Pep Guardiola has agreed with Sam Allardyce’s bold claim that he is as good as the Manchester City boss. Allardyce returned to the Premier League this week, tasked with saving Leeds United from relegation with just four games of their season left. The 68-year-old declared himself to be on the same level of knowledge and depth as Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Mikel Arteta in his press conference unveiling on Wednesday.
Guardiola acknowledged Allardyce’s comments, praising the veteran manager for his experience and knowledge of the game. He highlighted the success of other veteran managers such as Neil Warnock and Roy Hodgson, who have both achieved success in their respective clubs. Guardiola also noted that these managers have helped pave the way for younger managers to be successful.
Allardyce will come up against Guardiola in his first game in charge on Saturday at the Etihad. The City boss believes that Allardyce has the charisma to put pressure on his players and knows exactly what to do in a relegation battle. He concluded by saying that experience is key and that you don’t have to be young to be a good manager.