Whilst there’s no doubt that Pep Guardiola the manager will go down as one of the greatest to ever step foot inside the technical area, it’s still worth noting down just how impressive Guardiola the midfielder was.
The Spaniard ended his playing career with one Champions League to his name, six Spanish titles, an Olympic gold medal and plenty more in an incredible career which largely featured success with Barcelona. It’s a credit to his managerial work that his time on the pitch is often placed second in his long list of achievements.
Not everyone has forgotten the player before the manager, however, and the late great Johan Cruyff previously took the time to praise both versions of Guardiola.
“He is doing very well, step by step, doing things the way he thinks they should do. He is attentive to every detail and always tries to get the most out of each player.
“I’m very lucky to have coached people like Guardiola. This is not just about winning a game; it is something else. And that is what gives me most pride.”
The former Barcelona star also featured in one of the most star-studded eras in football history. He shared a dressing room with Ronald Koeman, Ronaldo Nazário and Romario, whilst squaring off against the likes of Raul and Roberto Carlos.
One player he didn’t have the pleasure of meeting on the pitch or in the dressing room, however, is Wayne Rooney. Instead, Guardiola was forced to appreciate the Manchester United legend from the technical area at both Manchester City and Barcelona, which only peaked his appreciation for the former England star.
The Man City boss even went as far as describing Rooney as “one of the best” that he has seen in his career back in 2014. Yet, as impressed as he so often was by one of the Premier League’s greats, Guardiola also previously claimed that Rooney’s England teammate was, in fact, far harder to play against.
Guardiola reveals why Crouch was harder to play against than Rooney
It almost somehow feels absolutely right that Guardiola would have a special appreciation for a player like Peter Crouch. Whilst often underrated by many, Crouch can now say that he once had the full attention of arguably the greatest manager of all time.
The Man City boss wrote a series of columns about the 2006 World Cup and took the opportunity to reveal why Crouch is tougher to play against than the legendary Rooney.
“Wayne Rooney is perhaps more decisive and beautiful to watch. But what’s certain is that Crouch conditions you more. With Crouch, you have to play to Crouch’s game and playing to Crouch’s game gives you a lot.
“He knows what he’s doing, both with his head and his feet. One of the best virtues is his link-up play, he isn’t just there for crosses into the box. He knows how to keep the play flowing. He gets the ball a thousand times in the air and always keeps it. It seems simple, but very few strikers can and know how to do it.”
In just a small insight into the mind of Guardiola even before he became the manager that he is today, Crouch received some of the highest praise of his career.
Alas, it is certainly praise that he deserves. The former Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur striker ended his time on the pitch with a total of 108 top flight goals and remains one of the most technical tall strikers that the Premier League has seen, also racking up 22 strikes for England in just 42 caps.
