Pep Guardiola: A Profile by Patrick Omorodion

An African proverb notes that when a chicken arrives at a new place, it stands on one leg to observe its surroundings before putting the second leg down to compete with other chickens, a principle that applies to Josep Guardiola Sala, also known as ‘Pep’, who began his football coaching career with Barcelona B team before being promoted to manage the senior team in 2008.

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Guardiola made a remarkable debut season, leading Barcelona to a treble, winning La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League in the 2008/2009 season, and went on to win 14 trophies in his four-year tenure from 2008 to 2012.

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He popularized the possession-based tiki-taka style of football, initially introduced by Dutch legend Johan Cruyff, and after dominating the Spanish La Liga for four seasons, Guardiola moved to the German Bundesliga with Bayern Munich from 2013 to 2016.

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In Germany, he introduced his tiki-taka style, securing three consecutive Bundesliga titles and two DFB-Pokals, although he was unable to win the UEFA Champions League with Bayern.

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In 2016, Guardiola began his tenure in the English Premier League with Manchester City, where he remained for 10 years and is set to leave at the end of the season, having redefined English football and guided City to multiple Premier League titles, a historic domestic treble, and the club’s first-ever UEFA Champions League trophy.

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Sir Alex Ferguson was the dominant figure in the Premier League before Guardiola’s arrival, winning a record 13 EPL titles in his 23 years at Manchester United, and remains the only coach to achieve three consecutive wins at two different times and two back-to-back wins.

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Guardiola’s first season in the English Premier League was the 2016-2017 campaign, where he managed Manchester City and finished third with 78 points, trailing champions Chelsea and runners-up Tottenham Hotspur, the only season of his managerial career where he did not win a major trophy.

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However, he went on to win the Premier League four times in a row after his initial attempt at a hat-trick was punctuated by Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in the 2019-2020 season, and returned as champion again for a record double back-to-back in 2020-2021, 2021-2022, 2022-2023, and 2023-2024.

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Ironically, what could have been Guardiola’s fifth consecutive EPL victory in the 2024-2025 season was punctuated by Liverpool, this time steered by Dutch coach Arend Martin Slot, who took over from Klopp.

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The fear of Guardiola was a significant factor in the Premier League, and despite Manchester City struggling throughout the 2025/2026 season, Arsenal fans remained uncomfortable with their lead, knowing that with Guardiola, it is never over until it is over.

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Arsenal fans who had waited 22 years since their last Premier League win in 2004 were anxious, and some even called for Mikel Arteta’s sack when Manchester City caught up with Arsenal on the table, but Arteta, mentored by Guardiola, remained calm under pressure.

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As Guardiola bows out at the end of the season, it is notable that he hit the ground running on his debut with Manchester City, giving Arsenal a good fight, and his departure will be memorable.

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The final matches of the season will see Arsenal playing Crystal Palace, while Tottenham Hotspur, who placed second behind Chelsea and pushed Guardiola’s Manchester City to third in the 2016-2017 season, will be battling to avoid the drop zone against West Ham United.

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Tottenham, with 38 points and a plus -10 goals difference, only need a draw against West Ham, who have 36 points with a -22 goals difference, to avoid relegation, and may receive support from Arsenal fans to ensure they remain in the Premier League.

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Tottenham has never been relegated since the EPL was introduced in 1992, having only suffered relegation four times since their founding, in 1914-1915, 1927-1928, 1934-1935, and 1976-1977.

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As the season comes to a close, congratulations are in order for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal for breaking their 22-year jinx, and good luck to Tottenham and West Ham as they battle to avoid the drop, may the better side survive.