Breaking news: Pep Guardiola resigns!

[Mondey]

Guardiola ends glittering Barcelona reign



Pep Guardiola will leave Barcelona at the end of the season, bringing to an end a trophy-laden four-year spell in charge of the Catalan club. Assistant Tito Vilanova will take over next season.

Guardiola informed his players of his decision on Friday morning, before heading to a press conference to address the media. The former Barcelona captain and Spain international has told the club he needs a break from football.

The news brings the curtain down on the reign of the most successful coach in Barcelona's history. Guardiola won three successive La Liga titles at Camp Nou, lifting the Champions League trophy in 2009 and 2011, as well as subsequently winning the FIFA Club World Cup on two occasions.

Guardiola has been on a rolling contract at the Camp Nou since taking over from Frank Rijkaard in 2008, and, with the 2011-12 season drawing to a close, the strain of constant media criticism and expectation at the club has taken its toll.

Fusing the world class talents of Lionel Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta, Guardiola is widely regarded to have formed the greatest club side in the history of European football.

However, defeats to Real Madrid, which effectively ended Barcelona's league title ambitions, and to Chelsea in the Champions League, have led Guardiola to the acknowledgement that he needs to recharge. A year-long break from football is now expected.

The news will spark strong media speculation over a potential move to Chelsea, regardless of Guardiola's wish for a break. Blues owner Roman Abramovich is reportedly ready to pay whatever it takes to bring the Spaniard to Stamford Bridge, but it is likely to take more than just money to tempt Guardiola into another job.

http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/148155.html

[Mondey]

The legend who changed the definition of modern football in 3 years leaves.. sad day indeed for Catalonia!

2009


2012

[Shirib]

Nerazurri should sign him

[Keyblade]

Randy Lerner's master plan is coming into fruition

/delusions

[nomadicwarlord]

He resigns at the right time because it's Real Madrid's turn to dominate La Liga. I know after few months in the sidelines, he would want to come back. Inshallah, he will succeed Monsieur Wenger at Arsenal in 4 years time

[FBISOMALIA]

happy day to all of us

[Jam Street]

Toughest thing is knowing when to quit when you become successful @ your job. As fate would have it, Guardiola's status appears to be an all time high and so this is the perfect time to say good bye.

I once said, two players (at that time they were players) would one day become coaches and become successful @ that. Those two players Guardiola & Roy Keane. In the end both become coaches and one is regarded today as maybe the finest coach ever considering what he has done in 4 years and that coach is Josep Pep Guardiola.

[Somaliman50]

he should go to chelsea, roman needs a new toyboy

[Somaliman50]

.

[abdalla11]

Nerazurri should sign him

he should go to chelsea, roman needs a new toyboy

Only people who dislike attractive football go there*. I think he would fit into Arsenal

* minus Guus hiddink

[Jam Street]

Chelsea are going to make an offer for him that going to be hard to turn down. And that is what most people base their decisions on; $$$$. Nobody cares about the history of the team or anything. But no matter where he goes, I know Guardiola will never change his philosophy and approach to the game. He will always aim to win and win while playing good football which fans can enjoy.

[Colonel]

Toughest thing is knowing when to quit when you become successful @ your job. As fate would have it, Guardiola's status appears to be an all time high and so this is the perfect time to say good bye.

I once said, two players (at that time they were players) would one day become coaches and become successful @ that. Those two players Guardiola & Roy Keane. In the end both become coaches and one is regarded today as maybe the finest coach ever considering what he has done in 4 years and that coach is Josep Pep Guardiola.

Are you kidding me?

Just look at the team Guardiola inherited from Rijkaard. Iniesta, Xavi, Messi, Ronaldinho...Barca was already playing great football at the time, maybe not as good as now but great nevertheless. There's no way he can be considered as the best manager ever for those few seasons , give me the team he inherited and i'll win you a few trophies a season.

Marcelo Bielsa, now that is a manager of high caliber. His team Chile played the best football by far at World Cup 2010 and he's doing it again with a regional team Athletic Bilbao. It's as if your club only played guys from a certain qabiil .

[NoAngst.]

Guardiola is overhyped. I mean, yes he is very good coach and probably deserves all the accolades he gets. But how much of that is down to his brilliance and how much is due to the quality of the squad at his disposal?

Look at the players he has: Pique, Busquets, Iniasta, Xavi, Messi, Alvez, Valdez... these are world class, once-in-a-generation (especially Messi, Iniasta and Xavi) players that would take any team they play for to the stratosphere. Can Guardiola replicate his accomplishments at Barca at, say, Real Betis, Mallorca, Rayo etc?

[Mondey]

Toughest thing is knowing when to quit when you become successful @ your job. As fate would have it, Guardiola's status appears to be an all time high and so this is the perfect time to say good bye.

I once said, two players (at that time they were players) would one day become coaches and become successful @ that. Those two players Guardiola & Roy Keane. In the end both become coaches and one is regarded today as maybe the finest coach ever considering what he has done in 4 years and that coach is Josep Pep Guardiola.

Are you kidding me?

Just look at the team Guardiola inherited from Rijkaard. Iniesta, Xavi, Messi, Ronaldinho...Barca was already playing great football at the time, maybe not as good as now but great nevertheless. There's no way he can be considered as the best manager ever for those few seasons , give me the team he inherited and i'll win you a few trophies a season.

Marcelo Bielsa, now that is a manager of high caliber. His team Chile played the best football by far at World Cup 2010 and he's doing it again with a regional team Athletic Bilbao. It's as if your club only played guys from a certain qabiil .

He inherited a team that lost La liga to Real Madrid two years straight and got knocked out from CL, only appeared one time as a finalist!
then he transformed that loser team into the best team in football.. he took brave decisions by selling Ronaldinho, Deco and all trophy saturated players.

Guardiola is overhyped. I mean, yes he is very good coach and probably deserves all the accolades he gets. But how much of that is down to his brilliance and how much is due to the quality of the squad at his disposal?

Look at the players he has: Pique, Busquets, Iniasta, Xavi, Messi, Alvez, Valdez... these are world class, once-in-a-generation (especially Messi, Iniasta and Xavi) players that would take any team they play for to the stratosphere. Can Guardiola replicate his accomplishments at Barca at, say, Real Betis, Mallorca, Rayo etc?

lol at look at the players he has!! wasn't he the one discovered Busquets, Pedro, Alves, brought back Pique, gave trust to Xavi and Iniesta who were sidelined by Rijkaard? he made those players what they are today!