Bundesliga title, the DFB Cup and the
UEFA Champions League under Jupp
Heynckes in 2012/13, Bayern Munich
were rightly acclaimed as one of the
best sides in the world. Nevertheless,
Heynckes' contract was not renewed,
and so since the beginning of the
current campaign, the coaching reigns
at Germany's record title-winners have
been held by Pep Guardiola.
Thus far, the transition appears to
have been seamless. At the season's
outset, the Reds lifted the UEFA Super
Cup by beating Chelsea, and just last
weekend, equalled a 30-year record
held by SV Hamburg of going 36
Bundesliga matches unbeaten. The
next title on the agenda for the 42-
year-old former midfield strategist is
the FIFA Club World Cup Morocco
2013.
"It's a very prestigious tournament,"
explained Guardiola to FIFA.com. "It
isn't easy to reach this competition and
then win it. On top of that, it's also a
final, and a final is always something
special. Winning is everything. That's
why we're here."
The feeling in Munich is one of
immense joy that the most successful
coach of recent years has signed for
the club until 2016. Chief Executive
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge described
FIFA's Coach of the Year in 2011 as the
best coach Bayern had ever had, with
perhaps his biggest asset his attention
to detail and meticulous approach.
Constant presence on the touchline
Guardiola spends just a few minutes of
each game in his seat on the bench. For
much of the 90 minutes he patrols his
technical area, gesticulating
animatedly to his players. The same is
true at the training ground, where,
switching between German and
English, he explains every individual
action to his players, often interrupting
sessions to get his message across.
Moreover, he often joins in the
exercises himself, demonstrating his
ideas to the squad.
Preparing for and analysing the
opposition is one of Guardiola's most
important tasks. During the last
international break in October, he
worked overtime at the club's training
ground, despite having the vast
majority of his players away with their
national teams.
Guardiola is nothing if not fastidious in
his analysis of opponents, and neither
does he wish to leave anything to
chance at the Club World Cup in
December. For away matches in the
Champions League, Bayern always
arrive at their destination a day in
advance of games. This time, however,
their plane departs as early as
December 14, directly after their league
game against Hamburg and three days
before their tournament opener in
Agadir on December 17. "It's a long
journey and the players must keep
their heads clear. We need to get used
to the climate, the country and the
pitches."
Guardiola will not break with tradition
even if Bayern reach the final in
Marrakech, as the coach plans to give
his players time to see the city's sights –
even if he himself may not have the
same luxury. "If we have to spend a
good few days somewhere, they (the
players) shouldn't stay in their rooms
the whole time. It's good for them to
have a look around the city to help
them concentrate on the next game. I
don't know if I'll have time for that
myself, though, as I'll be preparing for
our next opponents."
Gratitude towards Heynckes
Many experts took the view that
Guardiola, a two-time winner of the
Club World Cup, would have Bayern
playing the same brand of football that
his previous club Barcelona excelled at.
The coach made it clear, however, that
he had no intention of creating a
second Barcelona in Munich. Rather,
his idea is to adapt himself to the club
and its players. In terms of tactics and
style of football, differences can
already be seen: the use of a 4-1-4-1
formation, with only one holding
midfielder in front of the defence and
two very centrally positioned full-
backs whenever the opposition have
possession, are probably the most
significant changes he has
implemented. And where there has
been continuity, Guardiola has put a
greater emphasis on certain things,
such as on pressing high up the pitch,
which Bayern now do to an even
greater extent than last season.
Putting the opposition under early
pressure is a tactic Guardiola intends
to employ in Morocco, where the coach
readily admits he would not be without
his predecessor. "In life, you don't
often get the opportunity to take part
in this competition. I'm very grateful
that I can be here, and I can only thank
Jupp Heynckes and my team for that."
In recent years, the Club World Cup
has been held in Japan and the United
Arab Emirates, and Guardiola is happy
that in 2013, the venue is somewhat
closer to Europe and Germany. "I think
it's a good idea by FIFA to have the
tournament in a different country
every year."
And though the former Barcelona man
will be hoping to lead his side to victory
in Morocco, he has the utmost respect
for the other competitors they will face
there, even if some are little known in
Europe. "We have to do our
homework," he said as our chat
concluded, an ominous warning for
anyone familiar with Guardiola's
attention to detail.
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN
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