In 2017/18, Manchester City romped home to their third Premier League title in six years, collecting points like stamps and setting records that are unlikely to be surpassed in the foreseeable future; most victories, longest run of consecutive wins, most goals scored, largest winning margin, and of course, reaching that hallowed century of points on the final day of the season.
Now, in the new campaign, they’ve virtually ignored the off-season and retained the procession, top of the league once again, unbeaten in 13 league fixtures.
Pep Guardiola’s achievements with the Cityzens have been most certainly impressive and it’s becoming increasingly apparent that he hasn’t finished yet.
Guardiola won the Premier League Manager Of The Season, as well as the LMA Manager of the Year, the first time either of the awards have been given to a City manager despite Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini’s past successes.
However, this wasn’t enough to satisfy the jury at the Globe Soccer Awards, who have failed to include Guardiola on their shortlist for Best Coach Of The Year, and this has not sat well with the blue half of Manchester.
World Cup winner Didier Deschamps, three-time Champions League winner Zinedine Zidane (formerly of Real Madrid), Atletico Madrid’s Europa-winning manager Diego Simeone, Juventus’ Massimiliano Allegri and, most surprisingly, Liverpool’s trophyless Jurgen Klopp all feature.
The latter name has led football fans - predominantly not of the red Scouse ilk - to boil and vent on social media, with one Twitter user (@lilpromzy) commenting that the choice was ‘bizarre’.
Even Liverpool fan profile @empireofthekop deemed the decision ‘stupid’, whilst @Sigban went in a little more harshly;
‘Klopp. Respect to this guy, he has fooled the whole world to believe that he has done miracles at LFC. On this list ahead of Guardiola, what a pisstake.’
@clifton_paul probably put it most eloquently;
‘So you omit arguably the best manager in world football in Pep Guardiola, yet include the Trophy free zone that is Jurgen Klopp , and still expect the public to treat this as a serious award ?? Staggering.’
@Chibb_9230 was outraged:
;Klopp!?!?He might win the award for ‘most cuddles’ or a special award for drawing at home to West Brom.’
It is obvious that these nominees have be geared to be rewarded to more tournament-centric achievements, with Liverpool having got to the UCL Final in Kiev to be beaten comprehensively by Zidane's Real Madrid.
Guardiola himself has suggested that his impressive side will be deemed ‘failures’ if they don’t win the most prestigious European tournament this year.
“For the people who don’t love us too much, who use money as an argument, then we have failed if we don’t win the Champions League,”
Guardiola spoke in his pre-match press conference ahead of their away meeting with Olympique Lyonnais (The Guardian).
The abundance of riches Guardiola has at his disposable may have gone some way to legitimise his omission from this particular award, after failing to win the Champions League despite the gargantuan amount thrown at improving his squad.
It is however distinctly unusual that with the awards taking place in Dubai on the final day of the International Sports Conference that a place hasn’t been found for Pep having been backed by the inherently bottomless oil-money of the United Arab Emirates, of which Dubai is the largest city.
👉 Who do you think will lift the award?
#didierdeschamps @simeone #klopp @OfficialAllegri #zidane
