‘No need to hide it’ – Bruno Fernandes makes Pep Guardiola revelation that will anger Man United fans
Bruno Fernandes has responded to praise from Man City boss Pep Guardiola in comments that may anger Man United fans
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has risked the wrath of his own supporters by claiming everyone wants to try and replicate Pep Guardiola’s approach at Manchester City.
Fernandes recently captained United to a second derby defeat of the season, and is battling for an unlikely Champions League spot this season, 16 points behind title challengers City. United have not finished above City since winning the league in 2013.
In the build-up to the recent derby win, Guardiola praised Fernandes’ ability, with those comments put to the midfielder on international duty this week. In response, Fernandes returned the praise and revealed that everybody in world football is seeking to replicate Guardiola’s approach and success.
“We are talking about the best coach in the world, without a shadow of a doubt. In recent years, he has been the best coach in the world,” Fernandes told A Bola. “He is probably the coach who most changed the game of football. Nowadays, everyone wants to be Guardiola, there’s no need to hide that.”
Fernandes’ comments echo the sentiments of new United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who hailed City as the example to follow on and off the pitch, vowing to knock the Blues off their perch.
Continuing, Fernandes admitted that United – like everyone else – are trying to crack the Guardiola system in order to replicate it themselves. “All teams, from the second to the first divisions, everyone tries to play like City and everyone tries to find the dynamics that City has, because they have results and success,” he said.
“For me, having praise from a coach like Guardiola is something spectacular, because, as I said, we are talking about a coach that I really appreciate and who, for me, today, is the best coach in the world.”
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe is in the process of righting the wrongs at Manchester United.
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A new era in Manchester United’s rich and colourful history is officially up and running.
Following confirmation of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s minority investment last month, which has secured him 27.7 per cent of the club, the British billionaire is embarking on a journey that is hoped will bring happier and more successful times back to Old Trafford. Ratcliffe and members of the Ineos Group have secured control of football operations.
After a catalogue of errors on that front in recent years, Ratcliffe has wasted no time in trying to correct those wrongs. He has already taken Omar Berrada from Manchester City, appointing him as the club’s new chief executive, and he wants to secure the services of Dan Ashworth to become United’s inaugural sporting director.
As well as trying to fill the boardroom with football minds and experience, he also has grand ambitions for Old Trafford. He said in a podcast released on Tuesday that there is an ‘opportunity’ for a stadium to be built that could hold up to 100,000 supporters.
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With that said, Ratcliffe’s ambition cannot be questioned. He is making it clear that he wants to return United to the top step of the podium, both domestically and in Europe, as quickly as possible.
To achieve that dream, however, United are going to have to improve their hit rate when it comes to recruitment. The club has signed more failures than successes in recent years, blowing millions of pounds on players who have simply not lived up to expectations.
In the eyes of many, that is a result of not having the correct football structure in place. But as Ratcliffe has proven with the appointment of Berrada and planned move for Ashworth, he is trying to right those wrongs.
As a result, Ratcliffe has all but confirmed that trying to implement a sound and sensible structure will take priority over initially splashing the cash in the transfer market.
Ratcliffe, speaking on the Geraint Thomas Cycling Club podcast, said: “It’s not where our focus is; the solution isn’t spending a lot of money on a couple of great players. They have done that, if you look at the last 10 years, they have spent a lot of money on a couple of great players.
The first thing we need to do is get the right people in the right boxes who are managing and organising the club. And make sure we get recruitment right, it is such a vital part of football today.”
Ratcliffe’s outlook on the situation is likely to be music to the ears of former United captain Gary Neville, who has repeatedly banged the drum in recent months about the importance of a proper football structure being put in place. Back in December, the former defender suggested strengthening the off-field department should initially take priority over bolstering the squad.
“I honestly think that there are a lot of things they will look at before the squad,” Neville said, speaking on his Sky Sports podcast. “They have to try and correct the playing side of things as quickly as possible, but there are some gaping holes in the club.
There isn’t a CEO. There isn’t a sporting director. There isn’t a capable head of recruitment. They are the top three jobs in a football club, outside of a manager. They are the top three jobs in a football club and then you have got a manager making the fourth, meaning that quartet is very, very strong and tight.
If
that quartet are very successful, then the team on the pitch will likely be successful. The first thing that will be sorted will be people, because there is a lack of those major roles in United that are actually in existence, at this moment in time.”
Neville’s dreams now appear to becoming a reality, with Ratcliffe insisting that putting the right people in place will lead to a better recruitment policy. United have been missing an elite-level football structure and are now in the process of finally putting one together.
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