Pep Guardiola, Manchester City coach, said of his relationship with Juanma Lillo, his newly signed second coach, that they both see football in much the same way.
“I have never felt that I was his son. I already have a father, a very good one and that is enough for me. But a mentor? An inspiration? That would be accepted,” said the Spanish coach.
On what attracted him and what inspired him about the coach, Guardiola mentioned his knowledge of the game, his intelligence and his humanity.
“The way he prepares his sessions. We are very similar in how we see and how we understand the game. He is a friend,” he added in an interview with Sky Sports.
Guardiola recalled how he met Lillo in a match between Oviedo and Barcelona in 1996 and their time at the Mexican Dorados.
“He was a player focused on playing, but his ideas from the bench on how to progress and how to prepare for the games in training were very important to me. At that point in my career I felt that I needed a guy who would help me see what not I could see. Working with him in Mexico helped me improve, “he said.
Guardiola now hopes that Lillo will help Manchester City improve and become a better coach himself.
“There is something we do not agree on, but it is fine. That is important for me when choosing people to work in the coaching staff. I do not know everything about soccer, I am still learning. I need people close to me who Help me to be a better coach for our players and to allow me to see things that I don't see, “Guardiola said.