Pep Guardiola steals the present once more – and swears loads – to underline why Man Metropolis may make it 5 in a row, writes JACK GAUGHAN as new movie documenting final yr’s title win is launched

All only one massive completely happy coincidence that Manchester Metropolis’s newest documentary, charting their run to a fourth consecutive Premier League title and framed in a manner that speaks to Pep Guardiola’s genius, drops in the identical week as their supervisor agrees a brand new contract. 

Chief govt Ferran Soriano was sitting in Display 12 of Manchester’s Printworks cinema participating in a Q&A session earlier than the premiere of Collectively: 4-In-A-Row as information broke that Guardiola had already given the thumbs-up to extending his keep right into a landmark tenth yr. 

It’s a jackpot Metropolis by no means dreamed of successful. No marvel Soriano appeared assertive. 

The 90-minute movie produced in-house, coupled with the Catalan’s signature till no less than 2026, served as a reminder of what Metropolis have at their disposal. 

Regardless of 4 straight defeats in all competitions — one thing new for Guardiola, lastly a report he’d reasonably not have — this reminder of his man-management expertise must focus some minds within the dressing room. He swears loads, Guardiola. Similar to each supervisor. 

He swears at Phil Foden for gifting Crystal Palace a draw final December — ‘within the f****** 18-yard field you don’t contact the opponent… it’s unacceptable, Phil’ — and he swears to emphasize how good he believes this crew is. 

‘The legacy is the way in which you f****** play,’ he barks after the barnstorming last-minute 3-2 victory at Newcastle United in January. He paces round these rooms, stalking to construct stress. The eyes of gamers and workers comply with him in a silent trance. 

Watching him is mesmeric and the way Guardiola continues to seek out new methods of relaying the identical messages is a big a part of Metropolis’s home dominance. A home dominance that’s beneath risk from Arne Slot’s resurgent Liverpool in the mean time. 

Guardiola tells gamers that ‘the storm all the time passes’ in a single crew speak. Metropolis’s hope shall be that the clouds have parted over the worldwide break, with extra members of the squad out there after harm and an upturn in total efficiency. 

Guardiola has type in relation to getting a response. That dressing-down of Foden, days earlier than the Membership World Cup, sparked him into life — the midfielder ending the marketing campaign as PFA Gamers’ Participant of the 12 months — and in addition despatched a warning to everyone else. 

‘You aren’t boys, you aren’t youngsters,’ Guardiola says. ‘Did I say one thing after we drop factors towards Tottenham and Liverpool? Did I say one thing? Inform me. I blame you? I say one thing? F****** hell, f****** hell.’ 

Nicely, he did after Spurs. Crazed after conceding one other late equaliser, Guardiola stormed right into a room of squabbling gamers. They shut up. He started.

‘That’s the degree, my mates,’ he says whereas hammering his chest. ‘That’s the reason nobody did 4 Premier Leagues in a row. That’s the reason why. Take duty, my mates.’ 

Guardiola has since admitted that he misplaced management in these moments and he isn’t all the time pleased with the way in which he addresses the room. Besides, there’s something innate that speaks to this group and people who went earlier than them. 

He typically doesn’t say something — a motivational video montage of the crew’s whole season that he reveals his gamers earlier than they beat West Ham on the ultimate day is an ideal instance. So when he does converse, it sticks. 

It can’t be likelihood {that a} rousing half-time speech at Tottenham, in a must-win conflict days earlier than the season finale towards West Ham, is adopted by Metropolis going 1-0 up six minutes after the break. 

He’d made out they had been feeble within the first half. Factors wanted proving. ‘That is my feeling proper now: I say, “Let’s go” and it’s, “Ah yeah, let’s go”. It doesn’t work if you happen to don’t consider it inside.’ Guardiola begins slamming the desk. 

‘Now’s the second you must show how unbelievable you might be as a crew. You can not go house regretting that I used to be not me.’ 

They didn’t — and so they want a few of that now as a result of Tottenham and Liverpool lie in wait over the following fortnight.