Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola believes Manchester United managerial target Erik ten Hag is good enough to be considered as a future Manchester City manager.
Pep Guardiola said: “Erik ten Hag could definitely be here. A lot could be here and I think he could be one of the ones. For the way he approaches the game, definitely, definitely. I will say to Txiki now! We spoke quite regularly and he is just an incredible person and human being. I was surprised at how humble he was. The relationship we had was good, especially when we talked about football and the second team, players, he was exceptional. For his qualities, just take a look at his Ajax team in the last years. It is a joy to watch. “
United are looking to end a drought of five years without a trophy and nine without winning the league, as well as attempting to reverse a fall in standards that has seen Liverpool and City create a chasm of quality from them. Guardiola believes that the work Ten Hag has done with Ajax shows what he can do at a prestigious club with a proud history and identity. However, the City boss does not believe that makes him a guarantee to be a success at Old Trafford, pointing to the quality of the other managers they have had since Sir Alex Ferguson that have all been sacked.
Pep Guardiola added: “Ajax is one of the teams, maybe the team, that has an incredible mythology and tradition with the way they play. It doesn’t matter on the coach, the way they play is the same since Rinus Michels or Johan Cryuff. They continue the legacy. This is the challenge, to do what you believe in. It is what I tried to do in Munich and Barcelona and when I came here. To prove myself to do it in other countries. In terms of qualities, just look at his teams, to define a manager watch his team for a long time. This is a team and this manager makes the players play. There is no doubt about that. If I was 100 per cent sure I would call Man United and say ‘Guys you have to take him’ but nobody knows. In the past there were brilliant managers. Since Sir Alex left, you cannot say David Moyes is not a proper manager, or Louis Van Gaal or Jose Mourinho. All the managers that have been at United are excellent.”
