The hilarious story of Pep Guardiola's first call-up to Barcelona's first team has been revealed, which involves a disco, a beautiful brunette and legendary manager Johan Cruyff.
The Manchester City boss, in a rare copy of his book "My People My Football", writes about his time under the former Netherlands legend and three-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Guardiola explains that he was at a disco building up the courage to dance with a brunette when he was told about his first ever call-up up to Cruyff's first team at Barcelona.
"I don’t even think it was 7 o’clock, I was relaxing in a disco," Guardiola said, quoted by The Sun. "Frankly, I was more worried about a brunette than anything else and therefore I had decided that when the slow songs came on I would take her for a dance.
"All of this was going on when I saw a team-mate from La Masia arrive to tell me that a group of Academy players were to travel to Banyoles with the first team. And that I was amongst those selected.
"I never did dance with the brunette, who was certainly beautiful. My mind was already on other things.
"But I got to know the Barça first-team manager’s philosophy first hand. His assessment of my debut was thus: 'You played slower than my grandmother.' No need to say anything else!"
Manchester City's Guardiola credits the likes of Sir Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal as influences on his managerial career, but he lauds Cruyff for having the biggest impact on him as a player, as well as shaping his career in the dugout.
"Cruyff is, by a long way, the manager who taught me the most, the coach from whom I learnt the most, and now so that nobody doubts it, Cruyff is also the manager who made me suffer the most," he added.
"With a mere glance, he gave you goosebumps and made your blood run cold. When you looked at him you had the feeling that he was always a step ahead. Few men dominate every aspect of football as Cruyff did. He is a genius."
Source :
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