The landscape of football has changed over the past number of years and Pep Guardiola has been at the centre of it all.
The Manchester City manager has developed his own style across his 17 years in coaching and it is a style many bosses have attempted to copy to varying degrees of success.
Guardiola, 53, has also won as many as 39 trophies across three major European clubs including Barcelona and Bayern Munich and become one of the all-time greats.
Another boss who sits at the same top table is Sir Alex Ferguson who made Manchester United the force in England’s Premier League over a 27-year period where he lifted 38 winners’ medals.
Before Old Trafford for Ferguson was Aberdeen and it was there he made an early name for himself when he became the first boss outside Celtic and Rangers to win the league for 15 years.
And that is where a Sir Alex’s achievements have been ranked higher than Guardiola’s by ex-Red Devils defender Gary Neville and former Celt Ian Wright.
The pair both namechecked Celtic in their arguments regarding which manager’s accomplishments are ‘better’.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen were the first team outside Celtic and Rangers to win the title in 15 years
Wright, speaking on The Overlap’s Stick to Football show, said: “You look at when Sir Alex came in after leading Aberdeen – I think since 1984/85 they’re the only team outside Rangers and Celtic to win the Scottish championship – and that was Sir Alex.
“When he came to United we’re not talking about the same landscape as Pep’s got. Everything was laid out and ready to go for Pep.”
Neville, following Jamie Carragher’s Guardiola shout, then added: “I would say on achievements I would say Sir Alex because of what he achieved in Scotland and building four teams at United over a 15-20 year period and winning 13 titles.
“I think to build rebuild four teams and be successful over a long period of time, and do what he did in Scotland with Rangers and Celtic, I think his achievements are greater at this moment.
Gary Neville explains why Ferguson’s achievements are better than Pep’s
“I think Pep’s influence on football and style is definitely greater.
“What he’s done he’s influenced the whole world I think in the last 15 years about how to play football whether you’re in Germany, Italy, England.
“Kids on the school park, they all want to play Pep Guardiola football.”
One thing both men know is top players when they see them. Sir Alex Ferguson signed Henrik Larsson following his time at both Celtic and Barcelona.
And Man City were linked with a move for Kyogo over the summer, although Guradiola did eventually rubbish the speculation.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
