Pep Guardiola or Jose Mourinho; Shaun Wright-Phillips gives his verdict on two of the greatest Minds in Modern-Day Football
Shaun Wright-Phillips compares Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho's football philosophies, sharing personal insights from his time at Chelsea and admiration for Guardiola's transformative impact at Manchester City.
By Naman Suri
When you think of the greatest minds in football, the first few names that will come to your mind will be; Sir Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Jurgen Klopp, etc. But how do these great minds separate themselves from the rest of the pack? Former Manchester City winger, Shaun Wright-Phillips - who played under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea and is currently witnessing Pep Guardiola mould Manchester City into one of the strongest European clubs in modern-day football - had some insights to share with The Guy in the Stands during his club's Champions 4-in-a-row Trophy Tour in Delhi, India.
The former city guy profusely expounded on City's recent success while gleefully waxing lyricals about two of the greatest minds in football, whom he had a chance to be associated with at some point in time.
Edited excerpts from the interview -
Q. Pep Guardiola has revolutionised how Man City used to operate, from being just a Premier League competitor they have been transformed into a UEFA Champions League competitor, whilst completing a historic treble in the 2022-23 season. Given you have seen him at close quarters due to your association with City, help us understand what he has done and achieved at the club.
I think we’re fortunate to witness someone like Pep Guardiola and everything he’s done, not just for the Premier League but for world football, right down to grassroots and women’s football. Everyone tries to play like Pep, not just because it looks nice, but because it works. The way he implements his system and style of play is risky, but when taught well, it can break through the press, and the rewards are immense.
This season, City has dominated in nearly every Premier League category — chances created, goals scored, passes into the box, everything. That’s down to how well they play, and not just because they have a fantastic squad. Plus, you never hear of any internal conflicts or rifts in their team, which speaks volumes.
Q. Is there a possibility of Pep Guardiola leaving Manchester City soon?
I understand the rumours but I don’t think that is going to happen. So from how I can see it, I mean embracing while he's here, but If that bridge ever comes then that is something happening later.
Q. You have also had the chance to play under Jose Mourinho during your stint with Chelsea. Tells a bit about how he operates and what differentiates his style of play from Pep.
For me, José Mourinho was incredible. I didn’t play as much as I would’ve liked, but I knew going in that I wasn’t going to be the only winger. I was competing with the likes of Joe Cole, Arjen Robben, and Damien Duff — all absolute fighters.
Mourinho taught me - how to play football differently - shaping me to fit his style. Each manager has their own approach, and Mourinho’s was different from others. What he did at the time worked; it wasn’t as detailed as Pep Guardiola’s style, but it was simple, direct, and effective football.
We had a system in place, and when you had players like Didier Drogba up front, you knew that if you gave him the ball, it would stick with him. He’d either hold it up, win a foul, or get a free kick, which either he or Lampard would take — and those often ended up in the back of the net. That allowed us to take more risks.
It was actually quite similar to a Liverpool-style approach, not in terms of possession, but in how direct we were. If Didier made one move, I’d react with the opposite one. If he dropped back, I’d push forward. It was a unique and premeditated approach, where everything he did was thought through and deliberate.
Q. Who would you prefer Mourinho or Pep?
It’s hard for me to say who I prefer because I’ve played for one and watched the other. I never had the chance to play for Pep, though I wish I had. But honestly, as a viewer, I’d say I prefer watching Pep’s teams, just like when he was at Barcelona. I’ve always enjoyed the style of football — the way they play and even defend with the ball rather than without it. But Mourinho, for me, was incredible during my time with him.
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