HiveComb

We hear things like when Thierry Henry expresed how he was shocked when he began to be coached by Pep Guardiola. Pep took away the licence he had in Arsenal to float freely in the attacking phase of play. It was a strictly structured system under Pep, you either fall in or fall out.

Welcome to Pep

We hear things like, Pep's system has silenced the typical number 10 role and also silenced that player we used to call the assistant striker. Well not just Pep, football in this era generally has.

I dare say and would keep repeating that this man is a Professor and has revolutionised football. And success brings with it, disciples– so everyone began to copy the style.

So it's still a pleasure for some people to still see coaches like Ancelloti who play a football that gives more ventilation to creativity as of old.

However, Pep is one key reason why he's been chased out of Madrid.

It's the era of Pep in football. Amazing how one man can have such an influence.

Arne Slot of Liverpool was an ardent student of Pep. Kompany of Bayern Munich learned under Pep, De Zerbi of Marseille, influenced by Pep, ofcourse Arteta of Arsenal, everyone knows.

Today Xabi Alohso, now of Madrid played under Pep and has clearly picked his brains.

What else can we say? Pep was part of the reason Klopp had to take time out of football. Forget the Italian league, Italy has their own style, but at least Fabregas and Vieira are representing Pep there.🙂

Just one man in one life time. You would think he's in his 60s now, but he isn't in his mud-fifty yet. Fascinating really!

A Bit more of Pep's Greatness

To put Pep's influence in some perspective. There's a Mourinho who reigned with Pep, similar to the way Cristiano reigned with Messi, infact Mou more or less chased Pep out of Barca, when he coached Real Madrid.

Today where's Mou or how much influence has his brand of football had on the game? Well yeah, Mou pioneered data analysis many years back, even before he coached Chelsea, but well the average viewer doesn't see those sciences, what they see is football being played.

Enter Conte, another Pep level coach, he hasn't had the fortune of consistently coaching big teams, so he hasn't got Pep's kind of influence.

Now we have Luis Enrique, he was Pep's very classmate in coaching school, both trained under same laws. Enrique went into national team coaching which is quite obscure compared to club coaching and his journey in coaching has not allowed him to gain as much influence as Pep.

Mr. Pep's shadow looms large over the entire world of football, much more than any other coach right now.

The coming of Mou to the EPL signalled a major power shift, it broke the stranglehold of the traditional big clubs over the league, he gave Chelsea the prominence they still enjoy today, but Pep's arrival was not just about Pep's club(Manchester City), it has affected the whole league, including the national team. It was/is like a tsunami that hit other continents and nations.

The whole league, the English league, the best league in the world, is full of footballers after the order of Pep's style.

What a Professor Emeritus Pep is!

HOWEVER

However, just like I said before, it has also reached an anti-climax time. Rodri coming back or not, Pep can't be as dominant again, there are just too many disciples of his. I mean one of his disciple's disgraced Ancelloti in the quarter-finals of the Champions league only few weeks ago. The current Barca coach went to visit the former(Xavi), a former Pep student of Pep student, few days ago to appreciate his work as coach in Barca. A Pep thing still flows in Barcelona.

Well Pep would be up there, but football is no longer willing to allow him reign supreme. So we can say these are also the years of the fading away of the genius, Pep Guardiola.

But what an impact, even in my country Nigeria, you see the football in the league now, it's looking a lot like the Pep philosophy.

HONORARY MENTION

No disrespect to the late Mr. Cryuff who discipled Pep and Bielsa who tutored Pep too, but the truth is Pep carved a niche for himself.

Afterall Cryuff discipled Enrique too, Enrique coached Barca too, but his coaching journey didn't allow him to infect the world with his style just like Pep.

Perhaps it's time for Enrique football to reign supreme, but WHAT IS SURE IS THAT, THESE ARE THE PEP DAYS AND ALSO "PEP'S LAST DAYS".