The sign of Pep Guardiola being a truly great manager is that he makes his job at Manchester City seem easy.
Guardiola seems to make a mockery of all the questions aimed at his City side season in and season out as he goes on to win the Premier League; triumphing six times in his eight campaigns in charge.
The £378,846-a-week manager has even been hit with massive injury concerns in seasons where he has won the title; losing Kevin De Bruyne to major injuries in the 2018/2019 and the 2023/2024 seasons as well as Sergio Aguero in the 2020/2021 campaign.
Yet, the Manchester City boss’ one of a kind tactical ingenuity and incredible man-management seem to ensure his side have the edge over the rest.
But the Catalan also has some of the best players in the world at his disposal; a factor that certainly helps any elite manager win silverware.
Perhaps some fans and pundits alike would question whether other managers would also succeed like Pep Guardiola has at the Etihad Stadium.
After all, the quality of players given to a manager has a huge bearing on any team’s results.
Bent shares whether Postecoglou would succeed at Man City
For instance, Ange Postecoglou was widely praised for his exciting start to life at Tottenham Hotspur.
Postecoglou had managed to incorporate an entertaining and attack-minded system from the get-go at Spurs.
It seemed like the Australian was exactly the kind of manager the club needed to replace Antonio Conte — especially in a summer where arguably Tottenham’s greatest-ever player, Harry Kane had joined Bayern Munich.
But eventually, the wheels started to fall off as the Lilywhites, who seemed destined for Champions League football in the 2024/2025 season finished in fifth place.
However, the Australian could be excused as he still has to add more players that fit his system; a process that cannot be executed in one or two summer transfer windows and Spurs had finished sixth the season before he joined.
Andy Goldstein asked on talkSPORT: “Who’d win the league first? Is it Pep [Guardiola] managing Spurs or is it Ange [Postecoglou] managing Man City?”
Darren Bent feels Ange Postecoglou would suceed if he was the Manchester City manager, saying: “See, I’m going Ange managing Man City because they’ve got better players.”
Andy Goldstein said: “Yeah but he [Postecoglou] plays such a high line.”
Bent said: “Yeah but he’d obviously adapt with those players.”
“Yeah, Ange, come on. He’s got the best striker on the planet.”
Goldstein said: “I know but you’ve got the best manager on the planet.”
Darren Bent simply said: “Nah.”
Ange Postecoglou would not have as easy a job at Man City as one assumes
With the possession-dominant style of play Ange Postecoglou plays coupled with how quickly he seems to implement his style of play, he could succeed at Manchester City.
Postecoglou would also work with a squad with more quality than he has ever encountered in his career.
But simultaneously, the 59-year-old would have a different scale of expectations at City than he has ever had at Yokohama F. Marinos, Celtic, Tottenham or any side he has managed.
Furthermore, Ange Postecoglou would also have to enter a squad of serial winners and command their respect.
Additionally, Postecoglou would have to compete with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal as Manchester City’s main title rivals; a team that could be considered one of the best in the world.
While in Europe, City are expected to reach the latter stages of the Champions League season after season; a competition the Spurs boss still has plenty to prove in.
As a result, the job at Manchester City would not be one that is as easy as one thinks Darren Bent suggests it would be for Ange Postecoglou.
