Is Pep the greatest manager of all time?

stefan92

Full Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2021
Messages
6,947
Supports
Hannover 96
I do not see how Pep’s doping allegations as a player lower his achievements as manager.

Pep is basically SAF and Michels combined. Has trophies like SAF (who didn’t influence much the football outside England) and an influence in football as Michels (who didn’t have as many trophies relatively speaking).
There are also rumours about his Barca team being involved in the Fuentes doping scandal for example.
 

Chipper

Adulterer.
Joined
Oct 25, 2017
Messages
5,852
I do not see how Pep’s doping allegations as a player lower his achievements as manager.
There have been separate substantial allegations made during his time as a manager. Surely you rememeber Dr. Fuentes?
 
Last edited:

adexkola

Doesn't understand sportswashing.
Joined
Mar 17, 2008
Messages
48,850
Location
The CL is a glorified FA Cup set to music
Supports
orderly disembarking on planes
He’s just won his 12th title managing in three of the top leagues in the world. He just won 4 on the trot in the best league in the world after wining the most dominant treble last season. I don’t think outside of here it’s even a debate anymore.
It's like flat earth debates; they only happen on the internet and in hushed conversations at the pub. No group of experts in football/astronomy is peddling alternative theories of flat earths or Pep needing to manage at Stoke
 

mctrials23

Full Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
1,300
He can only be remotely considered one of the best managers if he doesn't go to the dominant side in a league. Hes an exceptional manager with a great team around him but the very best managers do special things. I think Klopp has done far more impressive things at Liverpool than Pep at City.
 

Daydreamer

Full Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2014
Messages
1,437
Supports
Arsenal
It's like flat earth debates; they only happen on the internet and in hushed conversations at the pub. No group of experts in football/astronomy is peddling alternative theories of flat earths or Pep needing to manage at Stoke
This is true. The allegations of doping (both chemical and financial) get brought up elsewhere when discussing Pep, but the dismissing of his achievements because he was successful at a big club immediately is something I mainly see here.

It’s not surprising, though. He’ll alway be compared unfavourably with SAF on a United forum and he doesn’t have an Aberdeen-style underdog story in his past.

I do find it a little bit like the Messi - Ronaldo debate, though. For Ronaldo fans, at first the numbers (goals / assists / trophies) were all that mattered. But when Messi began to match or overtake in most metrics, the criteria became ever more esoteric. My favourite example was Neville saying Ronaldo was superior because he’d pick him to take a penalty in the last minute of a final.

Personally, I’d say Pep’s not yet, but if he keeps managing with the same hunger he has now he’ll be in a class of his own by the time he retires.
 

thegregster

Harbinger of new information
Joined
Nov 4, 2009
Messages
13,632
Since he joined unlimited funds city Real Madrid have won 4 CLs to his 1.
 
Last edited:

Wilt

Full Member
Joined
May 22, 2017
Messages
7,055
Goat? Impossible to say ….different eras

Best ever Prem manager SAF

Currently worlds best manager Pep
 

adexkola

Doesn't understand sportswashing.
Joined
Mar 17, 2008
Messages
48,850
Location
The CL is a glorified FA Cup set to music
Supports
orderly disembarking on planes
This is true. The allegations of doping (both chemical and financial) get brought up elsewhere when discussing Pep, but the dismissing of his achievements because he was successful at a big club immediately is something I mainly see here.

It’s not surprising, though. He’ll alway be compared unfavourably with SAF on a United forum and he doesn’t have an Aberdeen-style underdog story in his past.

I do find it a little bit like the Messi - Ronaldo debate, though. For Ronaldo fans, at first the numbers (goals / assists / trophies) were all that mattered. But when Messi began to match or overtake in most metrics, the criteria became ever more esoteric. My favourite example was Neville saying Ronaldo was superior because he’d pick him to take a penalty in the last minute of a final.

Personally, I’d say Pep’s not yet, but if he keeps managing with the same hunger he has now he’ll be in a class of his own by the time he retires.
I don't think he's the GOAT (I've not watched enough football to know for sure, and I think SAF is top). But he's certainly on the shortlist.
 

ArtetasHair

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Oct 22, 2023
Messages
127
Supports
Arsenal
He’s just won his 12th title managing in three of the top leagues in the world. He just won 4 on the trot in the best league in the world after wining the most dominant treble last season. I don’t think outside of here it’s even a debate anymore.

I can't believe a Liverpool fan is writing this tripe.

He cheated you out of multiple titles last few years which would have led you to overtake United.

Had it not been for this doping Arsenal would have won 2 in a row and be in for matching SAFs three in a row and coming close to number 20.

Its sickening
 

Greyfog

Full Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2018
Messages
669
Location
High Road
Supports
Enugu Rangers
There are also rumours about his Barca team being involved in the Fuentes doping scandal for example.
Who was the manager when Rio missed his drug test that earned him a ban? Top players doping. Crazy stuff
 

Daydreamer

Full Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2014
Messages
1,437
Supports
Arsenal
I can't believe a Liverpool fan is writing this tripe.

He cheated you out of multiple titles last few years which would have led you to overtake United.

Had it not been for this doping Arsenal would have won 2 in a row and be in for matching SAFs three in a row and coming close to number 20.

Its sickening
I'm a fellow Gooner who very much feels your pain, but both things can be true. City can have been turned into a hollowed-out, corrupt, soulless husk of a football club... and also have hired a Manager of generational talent to lead them to ridiculous heights.
 

Yakuza_devils

Full Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2016
Messages
3,414
I can't believe a Liverpool fan is writing this tripe.

He cheated you out of multiple titles last few years which would have led you to overtake United.

Had it not been for this doping Arsenal would have won 2 in a row and be in for matching SAFs three in a row and coming close to number 20.

Its sickening
For Liverpool fans, as long as the GOAT is not SAF or Man Utd linked, they are happy. They have been cheated 3-4 years of PL titles but it's ok the focus was SAF/Man Utd.
 

Yakuza_devils

Full Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2016
Messages
3,414
I'm a fellow Gooner who very much feels your pain, but both things can be true. City can have been turned into a hollowed-out, corrupt, soulless husk of a football club... and also have hired a Manager of generational talent to lead them to ridiculous heights.
How about the 115? It makes huge difference in term of resources for the club and manager. As Wenger said, it's financial doping.

If the titles were stripped like what happened to Lance Armstrong, Pep will not have 6 PL titles. Is he still the GOAT?
 

Fortitude

TV/Monitor Expert
Scout
Joined
Jul 10, 2004
Messages
23,301
Location
Inside right
I can't believe a Liverpool fan is writing this tripe.

He cheated you out of multiple titles last few years which would have led you to overtake United.

Had it not been for this doping Arsenal would have won 2 in a row and be in for matching SAFs three in a row and coming close to number 20.

Its sickening
This thread is the greatest example of cognitive dissonance on the whole site. It's actually fascinating to dip into from time to time from an observational POV.
 

Daydreamer

Full Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2014
Messages
1,437
Supports
Arsenal
How about the 115? It makes huge difference in term of resources for the club and manager. As Wenger said, it's financial doping.

If the titles were stripped like what happened to Lance Armstrong, Pep will not have 6 PL titles. Is he still the GOAT?
I thought calling them a “hollowed-out, corrupt, soulless husk of a football club” made my feelings pretty clear, but I’ll try again.

I hate everything about the fact that City have won not one, but two, league titles that would have gone to us had they been found guilty since being charged. Especially as Everton and Forest were punished so quickly. It makes me sad as a fan of Arsenal, but also as a fan of football.
 

SilentWitness

ShoelessWitness
Staff
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
31,607
Supports
Everton
I can't believe a Liverpool fan is writing this tripe.

He cheated you out of multiple titles last few years which would have led you to overtake United.

Had it not been for this doping Arsenal would have won 2 in a row and be in for matching SAFs three in a row and coming close to number 20.

Its sickening
Unfortunately this isn't quite true. The whole fabric of football changes without City/Pep and the financial doping. It's no guarantee that the same 2nd placed teams would have been there to win titles or not.
 

ArtetasHair

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Oct 22, 2023
Messages
127
Supports
Arsenal
Unfortunately this isn't quite true. The whole fabric of football changes without City/Pep and the financial doping. It's no guarantee that the same 2nd placed teams would have been there to win titles or not.
Ofcourse it does :wenger: Right now aside from City, Arsenal are ahead of the others by some distance. So were Liverpool last few years. And this is just now. In the 2000s these cheats gutted our team and we resorted to the mediocrity of 4th and 5th.

You're a top poster but last few days utterly baffling some of your posts
 

SilentWitness

ShoelessWitness
Staff
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
31,607
Supports
Everton
Ofcourse it does :wenger: Right now aside from City, Arsenal are ahead of the others by some distance. So were Liverpool last few years. And this is just now. In the 2000s these cheats gutted our team and we resorted to the mediocrity of 4th and 5th.

You're a top poster but last few days utterly baffling some of your posts
I disagree. For example, two players you currently have in your squad were at City (Zinchenko and Jesus). There are also a large quantity of City players that they've taken from the rest of the league and beaten other clubs to in respect of their transfers. If City were not financially doped then they won't make the same transfers, they may not have performed as well and other clubs would have made different transfers and may have performed differently.

It's regularly peddled out that the reason that City and Liverpool managed to reach those maximums is because of the other, we can't absolutely guarantee that would be the same and Liverpool would have reached those heights without City or if another club would have came in and been competing etc.

This isn't me denying you and Liverpool have been the best sides apart from them by the way, of course you have, but there's no guarantee it would have been the same without that doping behind City.
 
Last edited:

adexkola

Doesn't understand sportswashing.
Joined
Mar 17, 2008
Messages
48,850
Location
The CL is a glorified FA Cup set to music
Supports
orderly disembarking on planes
I can't believe a Liverpool fan is writing this tripe.

He cheated you out of multiple titles last few years which would have led you to overtake United.

Had it not been for this doping Arsenal would have won 2 in a row and be in for matching SAFs three in a row and coming close to number 20.

Its sickening
Klopp has more of a right to bitch than any online person, yet he went out of his way to say this:

On Friday Klopp had said that the Spaniard is the 'best manager in the world'. He added: 'If you put any other manager in that club, they don't win the league four times in a row. That's down to him and his team.'
He didn't have to say all that. But maybe the Saudis got to him.
 

Daydreamer

Full Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2014
Messages
1,437
Supports
Arsenal
I disagree. For example, two players you currently have in your squad were at City (Zinchenko and Jesus). There are also a large quantity of City players that they've taken from the rest of the league and beaten other clubs to in respect of their transfers. If City were not financially doped then they won't make the same transfers, they may not have performed as well and other clubs would have made different transfers and may have performed differently.

It's regularly peddled out that the reason that City and Liverpool managed to reach those maximums is because of the other, we can't absolutely guarantee that would be the same and Liverpool would have reached those heights without City or if another club would have came in and been competing etc.
Of course "we can't absolutely guarantee" it - that's the case for literally all hypothetical situations.

The gap between 2nd and 3rd has 7, 9 and 18 points in the last three season. These weren't three-horse title races, the 2nd best team was decidedly clear of the chasing pack.
 

SilentWitness

ShoelessWitness
Staff
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
31,607
Supports
Everton
Of course "we can't absolutely guarantee" it - that's the case for literally all hypothetical situations.

The gap between 2nd and 3rd has 7, 9 and 18 points in the last three season. These weren't three-horse title races, the 2nd best team was decidedly clear of the chasing pack.
I'm just putting forward the argument as to why I don't think we can retrospectively give titles to sides that came 2nd.
 

Daydreamer

Full Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2014
Messages
1,437
Supports
Arsenal
I'm just putting forward the argument as to why I don't think we can retrospectively give titles to sides that came 2nd.
Yeah, fair play. I think the 115 charges has left me disillusioned with football and (I believe) uncharacteristically irritable.
 

njred

HALA MADRID!
Joined
Nov 3, 2001
Messages
7,285
Supports
Liverpool
For Liverpool fans, as long as the GOAT is not SAF or Man Utd linked, they are happy. They have been cheated 3-4 years of PL titles but it's ok the focus was SAF/Man Utd.
Pot kettle black. This whole forum overlooks the corruption of City if it meant Liverpool not winning. We’re in the same boat eating the same shit sandwich
 

thisisnottaken1

Full Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2023
Messages
1,739
Location
Edinburgh
Klopp has more of a right to bitch than any online person, yet he went out of his way to say this:



He didn't have to say all that. But maybe the Saudis got to him.
What a shit rivalry. They loved each other way too much.

My granddad could win a title with oil money.
 

Cassidy

No longer at risk of being mistaken for a Scouser
Joined
Oct 2, 2013
Messages
31,667
His Barcelona side are entangled in a referring scandal, there was the missing blood samples too. Now there are 115 charges... erm no I don't think he can be called the greatest manager ever especially when you have some that have won more UCLs than he has.

Brilliant manager and tactician he is, always seems to be around a scandal though...
 

Galactic

Incorrigible pest
Joined
Aug 4, 2006
Messages
8,304
Location
Never Forget
He took over a club that has spent significantly much more than others, not just on players and coaches but on all aspects of the club. Let him take over at clubs like spurs and see how good he really is.
 

heraklion

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Mar 27, 2023
Messages
348
How about the 115? It makes huge difference in term of resources for the club and manager. As Wenger said, it's financial doping.

If the titles were stripped like what happened to Lance Armstrong, Pep will not have 6 PL titles. Is he still the GOAT?
As if Premier League determines who's going to be the GOAT.

We saw how SAF did against Goteborg, Lille, Basel, Benfica, Galatasaray with huge budget advantage. It's crazy those talking about budget differences/financial advantages are conveniently ignoring SAF's shortfalls against team with way lower budgets, trying to create a myth. Not to mention his constant failures in the UCL, regular exits against teams like Real.

And then this implicit delusional assumption that SAF or any top manager would be equally successful at Barca, Bayern or any other team outside the UK, as if that's something every top manager can easily do. We saw what happened to Ancelotti at Bayern. I don't think that SAF would be as successful at Barca or Bayern or any top team in Serie A, he is designed for the Premier League success, and that's where it ends.
 
Last edited:

Lash

Full Member
Joined
May 3, 2012
Messages
12,728
Location
Buckinghamshire
Supports
Millwall, Saint-Etienne
It's still Don Carlo for me. As most people have said, there's always an element of controversy with his greatest teams. He's an obvious outstanding candidate to argue the case for though and you won't get that many people vehemently disagreeing.
 

Yakuza_devils

Full Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2016
Messages
3,414
As if Premier League determines who's going to be the GOAT.

We saw how SAF did against Goteborg, Lille, Basel, Benfica, Galatasaray with huge budget advantage. It's crazy those talking about budget differences/financial advantages are conveniently ignoring SAF's shortfalls against team with way lower budgets, trying to create a myth. Not to mention his constant failures in the UCL, regular exits against teams like Real.

And then this implicit delusional assumption that SAF or any top manager would be equally successful at Barca, Bayern or any other team outside the UK, as if that's something every top manager can easily do. We saw what happened to Ancelotti at Bayern. I don't think that SAF would be as successful at Barca or Bayern or any top team in Serie A, he is designed for the Premier League success, and that's where it ends.
There are a lot of assumptions and your point of views in your post about SAF. Since it's hypothetical so no point arguing about it.

So outside of PL he only won 1 CL here with all the cheating. Why is he the GOAT? Did he won CL with BM? The league there was 1 horse race for 10 years.

There are tons of manager more successful than him. One being Ancelotti.
 

Yakuza_devils

Full Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2016
Messages
3,414
Pot kettle black. This whole forum overlooks the corruption of City if it meant Liverpool not winning. We’re in the same boat eating the same shit sandwich
Nope. I stated very clear in my last posts that last 2 years the best team and manager should be Arsenal and Arteta. 3-4 years prior to that was Liverpool and Klopp. To me until now I still think Klopp is the better manager than Pep with the budget constraints. Klopp also play better football.

They did it in proper way honestly and play by the rules. This deserves utmost respect especially Klopp. Klopp achievement was incredible especially winning the CL too without cheatings. He was better than Pep
 

kaiser1

Full Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2018
Messages
2,158
Supports
Bayern Munich
It's still Don Carlo for me. As most people have said, there's always an element of controversy with his greatest teams. He's an obvious outstanding candidate to argue the case for though and you won't get that many people vehemently disagreeing.
Carlo has 6 league titles in 25yrs coaching the best teams in Europe
 
Last edited:

kaiser1

Full Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2018
Messages
2,158
Supports
Bayern Munich
He took over a club that has spent significantly much more than others, not just on players and coaches but on all aspects of the club. Let him take over at clubs like spurs and see how good he really is.
Man Utd and Chelsea have a higher net spend than him in the last 5yrs and they are not close to his team
 

kaiser1

Full Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2018
Messages
2,158
Supports
Bayern Munich
There are a lot of assumptions and your point of views in your post about SAF. Since it's hypothetical so no point arguing about it.

So outside of PL he only won 1 CL here with all the cheating. Why is he the GOAT? Did he won CL with BM? The league there was 1 horse race for 10 years.

There are tons of manager more successful than him. One being Ancelotti.
How many CL did Carlo win with Bayern Juve Chelsea PSG etc?

Carlo has 6 leagues and 4 CL in 25yrs, Pep has 12 leagues and 3CL (including 2 trebles) in 15yrs. How is that more succesful?
 

njred

HALA MADRID!
Joined
Nov 3, 2001
Messages
7,285
Supports
Liverpool
Nope. I stated very clear in my last posts that last 2 years the best team and manager should be Arsenal and Arteta. 3-4 years prior to that was Liverpool and Klopp. To me until now I still think Klopp is the better manager than Pep with the budget constraints. Klopp also play better football.

They did it in proper way honestly and play by the rules. This deserves utmost respect especially Klopp. Klopp achievement was incredible especially winning the CL too without cheatings. He was better than Pep
Not many agree with you so fair play. I do wonder how many on here would wipe out Peps achievements if it meant the rest of us won what we should have without the City being owned by a state. I would have no issue with it even if it meant united have more titles.