern Munich side from the sidelines After months of speculation, Manchester City have finally confirmed Guardiola will replace Manuel Pellegrini at the end of the season, signing a three-year contract at the Etihad Stadium. So what will Guardiolas team look like in the Premier League?One of his first objectives would be to instigate a flexible system like those of his Barcelona and Bayern sides to ensure domination of space and possession. On a recent edition of Monday Night Football, Sky Sports pundit Thierry Henry recalled Guardiolas strict approach at Barcelona, where he ordered his players to adhere to a rigid positional system before allowing freedom in the final third. Thierry Henry explains how Pep Guardiola built his philosophy around three Ps He used to call it the three Ps: play, possession and position, said Henry, who joined Barcelona from Arsenal in 2007. The most important one is position. You have to stay in your position and trust your team-mates that the ball will come to you.Sometimes in training, to make you understand that, he would put cones up until the last third. Guys who were supposed to play on the right are not allowed to cross to the left, and on the left youre not allowed to cross to the right. The last third was freedom for us, but if you dont do what he is asking you to do, you are going to be in trouble. Peps 19 trophies 3 La Ligas 2 Champions Leagues 2 Copa del Reys 3 Spanish Supercups 2 Bundesligas 1 German Cup 3 UEFA Super Cups 3 FIFA Club World Cups Henry recalled a Champions League game against Sporting Lisbon in 2008, when he grew impatient at his isolation on the left flank and drifted across to be closer to Lionel Messi. I could hear him being upset on the side, but I still went there, I didnt really care, said Henry. I scored a goal, 1-0 up at Sporting Lisbon. I come back at half-time, all nice and everything… He took me off. When Pep has a plan - respect his plan. Thierry Henry The lesson? When Pep has a plan - respect his plan, added Henry. He used to say to us the first time he took the team: My job is to bring you to the last third; your job is to finish it.Ferocious pressing, direct, devastating attacking and a high defensive line come as standard in a Guardiola system, but he is not wedded to a particular formation and his tactical flexibility is unrivalled. Barcelona chiefly operated in 4-3-3 system but he has also used a 3-4-3 and dozens of other intricate variants. Guardiola demands total dedication from his players in training History suggests he will happily tailor his approach to Citys strengths. At Barcelona, the thrust of their attacking play was directed through the centre of the pitch to heighten the influence of Messi, Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Sergio Busquets, but at Bayern he completely changed it up, emphasising wing play to harness the brilliance of Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben. Former midfielder Guardiola treasures tactically intelligent players in his own image such as Busquets, Javier Mascherano and Philipp Lahm who can operate in a variety of positions. One of his greatest innovations was to use Messi as a false nine at Barcelona, and he has continued to surprise at Bayern, where, in their recent demolition of Arsenal, goalscorer David Alaba split his time between left-back and striker. Thomas Muller, Arjen Robben and David Alaba have starred under Guardiola But while Guardiola is typically associated with thrilling attacking football, he ranks defensive organisation as the fundamental key to his philosophy. This is one of his main characteristics, writes Perarnau. Guardiola is no romantic idealist when it comes to football, nor is he an aesthete, as has been claimed. He is a single-minded pragmatist. Above all else, Pep wants to win.Asked about the emphasis he puts on defensive coaching in training, Guardiola says: Because its absolutely essential if I want to attack a lot. Defensive organisation is the cornerstone of everything else I want to achieve in my football. Guardiola is thrown into the air after Barcelonas 2009 Champions League triumph In that sense, it is no surprise that Guardiola was so appealing to City, whose glaring defensive frailties this season have seen them ship more Premier League goals than any of their closest rivals. Another attribute to excite his suitors is a track-record for developing young players which dates back to his days in charge of Barcelonas B team.The golden generation he nurtured at Barcelona was built around players he brought through the youth ranks himself, and in the Premier League he will meet one of that philosophys finest products in Chelseas Pedro. The diminutive winger did not stand out in La Masia, but with the unwavering faith and special attention of Guardiola, he upset the odds to become a crucial player. Guardiola took young Danish midfielder Pierre Hojbjerg under his wing in his first season at Bayern On the training pitches of Bayerns Säbener Strasse headquarters, he devoted hundreds of hours to the development of Danish midfielder Pierre Hojbjerg, and this season teenager Kingsley Coman and 20-year-old Joshua Kimmich have been ushered into the first-team since their arrivals in the summer. Manchester City, the owners of a gleaming new youth academy, will be eager for more of the same.It is not difficult to imagine how well Guardiola will be received by a new squad of players in the Premier League. Its an amazing feeling that someone of the calibre of Pep has so much confidence in [you], recounts midfielder Thiago Alcantara, who followed him from Barcelona to Bayern, in Pep Confidential. When the best coach in the world calls you, you dont have to think twice. Thiago Alcantara has shone for Bayern after following Guardiola from Barcelona In his 2012 biography of Guardiola, Pep Guardiola: Another Way of Winning, author and Spanish football expert Guillem Balague describes a 30-minute presentation on Barcelonas pre-season trip to St Andrews in Scotland, where, shortly after their new managers appointment in 2008, he outlined his vision for the club and immediately captivated the squad. There would be many more team talks, but the one at St Andrews laid the foundations for the new era at FC Barcelona. Guillem Balague The players sat in silence, listening to Pep as he paced the room, making eye contact with his listeners, showing a mastery of communication skills, writes Balague. The squad, the group, were seduced. Upon leaving the room, Xavi commented to a team-mate that everything that they had needed to know was there in that talk. There would be many more team talks, but the one at St Andrews laid the foundations for the new era at FC Barcelona.As of this summer, a new era will commence in the Premier League with Manchester City. And with Estiartes law of 32 minutes in mind, its easy to imagine Guardiolas thoughts are already turning to the challenge ahead. Authentic Harmon Killebrew Jersey . Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series. Authentic Jose Berrios Jersey . The defence is doing its part, too. Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and the guys on the other side made sure that was enough, sending the Saints to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. http://www.cheaptwinsjerseys.us/ . -- Aldon Smith believes he is on the path to being sober for good. Authentic Byron Buxton Jersey . Fellow centre Pavel Datsyuk remains out because of a concussion. Zetterberg has 11 goals and 19 assists for a team-high 30 points, and Datsyuk has a team-high 12 goals and 11 assists. Authentic Zach Duke Jersey . Westbrook has missed 27 games since having a procedure on Dec. 27 to deal with swelling in his injured right knee — the third operation on the knee in nine months. A few days before the final roster was to be announced for Team USA at the World Cup of Hockey,?Jack Johnson got a phone call from a member of USA Hockeys management team who asked him to meet the group in Cleveland for dinner, along with fellow defenseman Erik Johnson. The two?players had earned a silver medal together at the 2010 Olympics but had been left off the 2014 team.Typically, when it comes to roster selections, no news is good news. But Jack Johnson had no clue what an invitation to dinner signaled for his chances, so he immediately called Erik Johnson (no relation) to see if he knew anything more.Both of us had the same question: Did this mean we were on the team? said Jack, a 29-year-old blueliner for the?Columbus Blue Jackets. We just didnt know. We had never been invited to dinner like that before and were second-guessing ourselves the entire time leading up to it.Team USA general manager Dean Lombardi, who is also the GM for the Los Angeles Kings, and coach John Tortorella, who also coaches the Blue Jackets, were both in Cleveland to watch their respective AHL affiliates battle in the Calder Cup playoffs.?John and I wanted to meet with Erik and Jack specifically to explain to them the importance of fulfilling their role whenever John puts them in -- whether its 10 minutes, 20 minutes or 30 minutes, Lombardi explained. We wanted to be perfectly clear with them about our expectations.Lombardi and Tortorella?showed them cuts compiled from more than six hours of video on each player -- the good, the bad and even a little ugly. The GM and coach then talked about the players job descriptions and roles for the tournament, and even described the scouting process they went through to reach that point. But neither Lombardi nor Tortorella had yet to reveal whether either Johnson had actually made the team.All signs were pointing in that direction, but we werent allowing ourselves to get excited until we actually knew, Jack Johnson said. Finally, when things were wrapping up, Erik flat-out asked them if all this meant we had made the team. Dean Lombardi kind of chuckled and said yes -- and I was finally able to breathe.Not making the Olympic team in 2014 was a tough pill to swallow for Jack Johnson. After being an overtime goal away from a gold medal in Vancouver in 2010 and settling for silver, he wanted another crack at the Olympics. But that disappointment turned out to be the least of his concerns that year. That fall, he filed for bankruptcy after he discovered his parents had taken out several large, high-rate loans against his future earnings and had defaulted on more than $6 million of debt with several million still due.The legal process is still going on, but right now Im closer to the end of it than the start of it, Jack Johnson said. Unfortunately with my family, things arent ideal. But Ive started a family of my own and it gives me a lot more perspective on things and a lot more clarity on it.Over the past year and a half, Jack Johnson has ggotten married, had a daughter and found his game again.ddddddddddddI never gave up on the hope of putting the USA jersey on again, Johnson said. Coach Tortorella called me last summer and said hed be watching me, so I knew making this team was a real possibility. I just had to go out there and be myself and not let anything else affect me and just get back to having fun playing hockey again. I think all the positive things that happened for me in a short amount of time this past year helped me do that.As far as Lombardi is concerned, Jack Johnson is exactly the type of player he wants on this team.Theres no way were going to win this thing unless we play hard and are hard to play against, Lombardi said. We know thats what were going to get from Jack on every shift, and after going through the scouting process, we knew we wanted him on our blueline making it difficult for the other teams top lines.Both Erik, at 6-foot-4 and 232 pounds, and Jack, who is 6-foot-1, 240, bring a big, physical presence to the blueline.It was pretty clear to Erik and I -- and I think we were there together because well probably play together -- were going to be out there with a very physical presence, Jack Johnson said. There will be plenty of guys who can bring the offensive side of the game, but they think we can bring the strong defensive side of the game that might have been lacking before.Once Lombardi said the magic word that revealed Jack was on the World Cup roster and allowed him to exhale, Johnson knew it was just Step 1 and that there was still more work to be done.When he said yes, I flat-out told him, I promise you. I wont let you down. Whatever you want -- kill penalties, block shots, change water bottles -- whatever you want, Ill be happy to do it, said Johnson, who has worn the USA jersey at two U-18 world championships, two world junior championships, five world championships and one Olympics with a gold, two silver and a bronze medal to show for it.Im not sure theres another player who takes more pride in putting on that USA jersey than Jack, Lombardi said. Its real. The pride he takes in that jersey is unsurpassed. I think he likes wearing the USA jersey more than his NHL jersey, and I have no doubt hell do everything he can to help the team win.For Jack Johnson, this opportunity is more than just another chance to put on that jersey and win a gold medal. Its proof that he can bounce back.I was dealing with a lot [in 2014] and I didnt play well enough to make it impossible for them to leave me off the team, and I take full responsibility for that, Johnson said. I knew my game wasnt at the level it could have been or needed to be, but you have to learn from it and keep pushing forward. When you do that, things always seem to turn around as long as you keep the right frame of mind. This time, I know I earned my way back onto this team. Cheap Jerseys Online Wholesale NFL Womens Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China China NFL Hoodies Stitched NFL Jerseys Discount NFL Jerseys Wholesale NFL Camo Jerseys ' ' '
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