Capello Takes Aim at Guardiola's Attitude

“You know what bothers me about Guardiola? His arrogance.” This statement came from Fabio Capello, the seasoned Italian manager, during an extensive chat with El Mundo. At 78 years old, Capello candidly discussed the relationship he shares with Pep Guardiola, the current mastermind at Manchester City, which has been anything but harmonious.

Capello's Experience with Guardiola

Capello's coaching journey brought him face-to-face with Guardiola during his tenure at Roma. “We never had a falling out,” he recounted. “One day, he approached me with suggestions on how to manage the team. I told him, ‘Run a few laps and then we can chat.’ The trouble was, he strolled around the pitch, which made it impossible for me to play him when there were others who deserved it more. That was that.”

Praising Guardiola's Contribution

When it comes to Guardiola's coaching credentials, Capello does not hold back on his admiration. “He has etched a remarkable chapter in football history,” he noted. “I've witnessed three seismic shifts in the sport, about every two decades: Ajax under Cruyff, Milan courtesy of Sacchi, and finally, the Barcelona that Guardiola shaped. I have no hesitation in saying that.”

Guardiola's Innovations and Their Pitfalls

Despite his commendations, Capello remains critical of Guardiola's approach. “It’s his arrogance that puts me off. The recent Champions League triumph with Manchester City was the first in which he didn't overcomplicate things during pivotal matches. In those crunch moments, he has this habit of wanting to be the centre of attention. He alters tactics and creates variations, as if to declare: ‘The players don't win; it's me who wins.’ This mindset has cost him dearly in the Champions League stakes. To be fair, while it's not solely his fault, he has inadvertently wreaked havoc on the game.”

How Guardiola Has Changed the Game

Capello elaborated on the wider implications of Guardiola’s style: “For a solid decade, football has been obsessed with mimicking him, muddying the waters of Italian football in the process. Many believed this was the sole avenue to play well. It became mind-numbingly tedious, alienating fans who now only care for the highlights. Why sit through an entire match full of sideways passing? Thankfully, football appears to be undergoing a transformation.”