What I imagine Pep with RDM as assistant would be like.

[Swoopz 183]

But I do feel like RDM would very possibly move on to his own little project since he has already gotten top honors in the history of our club.

I also think that Barca will be flying next season with Vilanova. Expect a much more aggressive Barcelona that won't hold back and play "classy". Especially against Real Madrid, I'm sure Vilanova hasn't forgotten about Mourhino's eye gouge.

[The Big Drog 1,110]

I think Barcelona were very smart in hiring the new head coach from within the club. Vilanova has worked with Pep from the start, he knows how the club works, he knows the players, he believes in the philosophy of the club.

That's not to discount the genius of Guardiola, the man who created the dynasty but Vilanova ill have had a hand in creating that himself. Id love to one day see Guardiola return to the Camp Nou as manager. Id love it even more if we were to one day see him as Chelsea manager, I strongly believe that there is no finer coach in world football than Pep Guardiola.

[Jype 6,398]

A Champions League winning manager would never agree to be an assistant again so isn't this thread a bit pointless?

[J.F. 1,484]

I can only imagine RDM with Pep assistant.

[OneMoSalah 8,778]

Meh fuck Pep and fuck Barca. RDM is god.

[YouNameIt 1,511]

I think Barcelona were very smart in hiring the new head coach from within the club. Vilanova has worked with Pep from the start, he knows how the club works, he knows the players, he believes in the philosophy of the club.

That's not to discount the genius of Guardiola, the man who created the dynasty but Vilanova ill have had a hand in creating that himself. Id love to one day see Guardiola return to the Camp Nou as manager. Id love it even more if we were to one day see him as Chelsea manager, I strongly believe that there is no finer coach in world football than Pep Guardiola.

lets see if pep can be even near that successful in another club. of course he achieved all that with barca, who wouldnt? barca is a self-playing piano, they could have a monkey as manager and yet be successful. I dont rate Pep that high tbh....

[OneMoSalah 8,778]

Anyone could win with Barca because they have a philosophy and model nobody else can compete with. You could appoint Boris Johnston as the manager of Barcelona and he would win the treble.

[True_Blue 469]

Yes let us get a new manager since Di Matteo was clearly shite last season.

[The Big Drog 1,110]

lets see if pep can be even near that successful in another club. of course he achieved all that with barca, who wouldnt? barca is a self-playing piano, they could have a monkey as manager and yet be successful. I dont rate Pep that high tbh....

I've been over this before and in great detail. Your comment is ridiculous, it smacks of someone who hasn't a clue about Barcelona or La Liga, it is the comment of someone who is clueless of the situation the club was in pre Guardiola and just what Guardiola did to create the greatest team to ever play the game. It's both ignorant and stupid.

[The Big Drog 1,110]

Anyone could win with Barca because they have a philosophy and model nobody else can compete with. You could appoint Boris Johnston as the manager of Barcelona and he would win the treble.

See the comment above.

[OneMoSalah 8,778]

See the comment above.

Ok. I'm going to be completely honest here, why do you care about Barca? Remember what they did to us in 2008

[The Big Drog 1,110]

Ok. I'm going to be completely honest here, why do you care about Barca? Remember what they did to us in 2008

I'm a big believer in the way they play, the type if players they produce, the cutting edge tactics. The more I've seen them play, the more I've read about them (in particular the book by Graham Hunter is terrific) the more I admire them. So comments like those above saying that anyone could have done what Guardiola did annoy me because it is downright wrong.

[OneMoSalah 8,778]

I'm a big believer in the way they play, the type if players they produce, the cutting edge tactics. The more I've seen them play, the more I've read about them (in particular the book by Graham Hunter is terrific) the more I admire them. So comments like those above saying that anyone could have done what Guardiola did annoy me because it is downright wrong.

The only thing I'm impressed with by Barca is their youth system. I hate them apart from the fact they are incredible at blooding good youth players in to their team.

[The Big Drog 1,110]

The only thing I'm impressed with by Barca is their youth system. I hate them apart from the fact they are incredible at blooding good youth players in to their team.

All the same, like them or hate them, the comment about Guardiola is ridiculous. It isn't a million miles from someone saying "anyone could have won what Di Matteo did with the group of players he inherited when he took over." Obviously that's an exaggeration but anyone who knows Barcelona knows that the situation at the club at the end of Rijkaard's reign was bad, for Guardiola to pick up that group and do what he did the following seasons and for the next few years was nothing short if remarkable.

[OneMoSalah 8,778]

All the same, like them or hate them, the comment about Guardiola is ridiculous. It isn't a million miles from someone saying "anyone could have won what Di Matteo did with the group of players he inherited when he took over." Obviously that's an exaggeration but anyone who knows Barcelona knows that the situation at the club at the end of Rijkaard's reign was bad, for Guardiola to pick up that group and do what he did the following seasons and for the next few years was nothing short if remarkable.

Yeah but with a squad of that ability and talent I wasn't surprised. That is why if you put him in charge of good another team he won't replicate anything close to the amount of success he had(nearly 20 trophies in 4 years). Watch and see Tito Vilonova will have a success season largely due to the squad and tactics similar to Guardiola's. Similar to Pereria at Porto using Villas-Boas' tactics from the previous season.

[The Big Drog 1,110]

Yeah but with a squad of that ability and talent I wasn't surprised. That is why if you put him in charge of good another team he won't replicate anything close to the amount of success he had(nearly 20 trophies in 4 years). Watch and see Tito Vilonova will have a success season largely due to the squad and tactics similar to Guardiola's. Similar to Pereria at Porto using Villas-Boas' tactics from the previous season.

It's easy to say now "ye well he had Xavi, Iniesta and Messi" but you have to put it into context. Xavi, Iniesta and Messi were not the names that they are today, ask any of those players how important Guardiola was to their careers and you will get an illustration of why Pep is so good. Of course Pep will always be best at Barcelona, the club's philosophy is ingrained in Guardiola, Pep knows how the club works inside out and he is utterly dedicated to the club's philosophy and he is a hugely popular figure at the club from his playing days and now his time as coach of Barcelona. I think he would be successful anywhere he goes, cream always rises to the top, but Guardiola and Barcelona are a perfect fit. Im sure Vilanova will also stick to the principles of the club, to the philosophy but dont be surprised if he puts his own tweaks and ideas on the system.

[Heisenberg 1,824]

Di Matteo is our Guardiola.

[OneMoSalah 8,778]

It's easy to say now "ye well he had Xavi, Iniesta and Messi" but you have to put it into context. Xavi, Iniesta and Messi were not the names that they are today, ask any of those players how important Guardiola was to their careers and you will get an illustration of why Pep is so good. Of course Pep will always be best at Barcelona, the club's philosophy is ingrained in Guardiola, Pep knows how the club works inside out and he is utterly dedicated to the club's philosophy and he is a hugely popular figure at the club from his playing days and now his time as coach of Barcelona. I think he would be successful anywhere he goes, cream always rises to the top, but Guardiola and Barcelona are a perfect fit. Im sure Vilanova will also stick to the principles of the club, to the philosophy but dont be surprised if he puts his own tweaks and ideas on the system.

The principles of the current Barcelona team originated from Johan Cryuff when he was coach years ago. People tend to forget that. Without Cryuff you don't have the "tiki taka" or "total football" idea instilled into the team in the first place and you don't have the youth set up that was copied from the Dutch which ultimately has been reaping the rewards for the last 10 years producing fine players who can all fit into a similar model of football. Guardiola wouldn't have been a holding midfielder had it not been for Johan Cryuff switching him to that position in the first place so Cesc, Busquets or Xavi wouldn't have idolized him, trying to be a similar player to him... Cryuff was the best match for Barcelona. You might not think that but basically he was.