Pep Guardiola is pleased the Bayern Munich squad have adapted to his
ideas
so quickly -- but warned that anyone who fails to buy into his
approach will be left in the stands.
Guardiola has made a fine start to life in Germany, with Bayern now
top of the Bundesliga and having won both their Champions League games
to date, and the players are adopting the focus on possession and
pressing utilised by Barcelona during the coach’s time at the Camp Nou.
The Catalan is also showing signs that he is adapting to life in
Germany. During his first four months, Guardiola declined to give a
single interview other than the pre- and post-match interviews, which
are a contractual obligation in the Bundesliga, but he has now ended his
silence with an interview to Bayern’s match-day magazine.
“To be honest, I am a bit surprised at how the players have adapted
to my ideas,” he said. “I thought we’d need way more time for it, but we
are already on a very, very high level. I am pleased with what we’re
showing out there.”
However, he warned: “We will only be fighting for titles at the end
of the season if every player in this outstanding squad honours my
decisions. Those who honour my decisions will get my support -- and
those who don’t want to understand that will end up in the stands.”
Players including Mario Goetze, Javi Martinez and Thiago Alcantara
are returning or have already returned from injuries, and Guardiola
believes that is important.
“I always say that we need every single player, and that’s why I will be delighted when all of them are back on board,” he said.
With a busy schedule of games in the Bundesliga, Champions League,
DFB-Pokal and Club World Cup to be played before the year is out,
Guardiola said squad depth will be vital.
“It would not be good, if, for instance, Franck Ribery or Philipp
Lahm have to play 90 minutes every three days,” he said. “The more
players I have, the more I can change the team.”
He also said that Lahm, who has been used in holding midfielder, was
likely to be used as a full-back once the players return to fitness.
“Normally, he will return to his old position,” he said, although he
added that it is good to know he is capable of playing in the
alternative role.
He added: “[He] is one of the most intelligent players in the world.
[I am] 100 percent convinced that, after a short settling-in period, he
would be among the best in the world in every position.”