WITH THE RUGBY World Cup fast approaching, coaches will do whatever they can to get a tactical edge on their pool opponents. Former Australia coach Eddie Jones, who guided the Wallabies to the final in 2003, is now in charge of Japan and he has sought out the advice of two-time Champions League winning manager Pep Guardiola.
Pep oozes slickness but Jones picked his brain for tactical tips rather than for sartorial guidance.
“He is the best soccer coach in the world and you always want to learn from the best,” Jones said to the Kyodo News.
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“The main thing we learned this year was that we have to be tactically more flexible. We need to react to situations on the field and make adjustments to the way we play. The soccer approach is called tactical periodisation, in which everything is done in preparation for the game and in order to be tactically aware.
“Rugby and soccer are very similar in that you always want to move the ball into space and Bayern Munich and his previous team Barcelona played the most fantastic passing game you have ever seen. The principles are exactly the same. The very best soccer teams vary their depth and formation in order to make the most of the space.”
Interesting stuff there. Hopefully Pep’s foray into rugby goes a little better than Clive Woodward’s sojourn to Southampton after the Lions tour.
If nothing else, the Japan players will probably look the part at the World Cup, where they have been drawn with South Africa, Scotland, Samoa and the USA.
No doubt all the Japan squad members will be wearing the ‘Pep Guardiola’ – the classic jumper-blazer combination.
Matthias Schrader
Matthias Schrader
Ireland are definitely falling behind tactically after this development. Joe Schmidt needs to parachute in Jose Mourinho to prepare Paulie and the rest of the squad post-haste.
Pep Guardiola is dipping one of his immaculate loafers into the world of rugby
WITH THE RUGBY World Cup fast approaching, coaches will do whatever they can to get a tactical edge on their pool opponents. Former Australia coach Eddie Jones, who guided the Wallabies to the final in 2003, is now in charge of Japan and he has sought out the advice of two-time Champions League winning manager Pep Guardiola.
Pep oozes slickness but Jones picked his brain for tactical tips rather than for sartorial guidance.
“He is the best soccer coach in the world and you always want to learn from the best,” Jones said to the Kyodo News.
“The main thing we learned this year was that we have to be tactically more flexible. We need to react to situations on the field and make adjustments to the way we play. The soccer approach is called tactical periodisation, in which everything is done in preparation for the game and in order to be tactically aware.
Interesting stuff there. Hopefully Pep’s foray into rugby goes a little better than Clive Woodward’s sojourn to Southampton after the Lions tour.
If nothing else, the Japan players will probably look the part at the World Cup, where they have been drawn with South Africa, Scotland, Samoa and the USA.
No doubt all the Japan squad members will be wearing the ‘Pep Guardiola’ – the classic jumper-blazer combination.
Ireland are definitely falling behind tactically after this development. Joe Schmidt needs to parachute in Jose Mourinho to prepare Paulie and the rest of the squad post-haste.
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Pep Guardiola Special adviser Barcelona Bayern Munich Japan