Former Liverpool and Manchester City midfielder Dietmar Hamann claims to not “really get the hype” that surrounds Pep Guardiola, with the former Germany international stating that Jurgen Klopp, Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti are all more successful managers in his eyes.
A Catalan coach at the Etihad Stadium has enjoyed success wherever he has been, with domestic title triumphs enjoyed in Spain, Germany and England while also savouring Champions League success while at Barcelona.
He has delivered major silverware at City on an annual basis, and remains in the hunt for three trophies this season, but Hamman says the 51-year-old is not as good as his reputation in world football suggests – with there three other proven winners that sit above him in a global pecking order.
What has been said?
Hamann has told the Daily Mail ahead of a crunch Premier League clash between title-chasing City and Liverpool: “There are three current managers who I regard as more successful than Guardiola and I still don’t really get the hype that surrounds him.
“Jose Mourinho has won league titles in four different countries and the Champions League with two clubs, while Carlo Ancelotti’s record is second to none and about to get better if Real Madrid can win La Liga.
“And the third manager? For me, it’s Jurgen Klopp. What he has achieved on the budgets he has at Liverpool is remarkable. He is a truly exceptional manager. His great skill is in integrating players which is a talent Guardiola doesn’t possess in quite the same way.
“When Klopp signed Diogo Jota last season everyone questioned whether he would get anywhere near the team, but he was immediately involved. It’s been exactly the same with Luis Diaz.
(C)Getty Images“In fact, compare the case of Diaz to Jack Grealish and it goes some way to showing the difference between the managers. We’ve seen players come into the Premier League and you often need six to eight weeks to adjust because it’s a unique game. Diaz came in and he fired immediately because the style suits him.
“Look on the other side, you’ve got Grealish, who cost three times as much yet is struggling to make any sort of an impact. He’s a £100 million player yet he still isn’t fully integrated.
“I wouldn’t have a go at my old club City, who have done fantastic things, they have invested massively, done great things in the community, transformed the area around the stadium. It’s the manager.
“The way Liverpool players speak about their manager, they would run through brick walls for him. I’m not sure City’s players would do the same.”
The bigger picture
Guardiola won three La Liga titles, two Copas del Rey and two Champions League crowns while at Barcelona, along with the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
He went on to land three Bundesliga titles at Bayern Munich, while also savouring Super Cup and Club World Cup glory again.
City appointed him as their boss in the summer of 2016 and after a rare trophyless debut campaign under a man tied to a contract through to 2023, have tasted top-flight glory on three occasions while also winning the FA Cup once and the Carabao Cup on four occasions.
Guardiola has 31 trophies to his name in total, ranking him above Mourinho, Klopp and Ancelotti on an all-time coaching honours chart.
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