Guardiola built Bayern success- Hitzfeld

Former Bayern Munich head coach Ottmar Hitzfeld believes that current boss Pep Guardiola is the architect of their success.

Hitzfeld claims Guardiola’s influence at the club has helped revolutionise the playing style in the Bundesliga and he’s confident the 45-year-old will excel in the Premier League with Manchester City.

Carlo Ancelotti will replace the Spaniard at the end of the season and the 67-year-old is adamant he’ll continue to collect trophies for Bayern.

Julian Nagelsmann recently became the youngest coach in the league’s history with Hoffenheim and Hitzfeld is looking forward to seeing how the 28-year-old will cope with the pressures of senior management.

Q: What do you think about (Pep) Guardiola, and his achievement to switch single players between different positions?

“Guardiola is the architect of Bayern’s success. He is the creator of their current philosophy. He shaped their playing style as well as the playing style of the whole league. Many teams have tried to impersonate Bayern. They try to have a lot of possession and to press very high. That’s also credited to Guardiola.

Q: Guardiola recently said that Jupp Heynckes and Ottmar Hitzfeld will always be more important for Bayern than he will. How did you interpret that?

“Well I was happy about this compliment from Guardiola. But he is doing a sensational job too in my opinion. He’s got so many points in the Bundesliga, raised Bayern’s level and brought in the attitude to win each game. He motivates the team for each game, which results in high intensity and focus. That’s a merit of Pep Guardiola.

Q: How will Guardiola do with Manchester City and in the Premier League?

“I am convinced that Guardiola will have success with Manchester City as well. He will buy 3-4 players which match his style. He likes technically strong players with strong passing and high intelligence. He needs players who are willing to run a lot and press. He will look for them and change Manchester City’s style. At the moment, they play a different type of football under (Manuel) Pellegrini. But Guardiola will shape a new era at Manchester City too.

Q: How will Bayern’s style of play change under Carlo Ancelotti?

“Ancelotti likes a different type of football. He is a different person with a different mentality. He is not as emotional. He is very calm and has a huge amount of experience and success. He’s won trophies with every top team he has been with. And he will be successful with Bayern too. But Bayern might not play as offensive as now. They might not play the high pressing like they do right now. Ancelotti likes to move from defence to attack very fast and with a little more risk. That’s how he might change the team tactically.

Q: How do you think, Guardiola will deal with having to manage two clubs at once? He already has to plan with City.

“That’s the job of a world-class coach. To be successful, win the Bundesliga, maybe even the Champions League and reach the DFB-Pokal final. But he already has to plan with City and think about transfers. A top coach has to do this. This is required. And I am convinced that Guardiola will not neglect Bayern for this.

[About the comparison of Julian Nagelsmann to Jose Mourinho] “I do not know him and I can’t judge him from afar. It would not be right to judge somebody you don’t know. Just like you, I received all my information through the press and from the first match against Werder Bremen, where you could see how he prepared the team. I can’t tell much about him.”

Report by Reuters

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manchester city Pep Guardiola Bayern Munich English Premier League Bundesliga

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