Pep Guardiola: The Evolution by Martí Perarnau

Pep Guardiola: The Evolution by Martí Perarnau

Author:Martí Perarnau [Perarnau, Martí]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Birlinn Ltd
Published: 2016-10-31T16:00:00+00:00


Why had Pep been so determined to hide his emotions, only ‘letting go’ on his last day? For two reasons: he’s naturally introverted and he believed that he needed to protect himself. I’m not talking here about shyness but about an introverted person who’s only comfortable and willing to open up when surrounded by trusted confidants. On those occasions he’s expressive and chatty, happy to argue his position and always up for a laugh. I’ve taken numerous photos of him in the elevator in the Allianz Arena fooling around and having a joke, just as up for a bit of banter as his most extrovert players (David Alaba and Thomas Müller).

His natural introversion means the image he projects is that of a cold, aloof, nerveless competitor which perhaps explains people’s confusion when he finally opened up in Munich, talking about the mutual affection between him and his players and describing the passion and commitment they showed every day at training.

‘Love’, ‘affection’, ‘passion’. Strange words indeed to find on the lips of a man famed for his cold-hearted detachment. And it’s precisely this discrepancy between the private and the public Pep that causes many people to distrust his heartfelt, if rare, public expressions of emotion. He’s seen as someone incapable of becoming emotionally involved until it all gets too much on the last day and the floodgates open. Only then are people reassured that, yes, Pep is a caring guy who inspires not just affection but genuine passion in his players.

Guardiola’s very trusting and over the years he’s paid a hard price for his accepting nature. He’s open and friendly and reluctant to find fault in others. Which is why he’s found himself feeling let down and betrayed so often in the past. This is a man who would rather lose the argument than betray a friend, yet time and again he’s put his trust in people who have proved unable or unwilling to show him the loyalty he deserves. He’s too soft, too trusting.

Basically, Guardiola’s one of life’s good guys swimming against the tide in the tough, harshly competitive world of professional football. And this takes me on to one of his other faults: his propensity to take the weight of the world on his shoulders. Not satisfied with assuming responsibility for his own cock-ups, he seems to believe that he must also assume the faults and failings of his players, the club and, on occasion, even complete strangers.

And it cuts both ways. Without these flaws, Pep wouldn’t be Pep. Without his passion, his unfailing dedication to his club and his players, and his constant striving for perfection, he wouldn’t be the brilliant, innovative, trophy winning coach he is today. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy for him or for those around him. With Pep, nothing is done by halves. Everything has to be as close to perfect as humanly possible. Depending on the situation, this can be a blessing or a curse.

So, once again, I’d like to ask the obvious question.



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