Cruyff: Guardiola too young to stop coaching

Johan Cruyff has reflected on Pep Guardiola’s future, declaring that he is too young to stop working and that he hopes to see him try something new.

Guardiola is on a self-imposed 12-month sabbatical from the game after four years with the Barca first team, during which time he overtook Cruyff to become the club’s most successful Coach.

For Cruyff, he hopes to see the tactician back in work soon and somewhere where he has the time and patience to implement his philosophy again

“He is too young to stop. I would like to see him work again, but on something different,” reflected the Dutchman of the 41-year-old to Le Buteur today.

“What? Who knows. For example, the national team, which has its advantages and disadvantages. To play the game that Pep wants, you need many workouts. If you go to a club, you have to impose your ideas and your system, allow him to work in peace and somewhere where the fans enjoy their style. If a club wants him for four or five years then you have to have a President that will give him carte blanche to do things according to his vision.”

That vision is based around a specific style of play that Guardiola developed from Cruyff’s own work at the Camp Nou.

“To learn how Barca plays you have to see how they set up when they do not have the ball. They always push from the goalkeeper to recover the ball quickly.

“In football it is harder to make things look easy and to do them well, that’s the difference between Barcelona and other teams.”

However, rivals Real madrid’s philosophy is not one that has won over the Dutchman.

“What bothers me about Madrid today is their manner in behaviour and in their way of educating players. Look at how Xavi, Iniesta and Messi behave, who understand normal people on the street.”

Barcelona have opened up a 16-point gap over Madrid in the title race and a nine-point advantage over Atletico Madrid in second place.

“It’s a terrible difference. It is honestly not good for the League. Maybe Barca’s fans are happy, but a championship is valued by the tension and excitement that it can create. Here, the suspense is over.”

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Source: Football-Espana