"He was asked about the change he had seen in English football over a career that spanned more than 20 years and close to 1,000 appearances. The English Football League (EFL) stalwart paused for a second before pointing to a man who was sitting a few rows back: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. He was in attendance to watch Phil Foden pick up his PFA Player of the Year Award, but briefly became the center of attention."
"WHEN GUARDIOLA, a pioneer of positional play, calls it a day at Manchester City -- possibly as early as this summer -- he will leave England as one of the most successful managers the country has seen. Six Premier League titles, six domestic cups, a Champions League, a UEFA Super Cup and a FIFA Club World Cup trophy put the 54-year-old in the same conversation as Sir Alex Ferguson, Bob Paisley and Bill Shankly."
"What's harder to quantify is Guardiola's impact on the English pyramid. Historically, the lower leagues were about physicality, long balls and ferocious tackling. Now, on any given weekend in the EFL, you can see third- and fourth-tier teams that pass out from the back while playing with false No. 9s and fullbacks who move inside to become midfielders in possession -- all ideas popularized by Guardiola."
Pep Guardiola has combined unprecedented managerial success with deep tactical influence on English football. His pioneering of positional play, ball circulation from the back, false No. 9s and inverted fullbacks has spread beyond the Premier League into the EFL. Lower-league teams increasingly adopt possession-based approaches once rare in the lower tiers. Guardiola's trophy haul places him among England's most successful managers, and his methods have altered coaching and playing philosophies throughout the pyramid. His potential departure from Manchester City would mark the end of a transformative era for English football tactics and culture.
Read at ESPN.com
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