Man City boss Pep Guardiola compared to Johan Cruyff in Jurgen Klopp Liverpool FC debate

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Pep Guardiola has been hailed as having a greater influence on Europe football than the late Joyan Cruyff. The Netherlands legend had an incredible impact on the game with his ‘total football’ philosophy that transformed the thinking of coaches in the late 1980s and 90s.

But Manchester City boss Guardiola has been praised for having a deeper influence down to the grassroots of the pyramid. Having his say in a debate about the Catalan coach and his rivlary Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand argued that the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager has influenced the whole domestic game. “I respect them both for different reasons,” he told YouTube show FIVE. READ MORE: The nightmare scenario that could see Man City face Liverpool FC in play-off for Premier League title “Pep Guardiola; there’s never been a manager probably since — well I don’t even think Cruyff had the impact in terms of down the pyramid of football.

You go and watch Sunday league football… there are teams that are trying to do what Pep has set out. “In my time I’ve never seen the impact of a coach from a tactical perspective like this, the effect he’s having.” Ferdinand also praised Klopp for the way he has managed to turn a school of Liverpool players into world class superstars with a lesser purse than City.

He said: “You look at Klopp and what he’s done in comparison with budgets. It’s as hard, if not maybe harder sometimes, to get what he’s done out of the players. “He hasn’t bought ready-made world class players.