On Saturday evening, Manchester City achieved something that no team has ever in the English game by winning a clean sweep of all three domestic trophies. A 6-0 battering of Watford in the FA Cup at Wembley capped an incredible campaign for the Citizens.
City have received heavy praise for their dominance of the English game. However, they have also been on the receiving end of criticism, including accusations of alleged dubious financial behaviour.
However, take away the amount of money spent on players and wages and the success boils down to a very good football team managed by one of the best coaches in the history of the beautiful game.
Many football clubs have attempted to achieve success by spending big in the transfer market. However, just spending big on players fees and wages does not guarantee success, never mind create a team that leaves a lasting legacy.
Manchester City are not just winning games and trophies, they are winning with a style and in a fashion that has not often been seen in football. The Citizens current team implement Guardiola’s football philosophy almost perfectly.
City had started winning trophies prior to the arrival of the Catalan boss. However, the Citizens were not winning with such panache and collecting trophies at such an incredible rate too.
For all the talk of big-spending and players singing songs in bad taste, Pep Guardiola has been responsible for moving Manchester City on to a whole new level.
Unlike City’s previous title-winning bosses, Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini, he has managed to retain the top-flight crown. In fact, the Citizens became the first team in a decade to retain the Premier League title this season.
Pep Guardiola has brought success to every team he has managed and despite accusations that he needs a fortune to spend, the Catalan boss deserves massive credit for creating a long-lasting legacy in Manchester, and he is not yet done at City.