The 41-year Josep (Pep) Guardiola, one of the most winningest coaches in recent football history is creating waves once again. It was announced on January 16, 2013 that he would be the new coach of Bayern Munich starting the 2013-2014 season, which begins in July. He signed a three-year contract with the German football franchise for an undisclosed amount. Considering that Bayern Munich is the biggest and most successful German football club, it must be a very attractive contract price. After all, Bayern Munich secured Guardiola’s compatriot Javi Martinez last year, whose transfer deal was worth US$53 million or €40 million. Guardiola will replace current Bayern Munich coach, Jupp Heynckes, who is set to retire on June 30, right before the start of season 2013-2014. He is turning 68 in the same month.
Bayern Munich’s New Coach
Pep Guardiola has developed his own coaching style. He wants his players to have breakfast together at the club every morning. He fines the team when players are late for he believes that the team should be one solid group. He allows players to go home and spend time with their family when not playing. He has different practice forms. He’s outspoken, he does not like one-on-one interviews but would rather hold press conferences. He demands a free hand in coaching. It could be a culture shock for him and Bayern Munich, where the club president has a penchant for interfering. He is going to be very busy. He has less than six months to assemble his staff, among other things.
Guardiola is obsessive when it comes to football and he’s always seeking to improve tactics and methods. In short, he is a perfectionist. And analysts are saying that he’s likely going to be the same at Bayern Munich where he inherits a young team that is capable of achieving football greatness.
While there are still questions on what bold moves he’ll make in his new club, sports analysts are already predicting some of them. Bayern Munich could afford to sign up one or two star players to add to the team. Gauging from his coaching style, particularly with youngsters, he would likely focus on developing the talents of promising players by giving them more playing time, but still find a balance to keep everyone happy.
He is likely to employ the tiki-taka passing game that worked so well for Barcelona and other variations of possession-based football. Analysts predict that only Guardiola could restore the lost confidence of rising star players like Lahm and Schweinsteiger and the whole team, who were devastated when they lost to Chelsea in the finals.
The Language of Soccer
Pep Guardiola does not speak German, although he speaks several languages in varying degrees. How will Pep Guardiola overcome the language barrier? He generally speaks Catalan but is capable of conversing in Spanish. He can also respond to interviews in French and Italian. He is likewise fluent in English. Whatever language Guardiola will end up speaking while coaching his new club, he sure knows the language of soccer. In his case it is safe to say that no matter what language is used, which does not seem to be a problem in soccer, what is of highest importance is the knowledge of the language of soccer, which, in all likelihood, Guardiola is a master.
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