Pep Guardiola demonstrates why English managers need to forget short-term success to advance their tactical nous

The tactical and technical style developed in Spain cannot succeed for England unless coaches understand how it works

Pep Guardiola has proven that English managers have much to learn before matching his technical approach (Getty)

In the space of six weeks, Pep Guardiola has morphed Manchester City into a passing, pressing machine built around physically fit, technical players. Can the Catalan genius help to change the mindset of so many managers, coaches and officials involved in English football, from grassroots to the Premier League, who are scared to try to play a passing game?

Last weekend Manchester City outplayed Manchester United at Old Trafford for 45 minutes. In possession they were composed, they kept it simple and they kept did not force the ball forward at every opportunity. This style is the complete opposite of the stereotypical style of play we have clung on to for so many years in this England.

Up and down the country, from Sunday league to even some of the Premier League sides, there is a fear of playing passing football. There is a fear of getting the ball on the floor and trusting each player on the team to be able to control the ball and pass it confidently and consistently. Instead, the cries of "up the line!", "clear it!", "find the channels!" or simply "get rid!" ring out from on and off the pitch.

Yet Guardiola has shown, at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and now Manchester City that if you can get your players to all commit to playing with the mindset that they will keep the ball, that they will be patient in possession and that they should not be nervous when they have possession, that it is not just great to watch, but truly effective when it comes to winning football matches.

Of course, Guardiola has the pick of some of the best technical players in the world. However, the majority of these players have gotten to where they are by having been coached to focus on their technical ability, systems of play and game understanding, rather than a football education based on physicality. Take David Silva, for example, the small Spaniard had 90% pass completion against Manchester United, playing a key role in keeping possession for his side and making Manchester United work harder to try to get the ball back.

We have seen in the past that possession is not everything, take Louis van Gaal's United side last season. Pointless rotation of the ball can be a negative aspect for a team. However, as we have seen with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid on a club level and Spain on an international level, when passing based football is done well, a team cannot only win a game but dominate their opposition.

This idea of dominating a game, managing it so that you not only win but you win convincingly and in a style based around technically able players is a core theme behind Guardiola's philosophy, taken from the Johan Cruyff school of thought. City's first goal against United was far from the beautiful short passing style of play, but it is how his team reacted and controlled the game that truly reflected the Catalan's footballing ideas.

Another reflection of how effective this way of playing can be is City's position in the Premier League table. Guardiola's men have won all four of their opening games and are the only team in the league to have done so. They have also scored 11 goals in four matches, two more than any other team. They rank top of the possession stats table with an average of 59% possession and are third in the pass completion ranks with an average of 84%.

One player who seems to have bought into City's new look is Raheem Sterling. The young winger has until now failed to live up to his £49m price tag at City. Yet, so far this season the former Liverpool man has scored two and won two penalties for his side, showing some new found confidence.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of City's delayed Champions League tie against Borussia Mönchengladbach, Sterling said: “He just makes it simple and tells you how it is, tells you exactly what he wants from you on the pitch and says the rest is down to you. So there is not much of a better feeling than that, for a manager to make the game seem so simple. He is a helping hand, he gives you a lot of encouragement, and as a young player who is always developing and learning, to have someone who has done that at the highest level is a real bonus.”

This idea ultimately comes down to coaching – both tactical and technical – that the Spanish have become famous for in recent years. Managers such as Luis Enrique, Rafa Benitez, Unai Emery and Guardiola are Spanish coaches, all amongst the world's elite for this reason.

Raheem Sterling has benefited more than most from Guardiola's arrival (Getty)

In England, there are some incredibly talented players. The national team does boast some very technical, very able professionals, that are more about technique than they are physical. Players such as Daniel Sturridge, Jack Wilshere, John Stones, Dele Alli and Sterling are players that spring to mind when you mention young, technical English players. Yet, until now we have not had a manager who is has been able to coach and organise this group of talented young players to play to their strengths, pass the ball and outplay the opposition.

This, therefore, boils down to the standard of the coaches in England. If we want to produce more tactically aware and technically able players we need to improve the way we teach our coaches. We need to stop the emphasis on short-term success and work on building the strategies to develop good players and teams for the long-term. It is a project that will not happen overnight but as we have seen in Spain and more recently Germany, it can be done. Let's hope everyone in England continues to watch and learn from Pep and maybe we might all learn a thing or two.