Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has hailed Pep Guardiola as the best manager in the history of football.
Gundogan, 31, the German international who spent four years working under Jurgen Klopp at Dortmund, reckons Guardiola has no equal when it comes to bringing the best out of players. He feels the Catalan isn’t just the king of current coaches - but the best there has ever been after winning 10 titles in just 13 seasons as a manager.
“In terms of qualities, I have never seen anyone better than him (Guardiola)," he said. "I probably won’t see anyone better than him. I just feel privileged to be able to work with him right now for the sixth year, to still learn from him, to be valued and appreciated by him.
“I really do believe that he was - and is - the most innovative manager that football has ever seen. I think he is just incredible, what he has achieved and what he is still able to achieve. It is just an honour for me.”
Guardiola lifted three La Liga titles in four seasons as boss of Barcelona as well as two Champions Leagues. He then won a hat-trick of Bundesligas when faced with Klopp’s Dortmund when he moved to Munich.
And when Gundogan scored twice in a dramatic final-day win over Aston Villa in May, as City came from 2-0 down with three goals in five incredible minutes, it clinched four titles in five seasons for the Blues.
It was the German’s ‘Aguero’ moment - but he insists he does not want to be defined by one of the most iconic moments in Premier League history. Gundogan said: “It probably was the best way (to end the season). I cannot think of anything else to be honest.
“If someone would have asked me before the game, I probably would have said I will take a 2-0 or 3-0 so we are the champions! Afterwards, it was obviously way more exciting and way more memorable.
“The way it happened at the end was kind of unique but also you needed a lot of nerves that day It was not an easy day at all and afterwards you are full of relief, adrenaline and joy. But building up to that, it takes a lot of nerves.
“Being part of a squad that wins the Premier League title in the last minutes on the last day, so probably yes. Just because of the fact that this doesn’t happen very often.
“As a football player, this is going to be something that I always remember, definitely. Other people will remember it for a long, long time also. But of course, I don’t want to reduce my career to just that one moment. I think there is much more, but of course this is one I will love to think about in the future.”
City now have the centre-forward that Guardiola has wanted after signing Erling Haaland from Dortmund in the summer. The £51million Norwegian now sits next to Gundogan in the dressing room.
He added: “Erling is looking really sharp. He is scoring goals in the games that we are playing in training and scored in his first game for us. What you can see is that he definitely has the hunger and the desire to score goals.
“I think that one of his main qualities is to get himself in these positions where he is able to score and then having the right mentality to score goals. The physique that he brings to the team gives us more flexibility.
“We finally have someone that can go into aerial duels, so it adds a lot of value to our team. Also, off the pitch he seems like a really good guy, so obviously we are very grateful that he is here.
“The mentality that he has speaks for itself. With that right mentality, he is not going to struggle a lot to adapt to English football. I really don’t believe that.”
