Mr Guardiola. Say this name to 90% of the Catalonian football fans and they'll have started a street parade with as much sangria and paella to hand faster than it took Jonathan Woodgate to "finish" his own footballing career in Spain.
The man, and some would find hard to disagree, is probably the best manager not only to grace Barcelona, but to grace the Spanish country in their footballing history.
The way he revolutionised how the game is played, with one of the greatest teams ever to play the modern game somersaulted Guardiola from unknown manager to everyones "must have" manager. Trophies and records were made.
Advert
Tika-taka was born. Messi became (don't mean to start a Ronaldo debate) the best player in the world, and Guardiola had three completely normal, boring years with Bayern Munich by just about wining everything in Germany.
So fast forward nearly nine, hugely successful years later, and the blue side of Manchester got their man, and possibly their most loved thing since Oasis and "that" Aguero goal.
Hopes were high. Last seasons Champions League semi-final was their best finish in the competition to date, but hopes were now there that Guardiola could take them not only one step further, but all the way and claim club footballs biggest prize.
Advert
Domestic success was on the minds of every City fan as well. Chelsea and Leicester City have both been crowned champions over two years since the last time Kompany lifted the trophy, (probably the same amount of time that Kompany's spent in the treatment room as well), but the only silver lining is that the red side of manchester haven't been able to clutch the trophy themselves.
So after some key signings to fit the "Guardiola way", stubborn personalities, 10 wins in all competitions at the start of the season, is everything going "suavemente" (that means smoothly in Spanish apparently) for Mr. Pep Guardiola?
Some would say that Pep's underperforming with City. No offence to any City fans reading this, (I'm a Newcastle fan, so I can't exactly talk), but both Barcelona and Bayern's sides were already equipped for the arrival of the Catalan manager.
Advert
As good as a side that City is, and have, it doesn't have the Messi, the Puyol, the Iniesta, the Robben, the Neur or the Xabi Alonso that Barca and Bayern had.
City's best defender hasn't seen outside of the treatment room in what feels like a millennium, their best keeper "couldn't pass a ball" so was loaned out, and one of their best midfielders over the last few years was made to wait months to play because he wouldn't say sorry.
Things might have gone against Pep, some out of his control, some very deep in his control, but some might say that "the best manager in the world" should be able to work around it.
My opinion? Pep's 10 game winning start shows the amount of potential that's there, but critics need to know that this City project is exactly that, a project, and not an instant success story that Pep's used to having. If, by the time that he leaves City, he's won the Champions League then that, for me, shows his credentials. Especially with where City were just 10-12 years ago.
Advert
However, an insight to an open mind might just be the pep talk that Pep needs. His tika-taka ways proved a success in two countries of Spain and Germany, but England's style of play is much quicker than he will be used to.
That's not saying that it can't work, just with a few adjustments in order to suit the English way. It might also help to not loan out one of England's best keepers, and to replace him with a keeper that never got taught how to catch a ball as a child.
So what're your thoughts? Is Pep finding it too difficult to succeed in England? Are critics being premature in their assumptions of him? Does "suavemente" really mean "smoothly" in Spanish? Let us know your thoughts.
Advert
Words by: Craig Stokes
Pep Guardiola odds
Next manager to leave post - 16/1
To win league 16/17 - 16/1
FA Cup - 11/2
Champions League - 13/1
Featured Image Credit: