Over the past two years, English football has given birth to a new rivalry that has added more fire towards the most popular league in the world.
The attention that a Liverpool versus Manchester City game attracts is undoubtedly thanks to their managers. Some would even go as far as to rename it the Jurgen Klopp versus Pep Guardiola bout.
So that begs the question: who is the better manager?
A lot of pundits would say that Guardiola should be crowned just because of his achievements alone, but I would like to disagree from them.
Being a Premier League manager is unlike any managerial role in the world and can be one of the most brutal. The pressure of good performances as well as the fans and the objective to stay relevant at the top of the table for long periods can overwhelm even the toughest of managers, so the ability to build a team in the Premier League should be taken in account as well.
(Adam Davy/PA via AP)
Since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure from the Premier League, many coaches have tried to emulate what the Scot had accomplished with Manchester United. Their noisy neighbours have come the closest.
However, Manchester City’s luck only started when new cash-splashing owners took control of the club. They suddenly attracted some of the biggest names in football and with good players came good results.
But world-class football players can’t be managed by mediocre bosses, hence the employment of Pep Guardiola. His reputation spoke for itself and he sat at a table of its own class.
So his success at City came as no surprise to anyone. His managerial career has been a green pasture with no real bumps in the road so far, but I question whether all his success should be credited to him alone.
His accomplishments have certainly not been all him. In his first season as a manager he was given the reins to a Barcelona side that had seven of Spain’s World Cup winners in his line-up and definitely did not need much guidance at the time.
The same can be said of his second club, Bayern Munich, who also had seven of Germany’s key players playing under him. Of course trophies would follow when you have world champions representing you.
On the other hand, you have the ultimate football fairy tale of a man who had to start at the bottom and build his reputation up to where he stands as the king of Europe today.
Jurgen Klopp’s story is the complete opposite to his adversary. Unlike Pep, he did not make his debut as a manager for a world-class side like Barcelona, instead his first task was to promote his team Mainz 05 to top-flight football in Germany, and so he did.
After that came a spell at Borussia Dortmund where heartbreak awaited him, losing the Champions League final against old foes Bayern Munich. His next challenge was situated in Liverpool and the Reds are by far the most successful club he has managed.
(AP Photo/Tim Ireland)
They won the Champions League final and sit at the top of the Premier League table with a noticeable lead that will ensure being well deserved winners if the FA were to anoint a title-holder for this season.
Klopp is the epitome of any aspiring manger’s dream. The hard work that he put in behind the scenes to create an environment for players, staff and fans alike to feel comfortable has gone unseen by many.
Guardiola has always been blessed with the financial support of his club, extraordinary players as well as his notoriety that he attained at previous clubs. But when Klopp arrives at a club, he has a dream. And along with that dream he implements a style of football that would always pay dividends if supported by the owners.
The German also has a special connection with the fans. Even when he visits his old clubs to play against them, he is welcomed by chants of gratefulness rather than cries of bitterness. Klopp’s ability to transform a club from a striving-to-be-successful club to a footballing giant is uncanny and it is a rare talent to possess.
Guardiola rocked up at the Etihad and was received by money, an exceptional squad and brilliant facilities. But Klopp took what he got from the Anfield faithful and transformed it into a powerhouse giant that is hungry for glory and will surely continue to be successful.
DHRUV GROVER
Roar Rookie
Nothing else, thought I see another argument about how Pep is buying around his trophies
ididthisinlockdown
Roar Rookie
anything else?
DHRUV GROVER
Roar Rookie
Klopp started with Mainz and Pep with Barcelona B. After Mainz klopp has managed at Dortmund and Liverpool. These are some of the biggest clubs in Europe and have high spending power. You can't get more storied than Liverpool or Dortmund. Pep, when he took over had dysfunctional teams both at Barcelona and City. Yes, at Bayern he inherited treble winners but wasn't the case at his other clubs.
DHRUV GROVER
Roar Rookie
Why would any manager would want to manage a small club when all the top clubs in the world want him. A person always look to upgrade his resume. Every manager dreams of managing a top club one day. Pep has been doing it for than a decade.
DHRUV GROVER
Roar Rookie
Yes Liverpool have spent really well recently, the sale of Coutinho contributing to the low net spend. Pep came in and spend very smartly on both the fullbacks and goalkeepers, the positions that City needed urgent upgrade. As for the forwards Pep largely worked with players he inherited Augero, Sterling, Silva, de bruyne - all world class in my opinion. Also klopp had a much larger project in comparison to Pep as Liverpool needed upgrade through out the squad, But it is very wrong to discredit Pep's work at City by pointing just to money. As Cruyff once said, "I have never seen a bag of money score goals"
Adam
Roar Rookie
Klopp and liverpool have spent a lot, and spent well. they've still got a low net spend on transfers. Salah wasn't a guaranteed world beater, Robertson came from recently relegated Hull and Wijnaldum was at Newcastle VanDijk and Allison were the right players to lift the team to another level. Plenty of clubs spend big dollars, not many spend as well as Liverpool
DHRUV GROVER
Roar Rookie
Pep didn't inherit the team that had 7 world cup winners. Hell, they weren't even Euro winners. Pedro and Busquets were unknown players at that time even in Barcelona. He was the one who brought back Pique to the club. He inherited a very weak Barcelona side who hadn't challenged for the league in two years. So it is very unfair to discredit Pep's work in Barcelona. He actually worked for a year as manager of Barcelona B that yielded some great results that led to the senior gig. On the other hand, I am a great fan of Klopp and his style of football. But I am not entirely sure of your assessment in Liverpool. You said he worked with what he was given. But he actually bought Salah, Mane, Allison, Van Dijk, Robertson, Wijnaldum, Milner. Allison and Van Dijk were record signings for a goalkeeper and a defender at the time. I agree that Klopp has done some great work but he has done with players that he bought just like Pep.
ididthisinlockdown
Roar Rookie
I would love to see Pep take on the challenge of managing any other team than a giant and taking them to the next level, just like Klopp does. If he can do that, there would be no doubt in my mind that he is the best manager to walk on the face of the earth.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
Is there really an argument? Perhaps from those with heavy emotional investment in Man City/Bayern/Barcelona or Mainz/Dortmund/Liverpool. For the neutrals it is much clearer. How do your teams perform when you don’t have an open cheque book to simply buy the best? Clearly Klopp. That said, I think Guardiola is a fantastic coach and I would love to see him challenge himself by taking on a less storied club. The question is…does he have the courage? I hope so as I suspect he would do well.