Pep Guardiola has warned David Moyes that failure to win at a big club is intolerable and that managers must deal with the pressure that comes with managing a club like Manchester United and deliver trophies, or else they risk losing their job even if they’ve only been in charge for a year.
The difference between United and Bayern Munich couldn’t be more evident. The former have endured a tumultuous season after Moyes replaced Sir Alex Ferguson and the Champions League is virtually the only thing they’ve got left to play for, while the latter have already clinched the Bundesliga title and aim to become the first club to retain the Champions League under the tutelage of the former Barca manager, who replaced Jupp Heynckes last summer.
Ahead of tonight’s clash, Guardiola was asked whether Sir Alex Ferguson was to blame for leaving a squad in need of strengthening to David Moyes, but the Catalan’s reply was unequivocal: big clubs demand winning managers.
“In the big clubs when you don’t win, always you are in trouble. You have to look forward and win games. Here, in Spain, in Italy, you have to win in the big clubs,” said the Bayern manager.
“In the big clubs that happens. It happens in Bayern Munich. Last year they won everything and we try to maintain that level and we did it at least in the local competition. Manchester United in the last 10-15 years have dominated the Premier League and Europe too, arriving in many finals.
“Football is special. Sometimes many, many things happen that it’s difficult to understand. I don’t know how Sir Alex Ferguson can have a bad influence on this club. I think it’s completely opposite. This club was the best club in England thanks to him. He reorganised the club and put the club on another level in this country.
“Before it was Liverpool. I’m happy Liverpool are coming back because they are playing awesome and they deserve to be there. It’s good for the Champions League next season. But I am pretty sure Alex Ferguson was the most important person in this club’s history, at least in the last half-century.”
“What happens, good things or bad things to all the coaches around the world,” he continued. “No one can have the secrets to eternal success. No one can win titles without big players and I was lucky throughout my career to have big, big players.
“I have a lot of respect for my colleagues and, when Manchester United decided to take David Moyes, it is because they are able to do it. Sometimes you need a little more time. The decisions of Manchester United are always right. They know he is a good coach and did a good job at Everton.”
It’d be easy to be swayed by the Catalan’s charm and diplomacy, but the truth is that here there’s a manager conscious of facing an incredibly difficult job and perfectly comfortable with it, while Moyes has always looked haunted by the prospect of replacing Fergie.
And that, unfortunately for United, has been translated on the pitch since August.

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