It isn’t a question of Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola adapting to the Premier League but rather an issue of his players adapting to him, that is according to his Bayern Munich successor Carlo Ancelotti.
The legendary boss has had his say on the current mixed fortunes of Guardiola, and believes the onus should not just be on the Spaniard to change himself to suit the English game.
Ancelotti inherited Guardiola’s Bayern team, after taking over at the helm of the Bavarian giants in the summer, and recognises the difficulty of working with a fresh set of superstars in a new league.
‘I think that’s much more of an issue than him having to adapt to the Premier League.
‘To get the benefit of Guardiola players have to adapt to him. It’s the same for me here at Bayern. The players have to get used to me and it has cost us at times. When I think back to some of the goals we’ve given up on the break… why, it’s enough to drive you insane,’ Ancelotti added.
The 57-year-old is widely considered, along with Guardiola himself, one of the world’s elite football managers with the silverware to back up the claim.
And, while many believed Ancelotti to be taking on the perfect job when inheriting Guardiola’s success-laden Bayern side, the Italian insists the reality is quite the opposite.
‘I think it’s actually more difficult to come to a club where everything is going great and everyone is happy,’ Ancelotti said.
‘When you take over from a guy who has been sacked because things weren’t going well, it’s more straight-forward.
‘Everyone, from the players to the club officials expects change. And it’s vital for you to go and make sweeping changes. Plus, people will be patient, because rebuilding takes time,’ he added.
Guardiola and his Manchester City side return to action this weekend, bidding to get back to winnways when they travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
The Eagles reached the final of the competition last season, following an impressive run which saw them cruise through to Wembley, but they suffered heartbreak when City’s arch rivals United sealed a victory in extra-time.
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