Get the day's biggest City stories delivered straight to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Pep Guardiola has not only established a reputation as being one of the most innovative, successful managers in football – he's also known for being genuinely illuminating during interviews.

He's a student of the game, a man whose passion for the job transmits to those around him. When he speaks, people listen, with his ideas on how the game should be played highly regarded across the football world.

So what can we learn from his past interviews and what can we expect when he takes over at Manchester City? Here are some of his best quotes discussed.

On his love of midfielders

“The midfield is a crucial part of any team. Midfielders are intelligent players who have to think about the team as a whole.

“They’re selfless players who understand the game better than anyone and the more midfielders you have, the easier it is to slot them into other positions. That’s how they become versatile and that helps us to have smaller squads that are still able to offer more options.

“I love the midfield players. I would like to have a thousand midfield players in my squad, in my team because I believe the midfield players are intelligent understand the game.

“You can win the games with good defenders and good strikers, but to play good, you need midfield players.”

Guardiola sees midfield as the area of the pitch where the game is won or lost.

If you have midfielders who can move the ball quickly and incisively when in possession, and who work tirelessly to recover the ball when they lose it, it's very difficult for the opposition to establish any rhythm in their play.

Ilkay Gundogan is exactly the kind of midfielder he values and Fernandinho is likely to prosper under his tutelage.

However, are Fernando or Fabian Delph in the mould of Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets or Toni Kroos – others who have excelled under the Catalan's watch?

The make-up of City's midfield is likely to alter further between now and August.

(Image: MCFC.co.uk)

On his match preparation

"People don’t spend the day before they go to work locked up in hotel.

"We just try to make things the same for them. If they don’t rest, they’re not looking after themselves and that means they’ll play worse and lose their jobs.

"I judge my players on the work they do, not on their private lives. I’m not a policeman. I’m in bed at ten o’clock and I’ve got no urge to go and check up on my players.

"That’s why I’d rather have them at home and not cooped up in a hotel with nothing to do. We’re just trying to use our common sense. You wanted to know why we keep getting good results?

"That’s the answer: common sense."

Watch: Stuart Brennan talks Nolito

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

Guardiola treats his players with respect. The days of dictatorial managers striking fear into their squad is a thing of the past. A modern footballer expects a more nuanced management style.

And it seems the players will have to adapt to a new match-day routine. Manuel Pellegrini insisted his players stay at the CFA the night before home matches.

Guardiola prefers a less rigid approach, with the performance of the players on the field the only standard they are held to.

However, it hasn't always been that way.

In the 2008/09 season, in which Barcelona won the treble, Guardiola's assistant Tito Vilanova would regularly call players at just gone midnight to ensure they were back home - a reaction to the "fiesta" culture that predated his arrival and undermined the fitness of Barca's top stars.

If the City players are in peak condition and performing on the pitch, they have nothing to worry about.

On his team's style of play

We have to play as well as possible for our fans.

At the big clubs you always have to be offensive – no matter the style, but it matters the idea, and the idea is to try to dominate the game and play as well as possible.

That's all. It's simple.

Guardiola wants to win - but he wants to do so in style.

He recognises the needs of the fans and will only work for owners who value artistry in the game.

City's Abu Dhabi overlords want to see their team play open, attractive football. It's one of the primary reasons Guardiola was chosen.

On possession-based football

"The possession is important when you create chances. If you don't create chances it's nothing.

"We try to have the possession in front. Sometimes you have big, big possession to not create chances and just defend and defend - and that is not football.

"You try to have possession because if you have possession you have the ball – and if you have the ball it is impossible the opponent can score a goal.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

"When you have a high per cent of possession you have to be organised when you lose the ball to not accept or receive big, big counter-attacks from the opponent.

"I like possession because I like when my team has the ball but always you have to try to have good possession because possession for itself is nothing."

Having the ball reduces the damage the opposition can do - but dominating possession is worthless unless it's used creativly.

Passing in sterile fashion won't do. Guardiola will demand City are incisive and aggressive when they have the ball.