Pep’s 1,000 Games in Charge

Pep Guardiola took control of his 1,000th game as manager as Man City thrashed Liverpool 3-0. It was a fitting way for the managerial great to bring up the landmark. The former Barcelona midfielder is undoubtedly one of the finest managers ever, and certainly one of the finest of the modern era. Moreover, when we consider the impact he has had on those around him and on football in general, it is fair to say he is one of the most influential figures the game has ever seen.

His approach to the game and style of play have shaped almost all modern managers. The way he has redefined positional play, juego de posición, has been central. Additionally, he’s reinvented the way teams press. Few managers in the game today have not at least borrowed something from the Catalan. Indeed, we are now seeing many of those who played or coached under him, such as Mikel Arteta and Vincent Kompany, become great coaches in their own right.

One of the Greats

In terms of football revolutionaries, Guardiola can be viewed alongside past legends. These include the likes of Johan Cruyff, who was such a major force in Pep’s development, and before that Rinus Michels; Arrigo Sacchi, Herbert Chapman, and even José Mourinho are others who have had a huge, lasting impact on football thinking.

However, it is easier to assess Pep’s status in relation to on-pitch success. Generally, influence, legacy, and impact on culture and tactics are more difficult to quantify. When it comes to his brilliance at what matters most, winning football matches and trophies, the numbers make an undeniable argument.

Excluding his early stint as manager of Barcelona B, he has taken charge of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Man City. The list below is a mere summary of the silverware he has delivered.

• 12 league titles
• Six primary domestic cups
• Three Champions Leagues
• Four FIFA Club World Cups

Indeed, he has won the league and cup double with every club he has managed. Moreover, he delivered the Club World Cup with Barca, Bayern, and City too. Perhaps the one blot on his copybook was his failure to win the Champions League with Bayern. However, he won it twice with Barcelona and will hope to add to his 2022/23 victory with City.

In addition to the 25 huge trophies mentioned above, Pep has won various Super Cups and lesser trophies too. He has won four UEFA Super Cups, again landing that trophy with all three sides. Additionally, he won three Supercopas de España with Barca and the same number of Community Shields with City. Throw in his four EFL Cup victories in England and you get 38 trophies. However, why not include the fourth-tier title he landed with Barca B to make it 39?

1,000 Games and 716 Wins

With 1,000 matches under his belt, Pep joins a number of English football legends. Sir Alex Ferguson took charge of a mammoth 2,155 matches. Arsene Wenger oversaw 1,702, while Manuel Pellegrini, who also won the Premier League with City, was boss for 1,566 games. Additionally, Brian Clough boasted 1,453 games in the dugout (and two European Cups), while Sir Bobby Robson was just behind on 1,446.

Evidently, Pep has some way to go to match those men in terms of longevity. However, still just 54, he should have at least another decade of management ahead of him. Obviously, he has already surpassed most managers in terms of silverware. But one metric where he is the clear leader of this much-vaunted pack is his win percentage.

Guardiola has won 716 games of the 1,000 for which he’s been in charge. Nobody else in the “1000 Club” has a win rate of over 69%. Moreover, those who are anywhere near Pep all managed in the far less competitive arena of Scottish football. They also took charge prior to the 1980s. Mourinho’s figure, which offers a more like-for-like comparison, stands at 61.76% from 1,195 games. For reference, Carlo Ancelotti has won just under 60% of his games, with Fergie on 58.1%.

Guardiola’s winning percentage of 71.6% is truly staggering. It illustrates just what a successful manager he has been. His complete record, following the resounding victory over Liverpool, can be seen below:

Barca Boy, Manchester Man

Guardiola was born in Santpedor in Catalonia, in Barcelona province but located around 40 miles north of the city. However, he moved to the famed La Masia academy at Barca at the age of 13. He spent 17 years at the club as a player, leaving at the age of 30 in 2001. Pep returned to manage Barca B in 2007 and led them to the fourth-tier title.

He rapidly progressed to manage the first team and was, in managerial terms at least, a boy as the boss of Barcelona. Next came four years at the Nou Camp before he took a sabbatical and then had three years in Munich.

Much as he is closely associated with Barcelona and always will be, he has now spent over half of his managerial career in charge at the Etihad. Obviously, he was widely acclaimed after leading Barca to so much glory. However, in managerial terms, he really became a man at City, and it is his time here that helped establish him as a global influence on how football is played.

Altogether, the table shows that he has managed 55% of his games with City, just over half. Almost a quarter of his games were as the manager of the Barcelona first team. However, it was at Bayern where he won the highest percentage of games. Incredibly, with the German giants, he won more than three-quarters of the matches he oversaw. Comparatively, he has won less often at City, but this is a reflection of the greater competitiveness of English football.

Evidently, the Catalan has enjoyed a remarkable career. However, there is surely so much more to come. There has been talk of him wanting to manage Brazil or perhaps Spain. City fans will be desperate for him to stay, especially if he can guide his troops to overhaul young apprentice Arteta and his Arsenal side this term.