I agree with all you say, I've said for what he is, a manager that needs exactly the right environment and resources to succeed, he is unrivalled. But to me that doesn't in turn mean he is the best manager. I'm not going to compare him to Poch, simply because I have no argument there in terms of a return in silverware, but I will say I respect Poch much more in the way he carries himself and his own ideas on the sport. Il also say I personally believe Jose is the better manager, proving himself in a much broader spectrum of football. Again I will say Pep is a good manager, but he is what he is, he spends for success and needs a certain perfect environment for his team to succeed.
What I mean about his failure to acknowledge his situation is that he pays very little regard for his opponent, it's like when bigger teams chant "your shit" at an apponent that is significantly less well resourced than they are.
Also the whole idea that Pep created this hard press and demanding a high work rate is a bit hard to swallow. I remember playing a very low level of school football where our coach demanded we got in the "opponents faces" and "left it all on the pitch", it's not new it's just Pep has refined it.
You say last season was ok because Pep was new last season, he still had arguably the best team on paper but completely disregarded the strength on the PL and thought he could coast it. I have no problem with fans who think he the best but I simply don't agree, there is a reason he has moved a lot and that's simply his style of play and the way he uses his players won't work in the long term, players wil ultimately stop pushing so hard, he is not a patch on Fergison no matter what he wins. It's just my view but a managers spending, or indeed overspending, must reflect and be taken into consideration when assessing their ability.
Lastly I think people writing this season off and just giving it up to City is very premature, they probably will ultimately win but at some point they will go through a sticky patch and anything can happen.
And I get your point however "the best" is very subjective and will vary from individual to individual. You say, "I respect Poch much more in the way he carries himself and his own ideas on the sport." doesn't Pep do that too? Sure you can say Mou or Poch have done well and in case of Mou have won titles with not the best of environments, but that doesn't make them better lol
"What I mean about his failure to acknowledge his situation is that he pays very little regard for his opponent"
What? If anything Pep is obsessed with every detail of the game regardless of oppositions. He fielded a lot of first team players in both his Cup games this season. Mendy recently spoke about how he kept talking about the Stoke game to them and was drilling their head in, doesn't seem like a guy who pays little regards to his opponents, especially since that's the main reason he doesn't stay around because it can get tiring for him and the players.
Also the whole idea that Pep created this hard press and demanding a high work rate is a bit hard to swallow
And I never said he created it. I said he was renowned for it meaning known for setting up is team with these fundamentals. You said, "a great manager should be judged on more than that" and I responded by saying he's known for his style of play, which is why many clubs hire him also. Of course he didn't create it. He even said himself he got his pressing from Bielsa Bilbao who would press the hell out of their oppositions.
You say last season was ok because Pep was new last season, he still had arguably the best team on paper but completely disregarded the strength on the PL and thought he could coast it.
Yes, he did have one of the best teams no doubt about it, but it wasn't the best that's people pushing an agenda. KdB himself said that when he joined there was too many old players on the team and this season the team is more fresh with younger blood. Did he tell you this? Last season even when they were unbeaten he said, the team was a long way off to what he wants to they would hit a rough patch. He said after the CL qualifying games he knew it would be a long season as it wasn't just the defense, but the offense also.
I have no problem with fans who think he the best but I simply don't agree, there is a reason he has moved a lot and that's simply his style of play and the way he uses his players won't work in the long term, players wil ultimately stop pushing so hard, he is not a patch on Fergison no matter what he wins. It's just my view but a managers spending, or indeed overspending, must reflect and be taken into consideration when assessing their ability.
That's not entirely correct. It's true he moves on when he feels the team isn't responding to him, but that doesn't mean that should be put as a negative light on him. I don't understand this patch on Ferguson your claiming, is it because he was long time manager at United? I mean by that logic I could say Fergie wouldn't have last at RM or Barcelona, he wouldn't have been able to control all those egos and deal with the politics there and he would've been sacked eventually.
Of course spending or overspending should be, but you yourself said there probably isn't anyone better then Pep with resource if given, so doesn't that say something?
I never said City are going to win it and I do believe it's premature, the league is still 27 games with CL, FA Cup and Carabao Cup mixed in. Anything can happen.
