Pep Guardiola

PEP GUARDIOLA The Philosophy that Changed the Game 15_02_24_book_PEP GUARDIOLA_engl_ar.indd 1 25.02.15 08:38 15_02_24_book_PEP GUARDIOLA_engl_ar.indd 2 25.02.15 08:38 PEP GUARDIOLA THE PHILoSoph THAT CHANGED THE GAME Miguel Angel Violán Meyer & Meyer Sport 15_02_24_book_PEP GUARDIOLA_engl_ar.indd 3 25.02.15 08:38 Original Title: El métode Guardiola © Miguel Angel Violán, 2010 Columnia Edicions Llibres i Comunicació, S.A.U. Peu de la Creu, 4, 08001 Barcelona Translation: Caleb J. Moore British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Miguel Violán: Pep Guardiola – The Philosophy that Changed the Game Maidenhead: Meyer & Meyer Sport (UK) Ltd., 2014 ISBN 978-1-78255-029-7 All rights reserved, especially the right to copy and distribute, including the translation rights. No part of this work may be reproduced – including by photocopy, microfilm or any other means – processed, stored electronically, copied or distributed in any form whatsoever without the written permission of the publisher. © 2015 by Meyer & Meyer Sport (UK) Ltd. 1st reprint 2015 of the 1st edition 2014 Aachen, Auckland, Beirut, Cairo, Cape Town, Dubai, Hägendorf, Hong Kong, Indianapolis, Manila, New Delhi, Singapore, Sydney, Tehran, Vienna Member of the World Sports Publishers‘ Association (WSPA) www.w-s-p-a.org ISBN 978-1-78255-695-4 E-Mail: [email protected] www.m-m-sports.com 15_02_24_book_PEP GUARDIOLA_engl_ar.indd 4 25.02.15 08:38 Contents CONTENTS Dedication ...................................................................... 8 Introduction .................................................................... 9 Following Guardiola .................................................... 10 The Boy Who Cried for Pinocchio .............................. 14 The Esteemed Pep Guardiola ....................................... 33 "Have the Courage to Have Values" ............................ 51 Pep Guardiola’s Speech ............................................... 67 The 6:2 Generation ...................................................... 85 Does Pep Have Any Weaknesses at All? .................... 107 The Club & Its Blue-Red Soul ................................... 127 A Certain Samuel Eto'o .............................................. 151 On the Importance of Role Models ............................ 165 Recollections of Ronaldinho & Deco? ...................... 177 Guardiola’s Absence .................................................. 191 Guardiola for President? ............................................ 207 Values and More Values ............................................. 227 Last But Not Least: The Eighth Title ......................... 249 Books & Other Resources .......................................... 253 Four Commentaries .................................................... 265 Appendix .................................................................... 285 Credits ........................................................................ 288 15_02_24_book_PEP GUARDIOLA_engl_ar.indd 5 25.02.15 08:38 15_02_24_book_PEP GUARDIOLA_engl_ar.indd 6 25.02.15 08:38 I give you fans my word that we will push ourselves. I don’t know if it will end in success, but I won’t let up. Buckle up! We’re going to have fun! Guardiola to fans at the 2008-2009 Barça team presentation on 16 August 2008 15_02_24_book_PEP GUARDIOLA_engl_ar.indd 7 25.02.15 08:38 PEP GUARDIOLA the philoSoph thaT CHANGED THE GAME DEDICATION I dedicate this book to my parents, Enric Violán i Tohà (†) and María Dolores Galán Puigdevall. I also dedicate it to all of the members of my family who came before us as well as those here with us today and those who will come after us. I also dedicate this book to my wife Maria Antònia, my daughters Ariadna and Patrícia Violán i Camprubí, my siblings Enric and Núria, and my nephews Èric and Edu. I dedicate it to my parents-in-law, Esteve Camprubí and Maria Antònia Claramunt, who generously gave up their seats in the stands at Camp Nou allowing us to enjoy the game together with the ‘Gómez clan’—Bernat Gómez, Montse Camprubí, Núria, Ferran and Guim. Naturally, I also dedicate this book to my few but good friends as they are always there when I need them. Four of them have kindly agreed to contribute to this book. Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude in general to all those who placed their trust in me and lent me their support in writing this book by providing information and sharing their views. I admire all those who show how the world should be by the way they live their lives. 15_02_24_book_PEP GUARDIOLA_engl_ar.indd 8 25.02.15 08:38 Introduction INTRODUCTION This book is based on journalistic content gathered from print, radio, television and online sources, current sporting events (including press conferences), secondary literature as well as conversations with people associated with Pep Guardiola. The book does not contain exclusive quotations by the former Barça coach but does provide interesting information from those who are close to him. The fact that he does not grant any interviews is part of this coach’s communications policy. A major portion of this book was written at my home in Barcelona’s Eixample district. I also worked in the reading rooms of the Ateneu Barcelonès, the computer room of Widener Library (Harvard University’s main library), the Cafeteria of Harvard University’s unique Cooperative Society located on Harvard Square, and in the greater Boston area, a crucible of knowledge in the United States. Every line in this book bears a small reflection of these different settings although there was always a common denominator: my internet connection. That is simply a sign of the times. 15_02_24_book_PEP GUARDIOLA_engl_ar.indd 9 25.02.15 08:38 PEP GUARDIOLA the philoSoph thaT CHANGED THE GAME FOLLoing GUARDIOLA (Foreord TO THE SECOND EDITION) By Miguel Angel Violán It is a great pleasure to write this introduction to the second edition of Pep Guardiola: The Philosophy that Changed the Game because it shows how much interest this outstanding Catalan coach sparks worldwide. It was seven years ago that I decided to invest much of my time and energy in following Guardiola’s steps as the new coach of FC Barcelona, and again as Pep became the coach of FC Bayern Munich in 2013 after a one-year break in New York City. The very reason for me to do that was my deep conviction that this guy would do great as a coach since he has got wonderful values as well as amazing skills. I must confess that reality exceeded my highest expectations: In just a few years, Pep has become an astounding celebrity, a paramount brand—and a rich man, truth be told. This book in your hands was originally titled Guardiola's Method. It was written in Catalan language (Guardiola's mother tongue, by the way) and translated into seven languages. For the international English edition, it was 15_02_24_book_PEP GUARDIOLA_engl_ar.indd 10 25.02.15 08:38 Following Guardiola renamed just to emphasize the big achievements made by this former Barça soccer player and now successful coach. During the first season of Guardiola as new coach of Bayern Munich (2013-14), I had the opportunity to follow his steps, moving to Munich to witness Pep's new achievements. As a press blogger I followed his new victories and experiences and this material made the basis for my second book on Pep's life in Germany titled Herr Guardiola (2014, published by Círculo Rojo). In this case, reality fulfilled all my predictions in the sense that Guardiola made a great first season...except in one thing: He didn't win the Champions League as he did twice in the past with Barça. In this new season, 2014-15, it is time for Guardiola to succeed 100% with his new team by winning the desired Champions League title, which is incredibly hard to achieve, as all football fans know. If Guardiola does it, he will no doubt be considered the best coach of the world for the second time—and probably already a legendary one. As the coach of FC Barcelona, Guardiola showed a great talent to succeed in his own club, Barça, and in his home, Catalonia, surrounded by wonderful players (including big star Lionel Messi) educated in the football school La Masia, like Guardiola himself. Now, what Pep is trying to show is that he has the capacity to succeed in another country, in another environment, with different players while adapting to another culture. According to his Bavarian bosses, Pep really does match the highly demanding standards of 15_02_24_book_PEP GUARDIOLA_engl_ar.indd 11 25.02.15 08:38 PEP GUARDIOLA the philoSoph thaT CHANGED THE GAME German culture and so far he has shown an incredible capacity to work and engage his players to become the best team of the world. What a huge challenge to succeed in such demanding society taking over from a brilliant coach like Jupp Heynckes, who won the treble of Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League in the extraordinary 2012-13 season, just prior to Guardiola's arrival. But let's go back to the roots. Reading this book, the reader will understand how important some values are in the way Guardiola behaves. Such values as teamwork, sacrifice, resilience or common sense are fundamental to grasp Guardiola's philosophy as well as his capacity to take care of even the smallest detail, benchmark his main rivals, find magic, innovative tactical solutions and never give up in the search for excellence. Germany (2014 FIFA World Champion in Brazil) is one more chapter in the curriculum of Pep Guardiola,

Load more