Kyle Walker is one of the most experienced players in Manchester City’s squad.
At the age of 34, the defender has made 302 appearances for City across all competitions since arriving at the Etihad Stadium from Tottenham Hotspur back in the 2017 summer transfer window.
Out of all the players Pep Guardiola has coached during his time at the club, only four others have made more appearances under the 53-year-old than Walker.
Now though, the full-back has shed some light on his experience of being managed by Guardiola and how his individual game and the way he sees football has changed as a result.
Kyle Walker shares how his game has changed under Pep Guardiola at Man City
Appearing in a recent manager-themed edition of You’ll Never Beat Kyle Walker, the City right-back had this to say when asked what it has been like to be coached by Guardiola.
He said: “It’s class. It’s unbelievable. I think my game over the last seven years has come on leaps and bounds.
“I’m probably not as marauding a full-back as I was at Tottenham, but just reading the game and I probably fell in love with the game more by working under Pep.
“First of all, you have to because he’s that obsessed with the game of football and winning, the chess pieces and how things are going to be moved.
“I probably wouldn’t have been doing even like this. I probably wouldn’t have had the knowledge or I think with time and experience and going through certain situations you learn, but I probably became more into football at 27 when I signed for City than I ever was prior to that.
“And that’s what I think for him, he’s classy. Listen, he must be doing something right because of winning all the titles he’s done. But I think the group of lads that we’ve got are special.”
Walker has been a top signing for Guardiola
In a previous edition of the same podcast he’s shared these comments in, Walker revealed that Guardiola had spoken to him before he joined City and said that he sees the defender as being a key figure in his City team.
Given the amount of games Walker has played for the Blues it’s safe to say that Guardiola stuck to his word.
In terms of the full-back being more aware when it comes to reading the game and being more in love with it in general, this highlights the effect Guardiola has on his players and how they end up mirroring his outlook on football.
