The day English football changed: 10 years on from Manchester City naming Pep Guardiola

It was a quiet morning when Manchester City announced Pep Guardiola as their new manager 10 years ago. The news spread like wildfire, and yet it felt almost mundane back then, a bland press release that would change the course of English football forever.

It's not about coaches adapting to English football, Jordi Cruyff once said; it's about English football adapting to the new things in the game. And yet, when Guardiola first arrived at Manchester City, his team struggled to find their footing. He suffered humiliating defeats against Leicester and Everton, and even had a rough ride in the Champions League against Barcelona and Monaco.

Fast forward 10 years, and Cruyff Jr is spot on again. The Premier League has become a far cry from its traditional long-ball, counter-attack style. Guardiola's influence has been instrumental in changing the game, bringing with it his unique brand of possession-based football that rewards creativity and skill over brute force.

It wasn't always easy, however. In his first season, Guardiola struggled to win matches, particularly against teams that favored direct, physical play. When asked about his team's struggles to win tackles, he famously replied, "I'm not a coach for the tackles." But it was clear even then that Guardiola had a different approach in mind.

Today, that approach has become the norm. Teams are taking more risks, launching crosses into the box and leaving defenders scrambling to cope with the sheer intensity of the attacks. Even smaller clubs have adopted this style, leaving traditional long-ball teams like Neil Warnock's Sheffield United looking like dinosaurs from another era.

Warnock himself has become a unlikely ally for Guardiola, the two having developed a close friendship over the years. The former manager was instrumental in bringing Guardiola into the fold, and even attended an evening with him in Manchester. "He still picks my brains," Warnock says. "He's taking in information all the time; you can see his mind working."

But as Guardiola continues to dominate English football, there is a growing sense of resistance against his tactics. Some coaches are pushing back against the Cruyffian way of playing, advocating for more direct, physical football that rewards set pieces and long throws.

It's ironic, then, that this Pep anniversary coincides with the first concerted push back against Guardiola's influence. Warnock feels vindicated, having argued for years that trying to match Guardiola's City was a lost cause. "What people have to realise is they can't match Pep's City in passing around the back," he says wryly.

Yet even as some coaches question Guardiola's methods, it's clear that his legacy will continue to shape English football for years to come. As for Guardiola himself, it's hard to imagine him calling it a day anytime soon. He has one more title left in him, and then – maybe – he'll hang up his boots for good.

I mean, Pep Guardiola is like the ultimate reboot for English football . 10 years ago, he was seen as this crazy foreigner who's gonna ruin our beautiful game... but now? He's the king ! The Premier League has gone from being all about grinding out wins to actually being exciting again . I love how teams are taking more risks and playing more like Barcelona did under Pep's coaching .

And it's crazy that Neil Warnock is now on board with Pep's tactics . He was always like the anti-Guardiola, but you can see he respects his genius. The pushback against Guardiola's influence is interesting, but I don't think anyone can match what he's achieved .

I still think Pep has at least one more title in him, and then he'll hang up his boots for good . But even if that happens, his legacy will live on through all the teams he's inspired .

I think its crazy how Pep Guardiola changed the game ! The way teams used to just kick the ball long and hope for the best is so last century . Now its all about possession and creating scoring chances, and it's opened up a whole new level of strategy in football. But at the same time, I get why some coaches are pushing back - sometimes direct play can be effective too . Its interesting to see Warnock and Pep having a close friendship despite their differing views, its almost like they're having a conversation about how to improve the game . And who knows when Pep will finally retire? He's still got that fire in his belly !

OMG u guys 10 yrs ago Pep came 2 Manchester City & ppl were like "meh" but now they're realizing how BIG of a change he brought the old long-ball style is literally ancient now lol. i love that Warnock is all about it tho, even though his team isn't exactly Cruyffian Pep's influence is SO huge & imo u can't match his City no matter what teams r starting 2 adopt this new way of playing n its like the whole league is evolving

man, 10 yrs ago ppl thought pep coming 2 manchester city was big deal but now its like he changed english football his style is all about possession & creativity, rewards skill over brute force and ur right jordi cruyff jr is spot on again!

premier league has become so much more than just long ball football, teams r taking risks & launching crosses into box, its a whole new era but at same time, ur getting some resistance from coaches who dont wanna match pep's way of playing esp neil warnock, he was instrumental in bringing pep 2 manchester city & now hes an ally

Warnock says people need 2 realise they cant match Pep's passing game, lol ur right tho, pep's legacy will keep shaping english football 4 yrs 2 come & as 4 Pep himself, he's still got that fire in him, one more title left & then he'll hang up his boots

Wow this is so interesting... the way Pep changed English football is mind-blowing, especially how teams are now playing with so much more risk and creativity

lol @ all these coaches trying to be like Pep now that he's the norm lol 10 years ago nobody cared about Guardiola's tactics but now everyone wants a piece of the action he was always ahead of the game, no wonder they're only just catching up I'm loving the irony of Warnock being like "I told you so" can't wait to see what other teams try to replicate City's success

I think the key to Guardiola's success is that teams started playing with a bit of freedom and creativity, not just blindly following orders . The Premier League has become more attractive to watch because players are allowed to express themselves on the pitch . It's crazy how far the game has come since those early days when Manchester City was still finding its footing . And I love how Warnock is now an unlikely ally for Guardiola , proof that even some of the old-school managers can see the benefits of the new way of playing . But at the same time, it's interesting to see some coaches pushing back against the Cruyffian style, maybe trying to bring a bit more balance back into the game . Still, I think Guardiola's influence will only continue to grow and shape English football .

i'm so sick of how outdated this forum is . like pep guardiola's influence on the prem is huge, but can we talk about how hard it is to read through all these long posts? my eyes glaze over just looking at that article . and the comments section? more cringeworthy than ever . seriously though, who needs all this negativity when you could just have a calm discussion? some people say guardiola's tactics are the reason for all the changes in the prem... personally, i think it's just about adapting to the game . but hey, at least there's still hope for a better platform

omg i'm still trying to get my head around how much pep guardiola has changed the game like remember when we used to play 5-4-1 at school and it was literally just kick the ball downfield? now its all about possession and creativity, and teams are even using overloads . i think its pretty cool that warnock is having an ally moment and acknowledging pep's genius but also kinda sad that some coaches are pushing back against his style...i mean, we're all about progress right? anyway, i'm just here for the beautiful goals

10 yrs ago Pep took over Manchester City & ppl thought he was weird 4 being all about possession-based football but now its the norm! Cruyff Jr was spot on saying it's not about coaches adapting, its about English footy adapting to new things Guardiola's influence has changed the game so much, teams r now takin more risks & bein all intense & creative It's crazy 2 see Warnock, who was once a thorn in Pep's side, havin become an unlikely ally & even picking his brains but not everyone's a fan of this new style... there's resistance against it & some coaches r pushin back I think Pep's legacy will keep shapin English footy 4 yrs 2 come tho

Pep Guardiola is like the ultimate game changer . He came in all of 10 years ago and just completely flipped the script on English football . I mean, who would've thought that a possession-based team would be the way to go? And now teams are all about launching crosses into the box , it's wild how much his influence has changed the game .

I love how Jordi Cruyff Jr is spot on again , saying it's not about adapting to English football, but about the league adapting to new things in the game . And Warnock being all supportive of Guardiola , who knew they'd become pals? .

But at the same time, I'm a bit curious to see how some coaches are pushing back against his tactics . Like, can you really match Pep's City in passing around the back? . But overall, Guardiola's legacy is gonna keep on changing English football for years to come .

10 years ago Pep came to Man City & it was like any other managerial change... fast forward now we got the "Cruyffian way" that's changing the game... lol. everyone loves a good possession battle but what about the fans who just wanna smash some balls into the box?

I'm kinda surprised that people are finally talking about the shift in English football style . I mean, Pep's influence on the game has been there for years, but it's taken a while for others to catch up. It's like, we've been conditioned to love long balls and tackles, but now teams are starting to realize that possession-based football is where it's at .

I think Warnock's been spot on in saying that trying to match Guardiola's City was always gonna be tough . But at the same time, it's good to see some pushback against Pep's tactics. I mean, not everyone has to play like Manchester City ️.

But let's be real, Pep's still got game . Ten years is a long time, and he's only showing signs of slowing down . So yeah, one more title left in him? Yeah, I believe it .

I'm loving this Pep anniversary celebration , but I gotta say, the way he changed English football was both awesome and kinda eerie . One minute it's all about long balls and brute force, and the next it's like everyone's trying to out-possess each other with fancy footwork . Don't get me wrong, I'm here for the skill and creativity, but sometimes I miss that raw, physicality of old-school football .

And can we talk about how teams have gone from being all "I'll just kick it long and hope someone wins it" to launching crosses everywhere? It's like they're playing a high-intensity version of 90s footy . Of course, Warnock has his say in that, saying Guardiola's City was always going to be ahead of the curve . Still, I think some coaches are right to question whether this all-out possession-based approach is sustainable long-term .

I mean, we've seen smaller clubs go all-in on this style and struggle to cope . Not saying it's not cool or anything, but sometimes you gotta appreciate the beauty of a good ol' fashioned 2-0 win . Pep's legacy is undeniably massive, but let's hope some coaches can bring that old-school grit back into the game

I'm loving this Pep anniversary vibes ! I think what's crazy is how far football has come under Guardiola's influence . I mean, who would've thought that a " possession-based football" style would become the norm? It's like he's been breaking down barriers in more ways than one . And I gotta give it up for Warnock - being an ally to Pep is no easy feat! He's definitely got some sage advice to share on how to adapt (or not ). But at the same time, I can see why some coaches would be pushing back against Guardiola's tactics . It's all about finding that balance between creativity and brute force . Anyway, it'll be interesting to see how this plays out in the coming seasons . Bring on the tackles... er, I mean, bring on the beautiful football!

Pep is still the king of the pitch lol I mean, 10 years on and his team still playing like a well-oiled machine . The way he's changed the game with that possession-based football is crazy to think about. All these other teams are copying him now, trying to be more like City . Warnock saying it now but he was always right about Guardiola being the best . Can't wait to see what next season brings

I'm loving the evolution of the Premier League since Pep took over 10 years ago . The way teams are now taking more risks and playing with such intensity is a game-changer! But at the same time, I can see why some coaches are pushing back against his tactics . It's like they're trying to find a balance between creativity and brute force – not an easy feat!

I've gotta give it up for Warnock though, he was ahead of the curve when he said that trying to match Guardiola's City was a lost cause . And yeah, I think Pep still has one more title in him – he's too good and too driven to hang up his boots anytime soon ! The thing is, his legacy will continue to shape English football for years to come, and that's what makes it so exciting .

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I'm not sure if I'd say the Premier League is too reliant on possession-based football . Don't get me wrong, Guardiola's impact has been huge, but sometimes you just need a solid defense to keep you in games . The constant pressure and high-intensity nature of his teams can be mentally draining for players, especially if they're not used to it .

Also, I think we're forgetting that traditional long-ball teams have their strengths too . They might not have the same flair as Guardiola's City, but they can still pack a punch with set pieces and physicality ️. Neil Warnock knows this all too well, and I think he's right to say that trying to match Guardiola's City is a lost cause .

It's also interesting to see the push back against Guardiola's influence . It'll be fascinating to see how coaches adapt their strategies and what kind of teams we'll see in the future ️. One thing's for sure, though – Pep Guardiola will always be a part of English football history .

idk why ppl still wanna go back 2 the old way of playin football lol its like, times changed mate! the pace of the game is faster now & teams need 2 be able 2 keep up . guardiola's influence is def a good ting, he brought creativity & skill 2 the table & it paid off big time.Warnock might b surprised but im lovin the way city play now, all this passing arond is making the game so much more excitin