The pressure on City to win the Champions League was immense. Add to that that it was for a treble and you will understand the sense of relief. I kind of hoped that Arsenal would run away with the league so we could concentrate on the UCL, but in the end it was not to be, and an epic treble was won. The game, like most finals, was pretty drab by City standards. Like last week's FA Cup Final, Inter were never really in it nor never really out of it. Also, like last week, Inter had a few good chances that they failed to take.
Lukaku showing why nobody really wants him by missing a sitter of a free header. At the end of it all, City won the treble fairly easily but Arsenal, Man U and Inter could and should have made it a lot, lot harder. The outcome of it all for Pep is that he can finally be acknowledged as the best coach in world football right now and he will go on to become the greatest in history. It is suspected that after City he will go into international football with Brazil or Argentina.
If he were to win the World Cup, he would reach legend status as the GOAT. For now, he has shut up the doubters. Like he has done from the start. In 2008 he took over the Barça job with much fanfare. His first game was against the minnows of Numancia. I remember going to watch it on TV with some mates in Madrid as it was the talk of Spain. Numancia won. The Madridista press were jubilant. It didn't last long. Barça went the next 20 games undefeated and won La Liga in some style. They also won the Copa del Rey and duffed Man U in the 2009 UCL final. A treble in Pep's first season. That August they also won the Supercopa España, European Supercup and later the World Club Cup. So, at the end of 2009, his first full year in management, he had won all 6 trophies that it was possible to win. He won two more La Ligas and another UCL by playing Sir AF's Man U off the park at Wembley in 2011. He won three German titles in a row with Munich before moving to City. His first season didn't go so well. City's 4 full-backs, Sagna, Clichy, Zabaleta and Kolarov were all over 30 and were not good enough to play the "Pep way". City ended the season trophyless and the madness began.
"Fraudiola" cried the gutter press. "Not good enough for English football" they said. "Pep had no idea what he would face in England" they mockingly exclaimed, as if he hadn't studied English football before he came, or spoke to Txiki and Soriano at length about English football. Since then, he has won 5 out of 6 Premier Leagues, 4 Carabao Cups, 2 FA Cups and one Champions League. But it took the Champions League victory for the doubters to be silenced. "Pep can't win the Champions League without Messi" one press wanker wrote last season.
Seriously? In 14 years of top flight management he has won 11 league titles, 3 Champions Leagues and 6 "FA" Cups, including 2 trebles, yet all this would be in question if City didn't beat Inter. Crazy or what! As Pep himself said "maybe now my 5 league titles will get the recognition they deserve". The bad news for the opposition is that he will be with City for the next 2 seasons.
Lukaku showing why nobody really wants him by missing a sitter of a free header. At the end of it all, City won the treble fairly easily but Arsenal, Man U and Inter could and should have made it a lot, lot harder. The outcome of it all for Pep is that he can finally be acknowledged as the best coach in world football right now and he will go on to become the greatest in history. It is suspected that after City he will go into international football with Brazil or Argentina.
If he were to win the World Cup, he would reach legend status as the GOAT. For now, he has shut up the doubters. Like he has done from the start. In 2008 he took over the Barça job with much fanfare. His first game was against the minnows of Numancia. I remember going to watch it on TV with some mates in Madrid as it was the talk of Spain. Numancia won. The Madridista press were jubilant. It didn't last long. Barça went the next 20 games undefeated and won La Liga in some style. They also won the Copa del Rey and duffed Man U in the 2009 UCL final. A treble in Pep's first season. That August they also won the Supercopa España, European Supercup and later the World Club Cup. So, at the end of 2009, his first full year in management, he had won all 6 trophies that it was possible to win. He won two more La Ligas and another UCL by playing Sir AF's Man U off the park at Wembley in 2011. He won three German titles in a row with Munich before moving to City. His first season didn't go so well. City's 4 full-backs, Sagna, Clichy, Zabaleta and Kolarov were all over 30 and were not good enough to play the "Pep way". City ended the season trophyless and the madness began.
"Fraudiola" cried the gutter press. "Not good enough for English football" they said. "Pep had no idea what he would face in England" they mockingly exclaimed, as if he hadn't studied English football before he came, or spoke to Txiki and Soriano at length about English football. Since then, he has won 5 out of 6 Premier Leagues, 4 Carabao Cups, 2 FA Cups and one Champions League. But it took the Champions League victory for the doubters to be silenced. "Pep can't win the Champions League without Messi" one press wanker wrote last season.
Seriously? In 14 years of top flight management he has won 11 league titles, 3 Champions Leagues and 6 "FA" Cups, including 2 trebles, yet all this would be in question if City didn't beat Inter. Crazy or what! As Pep himself said "maybe now my 5 league titles will get the recognition they deserve". The bad news for the opposition is that he will be with City for the next 2 seasons.
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| Peter Anderson is a Unionist with a keen interest in sports |
Never really thought he wasn't an outstanding manager. You lot may have deserved it but that final was booooooring. Inter did the sterotypical Italian "Let's all defend until the end and try to win it with a breakaway" and Haaland was neutered. LuCacku showed he's the man for big game derision and hope he doesn't come round our door again, well placed goal from you lot and one or two sqeaky bum time moments at the end and et voila!
ReplyDeleteWho says unlimited money can't buy success? LOL!
"....but that final was booooooring" Like most finals, but not as bad as Liverpool v Spurs!!
Delete"Who says unlimited money can't buy success?" Said the Chelsea man LOL
Liverpool and Spurs was worse. But even that was not as bad as Liverpool and Bruges in 78. That has to have been the most boring final yet
DeleteTo be fair, the UCL final isn't usually as bad as the World Cups. There's been some real shit shows there!
DeleteI always felt Inter were in it and for large parts of the game and City were not.
ReplyDeleteI wanted City to win but big game nerves got to them.
The intense focus on Haaland, just creates space elsewhere for City to exploit. He is a crucial part of that team. Without him would they have secured any of the three pieces of silverware?
Lukaku - much of the criticism seemed unduly harsh. This was a header and the player is never in control of it the way he might have with the ball at his feet. I think he was unfortunate. He had to go for it. A foot either way and he would have been a hero. trying to direct these things is not the easiest thing in the world to do.
Be interesting to see what Red Ron thinks if he picks up on this piece.