There's a piece on Otamendi today in the Athletic.
“Obviously, Pep’s football is about playing out with the ball and good positioning,” Otamendi explains. “As a centre-back, my characteristics are more about aggression. I go looking for the ball, refuse to give it up as lost, try to win every battle. You do have to have that aggression in the Premier League: you’re playing against strong, quick strikers, so you need a certain level of fight.”
“It’s important to listen to every instruction Pep gives you,” Otamendi says. “He’s a demanding coach. He doesn’t allow you to relax: you have to compete with the other player for your position every day. He improves you technically. He works on your positioning, your aggression, everything. I tried to absorb all the information Pep gave me, to learn from everything he said to me.
“If you do things the way he tells you, it’ll end up going the right way for you during a match. That’s why you have to be very open, to have your head ready to take it all in. You have to be prepared to learn.”
Does he believe Guardiola made him a better player?
“Yes, I do. Pep gives you all the tools you need to learn; after that, it’s up to you to evolve. You have to concentrate. Honestly, the years I spent with him were very happy ones. I learnt something every day, in every training session, from every little tip. I’m fortunate to have had a coach like him.”
“I think he’s a great player,” Otamendi says of Stones. “He has enormous quality, as does Ruben Dias, and they’ve adapted really well. John went through a spell when he had a lot of injuries. Perhaps when he did play, he didn’t have that much confidence but he never (gave up). I saw him up close every day, and on a personal level, I can tell you he’s a great kid. He is open to learning. I think he’s having a fantastic season.
“I always want the best for my former team-mates. It’s a humble and hard-working group. I hope this season they can win as many titles as possible.”
) who is spoiling the love in for JoMU and Liverpool ™failed.
to them!
