“?Pep Guardiola has reopened the debate surrounding Premier League ‘B’ clubs after he claimed that the Premier League 2 was “not good enough” to nurture today’s youth stars.
The Manchester City boss questioned why England’s top flight did not follow a format similar to that of La Liga, where ‘B’ teams regularly compete in leagues such as the Segunda Division to aid their young players’ development.
Former FA chairman Greg Dyke was lambasted by fans and the media alike for suggesting a model be implemented back in 2014 but, in quotes published by “?ESPN, Guardiola reignited the discussion over the polarising possibility and claimed it could work in England.
He said: “I’m not here to change absolutely anything but I think the second league for the young players is not good enough.
“The consistency is not physically strong. They compete in these second teams but it is not a good league.
“It’s not strong enough. That’s why it’s so difficult for the English people sometimes at big clubs like City. That for me is the real problem.”
Pep Guardiola calls for Premier League B teams – ‘English clubs fail to prepare their young players’. True talk Pep!
Adding to his argument, the 45-year-old stated that if young footballers played in front of crowds, of over 30,000 viewers, the stars of tomorrow would learn to adapt to hostile environments much quicker, and become more mentally prepared to deal with any criticism they received at a much earlier age.
He added: “In Spain the second teams in Barcelona and Madrid play in front of 40 or 45,000 people in Barcelona, Madrid. Here they play with no spectators.
“I love to work with the young people because of their passion; their intensity is higher, they want to build their own career. It’s much easier but I have to see when they are able to do that.
“I think it’s a real problem for English football, if you accept my opinion. I think the quality of the young players is there and if you have the quality, you can play wherever but [you need] to feel the pressure.
“Why cannot we create Man City or Man Utd second team and not play in the Championship against Newcastle? Playing in front of these huge [crowds]. That is the future of English football.”
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Pep Guardiola is in the first major slump of his career. Solution? Take his team to La-La Land. https://t.co/QmwzGtqNvb
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