Much has been said of the latest generation of footballers, mostly along the lines of criticism regarding the time they spend on social media.
Commercials, sponsorships, even apology letters, the modern footballer does it all, and the veterans don’t love it. Just look up a classic Roy Keane rant, filled with terms such as “lazy”, “soft”, and “weak” and you’ll get the gist.
He’s not the only one dishing out complaints either, as Jose Mourinho once famously said “I have to adapt to what young players are now, Players now at 23 aren’t men, they’re brats.” More recently, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola shared his insight on the matter, and he doesn’t seem thrilled about it either.
The Spaniard, during the post-match conference after their win against Burnley, was asked about how the City players reacted to their victory, Guardiola responded
Pep Guardiola on how the #ManCity players reacted to the win vs Burnley: “Take the phone and look at the phone – Instagram. That is the generation of football players. I take five minutes to talk but they take the phone. I give up – they do whatever they want…”
— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) April 3, 2022
“Take the phone and look at the phone – Instagram. That is the generation of football players. I take 5 minutes to talk but they take the phone. I give up – they do whatever they want”.
His tone certainly implied a more comical note, nevertheless, his statement rings true.
Modern footballers really are fond of the odd post-match Instagram post, sometimes even after a poor result. While in the social media age it seems like a perfectly fine manner to express joy after a victory, the previous generation of footballers are most used to being reserved and remaining level-headed.
But times have changed, and Guardiola himself has adapted quite well.
Gone is the control freak seen during his early managerial career, as Guardiola has altered his approach with the new wave while remaining every bit the perfectionist.
This was visible in what he said next.
Pep Guardiola: “Tomorrow [Sunday] we talk about Atletico [Madrid]. As long as they are focussed during the game, the rest I don’t care.” [via @ManCityMEN]
— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) April 3, 2022
“Tomorrow we talk about Atletico (Madrid). As long as they are focused during the game, the rest I don’t care.”
The Spaniard firmly confirmed that it all doesn’t matter as long as the focus is present on the pitch.
