A tribute to: Pep Guardiola.

“12 hours after the game that, the commentators claimed, ended the great Era of FC Barcelona. Other’s claim that this will be the last Pep will see of Barcelona. Near this time last year Pep’s words were, "I will stay one more year and then we will see. If i then lose my passion i'll go home, rest and try to find it again." - Senor Pep Guardiola. In other words, he will not leave for another team. Today I read the most touching article, as a FC Barcelona fan it important for the aiding of the rehabilitation of my heart after the game which slipped through our fingers. Pep’s words today were, "Now, we will have to recover and think about the next season.” His use of the plural pronoun “we” proves that he represents himself together with the team of Barcelona. In short it means he will be staying for the season to come. If this is not the news we may gift a sigh of relief to, what will be? Our coach which art in Barcelona, Guardiola be thy name. Thy era come, thy will be done in earth as it is in Catalonia.

First let us begin with some small things from the touching article I was referring to, http://www.goal.com/en/news/1716/champions-league/2012/04/25/3058746/guardiola-barcelona-did-not-do-anything-wrong

“The Catalan club have bowed out of the Uefa competition” after conceding a game to the Chelsea men who didn’t look too blue today. I hope I’m not the only one who fumes at the sight of John Terry.

"Now, we will have to recover and think about the next season. The only thing we can do is congratulate Chelsea for their defensive work.

"I told my players to attack and not to stop, because that is what we have to do. And then Chelsea's first goal came.

"But we are true to ourselves, we have always been this way. I will learn from this.

"I do not know what to feel. I look at my players and I do not know what to tell them that they did wrong because I cannot find anything wrong with what we did."

The Spanish manager went on to praise Lionel Messi, expressing his lack of strife due to Messi's missing a penalty which could have potentially won the game.

"I only have to thank him for all he has done," the 41-year-old added. "My admiration for him is insurmountable, he helps us to improve every day.

"He will have a couple of difficult hours because we all know how competitive he is, but that is the good thing about this sport.

"Sometimes you smile, and sometimes you lose."

Questioned about what he would tell a child who has cried for Barcelona for the first time after Tuesday's match, Guardiola said: "Welcome to the club. You will cry more times.”

"This is part of the sport. You cannot win every time."

It is Pep Guardiola’s quotes that would be rewritten if FC Barcelona were to produce their own Bible. It would be his inspiration. Those gently arched eyebrows. The husky gentle voice. The large caring eyes. The little protruding chin and his lazy smile that has caught our hearts so unawares.”

I wrote that blog a few days ago and saved it on my computer to publish it at a later date. And on any other normal day, this would have been an average blog for an average day. But today was not meant to be that day. Fate had it’s own plan in mind.

Today, my dearest Pep Guardiola – the man which every FC Barcelona supporter likens unto a Father when it comes to their football lives – has announced his resignation. Watching the live coverage, in Spanish, on the FC Barcelona official website, I felt the reality of my heart breaking for the most successful manager of the most successful club in the world. When I entered the football world a little child at the heels of Barca it was Pep Guardiola who picked me up, cradled me in his football and proved the existence of beauty in the football he created. He made football an art form, with the thick strokes of Puyol and Pique – the tactical masterpieces of Xavi and Iniesta and the pure glory of Lionel Messi.

Pep leaving was one of those impossible things, in my head. Like a lion leaving it’s heard. Like a Father leaving his family. Like Messi leaving the Camp Nou. Impossible.

Little Josep Guardiola was born in Catalonia. He was born a Cule. Born to be become a footballer for FC Barcelona. He was practically born in the stadium. He went on to become a player and later the Captain of the almighty Barca. Replaced by the one and only Xavi Hernandez, Pep disappeared for a while. Some was good. A little was well. But then he returned. And he returned with such vigour as none before him had. There was non like him in all the earth.

I am a passionate Barcelona fan. That I am. From the very first 5-0 El Clasico i dared to watch live i was never disappointed. I fell in love with the stylish young manager with his exaggeratedly passionate hand gestures and awkward-sweet smile. 

I learned of his accomplishments - as any stalker would - and boy did he have accomplishments. He was a young, fresh faced man then. But time has taken its toll. Time. And life.

It was, for me, more heartbreaking than for most, to learn of this announcement. Everything he did will remain a part of history. A part of our memories...my childhood. One man. One dream. One team. FC Barcelona: More than a club. The club that became the most during the reign of the one we call Pep Guardiola. <3

In his official conference in which he announced to the world his departure everything Pep said touched my heart. Comments from other football personalities before the conference include:

11:50 AM BST The latest reaction to Pep's decision to leave comes from the Netherlands, where Ajax boss Frank de Boer has shared his thoughts at a press conference:

“It's a shame that he's [Guardiola] quit Barcelona. [Frank] Rijkaard started the progress at Barcelona and Pep perfected it.

“I understand his decision [to leave], because there is nothing left to win with Barcelona.”

When asked if he would consider the job if asked, the Dutch coach replied:

“For me, it is not the right time to make a move to a club as big as Barcelona.”

12:25 PM BST Arsene Wenger has now spoken on the subject, and the Arsenal boss is somewhat shocked by the news:

"It comes as a surprise to me because first of all when you make a big decision after the disappointment of the last week, it's not maybe the right moment to make this decision.

"I think as well, the philosophy of Barcelona has to be bigger than the winning or losing of a championship and Guardiola is one representative sof this philosophy and who made this philosophy triumph.

"I would have loved him, even after a disappointing year, to have stayed and come back and insist that with this philosophy at the club. That would be interesting as well."

 Pep Guardiola. 

 Josep Guardiola’s legendary resignation speech:

"I want you to understand this wasn't a simple decision. but I'll try to explain what I feel and I hope that people understand. I'm deeply sorry for the confusion over the last few weeks. 

"I've always wanted short contracts because the demand at Barca is so big. I lived that as a player, and I know exactly how it works. I always thought that four years is an eternity for a club. I didn't want to have a contract that will bind me to decisions I didn't want.”

"In autumn I announced to the press and director of football, I announced it was the end of my era at Barca, but I couldn't say that to the players because it would have been too complex then. Now that we're out of the two main competitions, it's a good time to announce."

"After four years gets everyone tired. September/October was when I told the chairman that my era is finishing. 

“The new coach will be able to give things I'm not able to any more."

“Talking to you and players for 4 years is very demanding."

"I want to thank my players, who have been responsible for everything I have had here - it's been a privilege to train them. I did it all with a lot of passion,, but I want to thank the players.

"Day by day, for so many years, they made it all possible."

"I need to recover the feeling that I had when I first started - time has taken its toll. I just don't feel the same - Barca don't deserve that. That's all I'm going to say."

"Four years at Barcelona are an eternity. I don't have anything to prove, I'm not interested in proving myself abroad and will go away from football at the moment."

"I leave and I won't intervene anymore. Now it's up to Tito, I'm setting a step aside. I'll be here until the cup final."

On his next move:

"There are more things than football. I will rest and maybe one day I will say, now lets train. Maybe not. Let's see where life takes me. The president has offered me some things, but I need to take some distance. Now I need time, there's no bigger challenge for someone who was born 60 kilometres away than being Barca coach."

 Tito = Barca’s assistant coach, a man we already know. A small candle which aims to light the void left by Pep and finally, the man whom Jose Mourinho poked in the eye. If Mou can poke him in the eye during El Clasico when Tito is only an assistant coach I guess it’s war once his managerial position commences.

A little note from his little players to their manager:

Carles Puyol (The Captain of Spain)  "MANY THANKS FOR EVERYTHING PEP!!! You have shown us the way... A very big hug."

Gerard Pique (Who grew up watching Pep captain Barca as a child) "Thanks a lot Pep for giving us so much...four years full of victories, happy times and above all, of lessons in football."

Last, but never least is the one who became the best player in the world under Pep Guardiola's reign for three years in a row [OFFICIALLY] Lionel Messi "I want to thank Pep with all my heart for all he has given me in my professional and personal career. Due to the emotions I'm feeling I preferred not to be present in Pep's press conference. I wanted to be away from the media because I know that they would be looking for the player's faces of sorrow and that's something I didn't want to show to the world."

P.S. During the conference...little Cescy Wescy Fabregas...was crying, his face a picture of emotional torment. His renowned hero was to depart. His little boyhood crush on the Captain of the FC Barcelona he supported, the man who signed a shirt saying "you will soon be the number 4 of FC Barcelona" for Cesc as a child and then made this dream a reality for Cesc as a man.

RIP Pep Guardiola. Every Barcelona fan's heart yearns for your soon return.

With Love,
             dedication 

                     and sorrow,

An FC Barcelona fan. For forever and a day.