He says it is 20 major trophies. We say 17. Irrespective of your views around the seriousness with which the Community Shield ought to be taken, Pep Guardiola’s record in England stands alone. For sheer weight of silverware across this timeframe, it will never be matched.
He stood away from the throng of celebrating Manchester City players and staff just before Chelsea clambered up to the royal box at Wembley, seemingly in a daze.
When Darren England blew the final whistle, he had almost slouched across to shake Callum McFarlane’s hand. A slow walk, a walk of tired satisfaction – the sort of which you might find at the end of a lengthy ramble when the stout inside might taste particularly pleasing.
As Guardiola wandered over there, the club’s scouting supremo and close friend Joan Patsy was already on the pitch, having been unusually camped near the bench. One of the doctors was on too. They all want to stay close to the manager as he continues to make history, a third FA Cup to go alongside six Premier League titles, a Champions League, five Carabaos, a Super Cup and Club World Cup.
As they waited for Chelsea to collect their medals, Guardiola stood still for individuals to approach him. They went over, one by one, for their moment. And as he ordered every single member of staff over for a giant group picture with the trophy, you saw Guardiola’s collective ethos in action.
He hugged, he laughed, he thanked. He looked overcome towards the end of a never-ending season that started 11 months ago on the beach north of Miami just off the Atlantic Sea. It’s a new City and does he really want to wave goodbye to this, a domestic Double with a fresh squad that will only grow stronger?
There is doubt surrounding the future of Pep Guardiola (left), with many believing he will be leaving Manchester City at the end of the season
The answer from those inside the club’s training ground, who are with him every day, is that yes, he is heading off into the sunset and yes, he made up his mind about that some weeks ago. They have claimed any validity to murmurs and whispers around the Etihad’s corporate boxes at the midweek victory over Crystal Palace that Guardiola is readying himself for a dramatic U-turn is news to them.
They assume that it is a matter of days before the official communication is made on the biggest single shift at the club since the Catalan’s arrival a decade ago, with City set for a parade and lavish ‘after party’ at the Co-op Live next Monday. And they say significant changes to the backroom staff – beyond the departing coaches like Lorenzo Buenaventura and goalkeeping coach Xabi Mancisidor – are coming.
But then you look at Guardiola. You re-read the record of trophies, see how he collapses to his knees as Chelsea pore forward in a flurry early in the second-half. How he argues with Jeremy Doku to pin back Malo Gusto, as had been the instruction. How he still, after victory is sealed and the ticker tape is about to burst, animatedly talks Rayan Cherki through his performance.
There is of course still something to work toward over the next week, to be primed were Arsenal to slip up against either Burnley on Monday or Crystal Palace on the final day. Generally, though, it would be a sight to behold to see Guardiola take this younger group on for another season and truly harness the talent at City’s disposal.
Guardiola has felt over the past two months that something has clicked with the team’s stability, blaming himself for not finding the solutions sooner. ‘The future is bright,’ he said.
He appeared mentally shot after the FA Cup final – but will miss it all when he is gone
He’s the first manager in English football to do a domestic cup Double twice. ‘Pep’s legacy is staggering already,’ Noel Gallagher was saying before kick-off. ‘There’s bound to be a dip (after he leaves), there won’t be that pull of great players. They all want to play for Pep and if he’s not there will all these up and coming superstars want to come and play?
‘City are in great position, the club is amazingly run. I think we’d stand a better chance than any to continue the success, but it’s going to be tough.’
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Tough to find somebody with the same competitive spirit. Guardiola flipped his lid in the dressing room at half-time, complaining that City were their own worst enemies during the first-half and that the moving of the ball was too flat.
‘He was angry, to be fair,’ John Stones said. ‘I’ve not seen him as angry as that, but it was his passion and he wanted us to show the desire to go out and win the game.’
Perhaps that is why he appeared somewhat shot, mentally frazzled, by the end. Or perhaps that was the train down on Friday afternoon, severe delays on the line after a fire on the line at Nuneaton. ‘Six hours travelling yesterday,’ Guardiola said. ‘A problem in this country!’
But Pep, you’ll miss it when it’s gone.
