Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has responded to Roy Keane’s comments from last weekend about the way he talks to his players on the pitch after games.
This came about after the Spaniard was spotted talking to Erling Haaland on the pitch at Old Trafford shortly after the final whistle in City’s 3-0 win over Manchester United.
Keane then suggested that Guardiola’s on-pitch communication with his players was just for the cameras rather than the benefit of whoever he talks to.
With City back in Premier League action this afternoon with a home clash against Bournemouth, the 52-year-old has responded to Keane’s comments and shared his own view on the matter.
Guardiola responds to Keane comments
Speaking in his latest press conference ahead of today’s match against the Cherries, Guardiola had this to say regarding Keane’s comments.
He said: “I don’t take it personally, I respect all pundits and what they say. What I would say is I didn’t overreact and didn’t do something for the people. We were happy, we have to admit it, I was, really. I respect a lot Roy Keane.
“Sometimes I finish the game and go inside, sometimes I stay, talk. When I find a player, we chat about the game. I know the cameras are everywhere. I could tell him [Erling Haaland] inside, but at that moment I was outside.
“I can avoid it honestly. Maybe Roy is right, but it happens when it happens. I don’t need at my age to do something for the people. It’s fresh, players have that image. Sometimes when you input, it remains here [the head], or here [the heart], strongly. We had two days off [after United] and in three days, ‘You remember?’, ‘Oh yeah’. Forgotten.”
Guardiola’s point about talking to his players at the earliest opportunities about incidents when they are freshest in their minds makes sense in our view.
Having then gone over whatever points he feels need to be made, this then gives him and the players the chance, particularly last weekend against United, to enjoy their victory before moving on to their next game.
Also, with the significant number of players that the Spaniard has coached throughout his playing career and the number of trophies he’s won along the way, we feel that Guardiola doesn’t need to do anything for the cameras that may show him to be a top coach when he has already proved himself to be one many times.
Moving forward, if the City boss can go on to win even more silverware at the end of the season, this will undoubtedly increase his reputation as one of the best managers in world football, regardless of which pundits think he does things for the cameras.
