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Man City Boss Pep Guardiola 'Impressed' With English Football & Reveals Who He Idolised Growing Up

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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he has been impressed with the standard of English football during his time in the Premier League.

Guardiola joined City in 2016 and has worked with young English players like Raheem Sterling and John Stones during his spell at the Etihad, and believes the Three Lions have the quality to do well at major tournaments despite recent failures.

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He told Betsafe: "I am quite impressed with the quality in English football. I always thought it was just physical but I am quite impressed, for example: when I see the English national team players play individually.

"I think 'wow they are good' but why are they not able to play in the European Championship and the World Cup and pushing to win and playing well against the top teams, but I think that they have quality.

“I said in a press conference that the process is similar to Spain and how Spain always got the quarter finals and then they got out then they got to the semi-finals and after they became the best team.

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"I think it is so important over the next few seasons that the English players play well in the Champions League, get to the quarter finals and the semi-finals back with Sir Alex Ferguson and Chelsea.

"It is so important for these English players to experience the quarter-finals and semi-finals in the Champions League so when they get to the quarter-finals in the summer, they have the experience of being in similar positions.”

“We see Messi and Ronaldo on TV whilst we are at home eating dinner or drinking some wine with their families, but they have to be there and the more times they get there, the better they will become in those situations.”

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Guardiola also revealed he idolised former France international Michel Platini growing up, but claimed he isn't sure why he was drawn to the former Juventus attacking midfielder.

He added: “When I was a kid it was Platini, the French player, I don’t know why but maybe it was because I had a picture of him when I was a boy and maybe I decided that he was my favourite player. 

"I wasn’t wrong because he was a top player. I admire the players that play good, respect the sport and are well educated.”


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