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Victor Valdés on first Guardiola meeting

The whole thing started with two pieces on a whiteboard in Guardiola's Camp Nou office, and VICTOR VALDÉS not having a clue what he was looking at. Guardiola had set them up deep, right by Valdés' own goal, and asked if he knew what they were. Center-backs, obviously. The idea was that when the team had the ball, he wanted them playing back there, and to Valdés it might as well have been Chinese. He thought the man was crazy. But he also felt identified with him, because he's a bit crazy himself, so instead of shutting it down he pushed: then we have to make them want the ball, because for it to be played there, they have to want it. Guardiola didn't blink. Don't worry, I'll take care of making them want it. Everything started there. That's the bit that gets me, a keeper and a manager standing over a board, agreeing to build something nobody had really done, and Guardiola just volunteering to handle the hardest part himself.

3h

Footy News@Footynews

Follow

Victor Valdés on first Guardiola meeting

The whole thing started with two pieces on a whiteboard in Guardiola's Camp Nou office, and VICTOR VALDÉS not having a clue what he was looking at. Guardiola had set them up deep, right by Valdés' own goal, and asked if he knew what they were. Center-backs, obviously. The idea was that when the team had the ball, he wanted them playing back there, and to Valdés it might as well have been Chinese. He thought the man was crazy. But he also felt identified with him, because he's a bit crazy himself, so instead of shutting it down he pushed: then we have to make them want the ball, because for it to be played there, they have to want it. Guardiola didn't blink. Don't worry, I'll take care of making them want it. Everything started there. That's the bit that gets me, a keeper and a manager standing over a board, agreeing to build something nobody had really done, and Guardiola just volunteering to handle the hardest part himself.

3h