Sports
Pep Guardiola reveals the secret to Manchester City’s success
Pep Guardiola has revealed the drench warfare behind his Manchester City revolution – his most trusted general is water polo champion Manel Estiarte.
Blue Moon messiah Guardiola always reserves the last man-hug before leaving the dressing room at kick-off for the 1996 Olympic gold medallist and former world champion.
Among City’s backroom staff, 56-year-old Estiarte is officially director of first team support and protocol.
But in practice, he is Guardiola’s loyal consultant and chief sounding board who makes sure the City manager is never out of his depth.
City, who began their defence of the Premier League title with a convincing win at Arsenal, entertain Huddersfield at the Etihad tomorrow without midfield heartbeat Kevin De Bruyne, who will be out for three months after he suffered a knee injury in training.
Few expect the Terriers, who held out for a goalless draw on the day City lifted the Premier League trophy in May, to stay afloat this time.
And as Amazon Prime’s fly-on-the-wall documentary ‘All Or Nothing: Manchester City’ reveals, Estiarte – voted the world’s best water polo player seven years running from 1986-92 – has been a key influence behind the success of the world’s most sought-after coach.
Guardiola said: “He is more than a friend – he understands what is happening in the locker room because he was one of the best athletes in history.
“He has the feeling and the sense of what can happen in this environment and, for me, his opinions are so valuable because he understands so many things I am not able to read or see myself.”
Estiarte, who won Olympic silver for Spain in 1992 before topping the podium in Atlanta four years later, scored 1,561 goals in 580 appearances for his national team – a strike rate even Sergio Aguero cannot match on dry land.
He said: “People ask me what a person who played water polo can give football – I try to help Pep because on a day-to-day basis I can see he’s alone.
“It’s the burden he has to carry and I try to help him in any way I can as well as the team.”
Guardiola has been friends with Estiarte since the last day of the 1991-92 La Liga season, when he was a member of the Barcelona side who won the title.
Estiarte, a devoted fan at the Nou Camp, was among the VIP delegation who celebrated with the players, and they have worked together since 2008, when Guardiola invited him to join his backroom staff when he became coach of the Catalan giants.
In the documentary, Guardiola also revealed he keeps a miniature bronze statue of his mentor Johan Cruyff on his desk to inspire his work on the training pitch.
City set 11 Premier League records last season, including an unprecedented 100-point haul, and Guardiola attributes the philosophy behind it to the former Barcelona coach and Dutch master, who died two years ago at the age of 68.
He said: “Johan Cruyff was a magnificent person – he’s the reason I’m here now. Everything I believe in comes from him.
“Johan’s legacy has always been present in my work as a coach. We never adapt ourselves to who we are playing – our concern is what we can do to attack better.
“That has always been clear. I have a statue of Johan here (in my office) to remind us of what he did. He is always with us.”
- All Or Nothing: Manchester City, available now on Amazon Prime Video
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the appointment of German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the new Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Team, the Super Eagles.
This development was announced by the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, in the early hours of Tuesday, following the approval of the NFF Executive Committee based on a recommendation from its Technical and Development Sub-Committee. Labbadia’s appointment takes immediate effect.
Born on 8th February 1966 in Darmstadt, Germany, Labbadia enjoyed a distinguished playing career, earning two caps for the German national team. His club career included stints at prominent clubs such as Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Arminia Bielefeld, and Karlsruher SC. Notably, he won the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 1994.
Labbadia’s coaching career has seen him manage top-tier clubs such as Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, and Bayer Leverkusen, among others. He holds a UEFA Pro License and is well-regarded for his tactical acumen.
With his appointment, Labbadia becomes the sixth German to lead the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr. Höner notably guided the Super Eagles to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr qualified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Labbadia’s immediate task is to prepare the Super Eagles for their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches.
Nigeria will face Benin Republic on Saturday, 7th September in Uyo, and Rwanda on Tuesday, 10th September in Kigali. The team will also play four additional qualifying matches in October and November as they aim to secure a spot in the 2025 AFCON, scheduled to be held from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
The Super Eagles, placed in Group D, will face familiar foes Benin Republic, who recently defeated Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The draw for the AFCON qualifiers, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, last month, also sees Nigeria taking on Libya and Rwanda, both of whom are also part of the Super Eagles’ group for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers set to be hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Labbadia’s appointment comes at a crucial time as the Super Eagles look to regain their dominance on the African continent and secure qualification for both the AFCON and the World Cup.
Finidi George has stepped into a new role as the technical manager for NPFL side, Rivers United, following his resignation as coach of the Super Eagles.
During his brief tenure with the Eagles, George’s 1-1 draw against South Africa in Uyo and a 2-1 loss to Benin Republic in Abidjan cast doubts on Nigeria’s World Cup qualification, prompting calls from fans for his dismissal.
South Africa vs Nigeria: Why we failed to defeat Super Eagles – Percy Tau
Nevertheless, Rivers United, the 2021-22 champions, expressed optimism in a statement on Wednesday via their official handle about having the former Eagles international manage their team.
“Finidi brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team, having had a distinguished playing career spanning over fifteen years,” the statement read.
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Dr. Okey Kpalukwu, General Manager of Rivers United FC, welcomed George, stating, “We are delighted to have Finidi George join our team. His appointment marks a new chapter in our club’s history, and we are committed to working together to achieve success.”
Expressing his gratitude to the club, an elated George remarked, “I am honored to have this opportunity, and I thank the Sports Commissioner, the General Manager, and the supporters for their confidence in me. I am committed to working hard and making the team win.”
Inter Milan were taken over by US fund Oaktree on Wednesday after the Serie A champions’ outgoing owners Suning missed a deadline to repay a debt worth hundred of millions of euros.
In a statement, Oaktree announced they had “assumed control” of Inter after the non-repayment of a “three-year loan to Inter Milan’s holding companies that matured on 21 May 2024 with a total balance due of approximately 395 million euros ($428 million)”.
Chinese conglomerate Suning have relinquished control of Inter to Oaktree three days after the team were officially crowned Italian champions for the 20th time.
Suning borrowed 275 million euros at over 12 percent interest three years ago to pay staff and players as the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the finances of clubs across Europe, putting up their controlling stake in the club as collateral.
“Oaktree is dedicated to achieving the best outcome for the long-term prosperity of Inter Milan, with an initial focus on operational and financial stability for the Club and its stakeholders,” Oaktree continued.
Inter became a powerful force at home and abroad after Suning acquired the club in 2016, with seven trophies including two Serie A titles and two European finals.
Simone Inzaghi’s team cruised to this year’s championship, winning the Scudetto with five matches remaining by beating AC Milan in a thrilling local derby.
Oaktree, which manages $192 billion in assets, said they are “committed to working closely with Inter Milan’s current management team, partners, the league and governing bodies to ensure the Club is positioned for success on and off the pitch”.
Inter ended up in the hands of Oaktree in a manner similar to the way another US fund, Elliott Management, took control of their local rivals Milan in 2018.
Elliott became Milan’s owners when Chinese businessman Li Yonghong was unable to repay a loan he had taken out when he bought the club from the late Silvio Berlusconi’s Fininvest the previous year.
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