Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is overrated, suggests Peter Schmeichel

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Former Manchester United keeper Peter Schmeichel has spoken out over new City manager Pep Guardiola.

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel has told Omnisport that Pep Guardiola may struggle in the Premier League this season, as quoted by Goal.

Schmeichel, who played for both Manchester sides across his 22-year career, made almost 400 appearances for the Red Devils across his eight years at the club, and is widely considered one of the greatest ‘keepers in Premier League history.

With Guardiola set to experience his first Manchester derby after being appointed manager of The Citizens, many are excited to see how the decorated manager will fare in his first real test since making the move to England.

Despite being touted by many as the favourite to claim the title in his debut season, Schmeichel was quick to question the Spanish manager’s adaptability, and his experience managing a team who are not the out-and-out clear favourites.

“What he did with Barcelona was fantastic.” Schmeichel told Omnisport, via Goal. “He was very lucky he had the players at Barcelona but he was clever in what he did.

“He was okay at Bayern Munich. I have to say he was okay. For me, personally, he changed a really good, entertaining team to be become more boring to watch.

“The Premier League is a completely different animal to any other in the world. It just goes on and on and on, you feel it never stops, even in March you have 12 games to go – you think will this ever stop?”

Guardiola is one of the most successful managers in world football, having won three La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues whilst at Barcelona – as well as a further three Bundesliga titles at Bayern Munich.

Despite this success, however, Schmeichel insisted that his former coach and legendary United manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s footballing philosophy was far superior to the Spaniard’s.

“Whereas Alex Ferguson’s first priority was ‘we have to be able to score goals’ – for most coaches that’s the priority – with Pep [Guardiola] it’s possession, I want to have as much possession as possible,” he added.

Despite Schmeichel’s scepticism, Guardiola’s patient and passing style of play has won much-plaudits throughout his career, with his Barcelona side of 2008-2009 widely considered to be one of the greatest sides in footballing history.