Redknapp: 'Guardiola is bigger than Alex Ferguson'

According to English football legend Jamie Redknapp, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has contributed to changing football, creating a greater impact than Manchester United legend Alex Ferguson.

"I think he's the greatest manager ever. Why? Because Guardiola has changed football," Redknapp said on Sky Sports while Man City celebrated their third consecutive Premier League title, after beating Chelsea 1-0 at home in matchday 37.

Guardipla lifts his fifth Premier League trophy with Man City. Photo: Gallo — Guardipla lifts his fifth Premier League trophy with Man City. Photo: *Gallo*

Having taken charge at the Etihad Stadium in 2016, Guardiola transformed Manchester City into a winning machine. He won five league titles in seven seasons in England. The Spanish coach also led Man City to the FA Cup in 2018-2019, four League Cups, and two Community Shields. The Champions League is the only trophy Guardiola is missing from his Man City collection, and he will add it if he defeats Inter in this year's final.

Since taking over as Barca manager in 2008, Guardiola has won 11 national league titles, five with Man City, three with Barca, and three with Bayern. In his 14 years of coaching, his collection includes 28 major trophies along with numerous prestigious individual awards.

"He changed the way people perceived football. When you watch football these days, everywhere, from amateur pitches, people play the way Guardiola does. People look for ways to build up play from their own half when we thought it was impossible. In Guardiola's tactics, midfielders and defenders move in different areas. They operate widely, splitting up the defense," Redknapp commented.

After showering Guardiola with praise, the former Liverpool midfielder asserted that Guardiola's stature surpassed that of great managers such as Arrigo Sacchi, Johan Cruyff, Bill Shankly, and especially Alex Ferguson, who managed Man Utd for 27 years, winning 13 English league titles, five FA Cups, four League Cups, nine Community Shields, and two Champions Leagues.

Former Ferguson pupil and midfielder Roy Keane doesn't endorse the view that Guardiola is the greatest manager in history. But he also heaped praise on the Manchester City boss.

"The truth is Guardiola only coaches stars. But that's also a challenge when you have to reconcile the players' egos. He likes to challenge them, to maintain the team's desire. Guardiola is fit and healthy, clearly someone who takes good care of himself. I think he's the most important person at Man City," Keane said.

Jamie Redknapp, born in 1973, is the son of Harry Lampard, a former Tottenham and West Ham manager, and a cousin of Chelsea legend Frank Lampard. Redknapp was a key player for Liverpool from 1991 to 2002 before moving to Tottenham and retiring with Southampton in 2005. For England, Redknapp scored one goal in 17 appearances. He is currently a Sky Sports commentator and sports editor at the Daily Mail .

Vinh San (according to Sky Sports )

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