opinions | 2015-08-07
The Pep Episodes (IX)
Debates over his contract extension and media criticism - Guardiola's struggles at Bayern continue as he's more and more annoyed by the media
New season, same old debate: Life in Germany is not going to be easier for Pep Guardiola, his struggle to get appreciation continues. They just do not recognize the highly decorated Catalan manager in Germany as much as one thinks they would (or should). To top it all, he lost the first (small) title of the new campaign to the Bundesliga runners-up and widely approved title contender VfL Wolfsburg after a penalty shootout. That Bayern were up one goal until the 89th minute doesn’t matter to many supporters and media outlets, what matters is the outcome: No title and a defeat in what some people think was a prediction for games to come against tough opposition.
Guardiola is accused of destroying Bayern’s philosophy
“If you win the Super Cup, it’s a small title; if you lose it, it’s a big one” – Guardiola summed up the atmosphere around the German record champions perfectly. Media and supporters again started to dramatize the meaning of the game, as they did and do with many things lately. It gets uncomfortable for Guardiola. They make many accusations and the former Barcelona coach gets the feeling that he is not that welcome in the Bundesliga anymore. They are even accusing him of ripping apart the club's proud identity.
There was the reported controversy with the departure of notable club doctor Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt. The sale of Bayern icon Bastian Schweinsteiger to Manchester United is another thing supporters blame Guardiola for while bemoaning that the club is getting more and more Spanish, hence losing their proud Bavarian identity (four Spaniards in the squad and three in the coaching staff is a thorn in the side of some conservatives). People even criticize Pep is not getting the best out of Mario Götze, the once designated “German Messi” in Guardiola’s system. Even his somehow regular substitutions of Thomas Müller are a growing target of criticism.
Cultural differences
And then there are the constant cultural differences. Guardiola doesn’t like to interact with the media – in two years’ time, he never gave a single interview to a newspaper, just as he used to avoid back in his Barcelona days. In Germany, that’s an affront, since the media is not used to that kind of behavior at all. At the obligatory press conferences, the Catalan doesn’t give much insight, since he's mostly repeating himself constantly. After losing games, he never points out flaws or problems, not being honest with journalists. Instead, he repeats phrases. You have the feeling he distrusts journalists – it’s the way Pep works, all he cares is about his team, his tactics, his football. Slowly but steadily, this behavior backfires. Immensely. The media coverage is getting more and more hostile.
Guardiola: “I will never become a problem for Bayern Munich”
The debate about his future doesn’t help Guardiola’s case either. He remains noncommittal over his future plans, with his deal ending in 2016. "I haven't yet decided what is best for this club. I haven't made a decision yet," Guardiola insisted on Friday, continuing: "I will never become a problem for Bayern Munich. Never."
What’s he is not getting – the cultural differences I referred to – is that the media won’t stop asking him about his future, to the contrary: The dissonance will continue to grow, since German journalists are not used to a coach who doesn’t say what he’s up to. They like to have facts, a clear future. With Guardiola, that’s just not what you get. ‘What is he waiting for?’ is what Germans in general are thinking, retired football players like German international Lothar Matthäus are already attacking him - Bayern's press manager had to defend him during a press conference - and the media are reporting greedily. The terms they commonly use in this case are “Trainerdiskussion” and “Trainerfrage”, meaning discussions and questions about the coach. Negative, unsettling terms. Steady encumbering echoes in the background.
Kicker sports magazine was spot on, pointing out the cultural rule of thumb: “As long as his future is unresolved, it will cause turmoil.” And so Guardiola is inflaming public speculation and setting off a media avalanche. Sport1 went with the caption Guardiola “poses in riddles”, while SportBild’s headline after the Super Cup was even more rigorous: “Is Pep paralyzing Bayern?”, the magazine asked in huge letters.
A problematic debate
Meanwhile, Süddeutsche Zeitung already noted that it’s “obvious Guardiola finds the debate exhausting,” noticing: “At least in Wolfsburg he looked like the new season could be his last in Munich.” On Monday and Tuesday, almost every media talked about how "annoyed" Guardiola was before the pre-season tournament Audi Cup. The unclear future is clearly a problem in the view of many.
While still insisting that every effort will be made to renew Guardiola's contract, Bayern’s chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has recently changed his course a little bit, saying that "the world wouldn't end” if the Catalan coach leaves. And Sporting Director Matthias Sammer said: “Believe me, Bayern Munich will breathe even without Pep Guardiola.”
That’s a new tone at the Bavarian Champions. Especially coming from Sammer and Rummenigge, who are enthusiastic about the coach and impressed with his work on the pitch and in the locker room. But the management registers his communication issues and public image - while the former Barça manager notices the discontent and opinions surrounding him day in day out from fans and the media. Understandably, he gets more and more irritated.
In a poll from kicker, asking if Guardiola should extend his contract, 55 percent of the people voted “no”, with only 23 percent saying he should stay at Bayern. The debates will accompany Guardiola, his struggle continues. And the season didn’t even really start yet. It doesn't bear contemplating what happens if he loses an important game.
The Pep Episodes are a weekly column about the adventures of Pep Guardiola in Munich written by kicker sports magazine contributor Alex Truica. You can follow him on Twitter.