There is no greater strategic decision for men than to construct a building that rises into the sky, must withstand earthquakes, hurricanes and clouds. The way in which soccer gets regulated around the world must be similarly protected from incursions into its pristine environment. Just ask Pep Guardiola.
Guardiola on Bayern Munich’s elevation to European greatness: ‘I didn’t expect this’ Read more
The Manchester City manager detailed, with mounting passion, the methods he uses to keep his club’s adopted home in safe condition. “I always have two suitcases with me, one for hard water and the other for wet,” he said. “If it rains, I’m not allowed to go anywhere. I only play in the stadium now and when the water floods the stadium – we can’t get the ball, we don’t touch it – we’re all going out into the car park to play on concrete or the beach.
“You cannot kill yourself because of football in terms of protection. You have to protect it, but it’s not important. They need to look at it with the infrastructure and the culture because that’s what’s important. The way the game can be protected is massive.”
Guardiola believes the $165bn made by the countries who enter into the Club World Cup can be better spent elsewhere, telling press: “The money made out of this competition can be better spent on other problems than football, and the water – that’s the problem.”
