A pretty famous and overused quote goes like this: “Talking is always positive”.
It seems like Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola shares the sentiment. As a result, the coach has now blocked Wi-Fi at the Manchester City training base. Not to worry, Pep hasn’t become a Luddite.
Instead, the former Barcelona manager has blocked Wi-Fi in order to encourage more face-to-face communication among his players. According to a report by Jamie Jackson of The Guardian, the Spaniard has mapped out certain areas of the City football training complex, which will not have access to any 3G signal as well as no Wi-Fi.
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In recent years, technology has seen a monumental shift with players now connecting their fans directly via social media. As a result, there have been positive and negative incidents.
Also Read: Ex-Barcelona star Xavi hails “influential” and “perfectionist” Pep Guardiola
However, Guardiola is of the belief that players spend too much time on their phones and gadgets and as a result, there is a lack of face-to-face communication. His belief is that more such communication will only help players develop a better understanding.
Be it on the pitch or off the pitch, the coach hopes such a measure will help create better bonds between the football players plying their trade at the Etihad.
Zabaleta supports his manager
Argentine defender, Pablo Zabaleta has voiced his support for the coach’s new methods as well. The veteran defender speaking to Argentinean media channel TycSports, told the media, “The internet is cut off, we are held incommunicado. We don’t even use 3G.”
Zabaleta, who has been at Manchester City since 2008, chose to appreciate the Spaniard’s methods. He believes that it is an opportunity to learn from one of the best coaches in the world. He appreciated the the former Bayern coach’s influence at the Etihad, stating, “One learns a lot, especially about life. Beyond all his wisdom, he has a real passion for football”.
Since his arrival at Manchester City, Guardiola has been proactively implementing changes which he believes will help the team gain an edge over other clubs. Some of the notable changes since his arrival are the banning of pizza after matches and players being encouraged to share their meals together.
His focus on player fitness resulted in Samir Nasri, the French midfielder having to train away from the first-team squad, as the midfielder was found over weight as per the required standards.
Manchester City currently sit top of the Premier League two points ahead of second placed, Tottenham Hotspur, who beat them 2-0 at the weekend.
