English football legend Wayne Rooney shared his thoughts on the impact Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has had on English football. He noted that since the Spanish tactician arrived in the Premier League, the philosophy of play has changed not only at City but throughout English football.
Earlier, reports circulated that Pep Guardiola might leave Manchester City at the end of the season. Against this backdrop, Rooney spoke about the legacy he has left in England.
"I think he came in like a breath of fresh air. Pep is an incredible manager and he has completely changed the face of English football. Over the last 10-15 years, there have been more foreign players and managers. But he was the one who came in and changed almost the entire system, even amateur football," said Rooney.
In Wayne Rooney's opinion, Guardiola's influence was not limited to top-tier clubs. His style has reached youth football. Now, many teams are trying to build attacks from the goalkeeper with short passes and calmly play the ball out from the back.
"He has influenced all aspects of English football. Teams started playing the ball with short passes from the goalkeeper, and even in youth football, playing out from the back has become the norm," Rooney added.
Guardiola has been managing Manchester City since 2016. During this time, he has turned the club into one of the strongest teams in English and European football. Under Pep, City has set new standards for ball possession, high pressing, positional play, and collective movement.
During his tenure, Manchester City has won numerous trophies and has been a dominant force in the Premier League for many years. But as Rooney emphasized, Guardiola's greatest legacy is not just in trophies, but in changing the approach to football.
In short, Wayne Rooney assessed Pep Guardiola as a manager who brought a breath of fresh air to English football. Pep arrived, passes became shorter, goalkeepers became 'playmakers', and children started building play from the back. This is no longer just coaching — it is an update to the entire football culture.
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