Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola's 'tactical' conversation with ball boy in Crystal Palace demolition revealed

  • Pep Guardiola pulled a ball boy to one side during Manchester City's recent tie 
  • The legendary boss was seen by cameras giving instructions to the youngster 
  • Guardiola's words were part of a plan to get the game running at a quicker pace

The contents of Pep Guardiola's bizarre touchline conversation with a young Manchester City ball boy have been revealed, showing the Spanish coach to be constantly thinking about the tactics of the game.

TV cameras picked up the odd exchange between Guardiola and the youngster, in which the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss had an arm around the shoulder of the ball boy and was delivering in-depth instructions.

City went on to steamroller their opposition in the match, putting Roy Hodgson's side to the sword and emerging emphatic 5-0 victors.

Pep Guardiola's bizarre touchline conversation with a young club ball boy has been revealed

Pep Guardiola's bizarre touchline conversation with a young club ball boy has been revealed

Following the full-time whistle members of the media were keen to learn exactly what Guardiola had said to the youngster.


Opening up on the brief exchange, Guardiola said: 'If you analyse 30 minutes in the first half, we were not ready to be there,' as reported by SPORT.

'Maybe over 90 minutes you cannot be there all the time. But it was slow.

'If there was a foul, no-one went to take the ball and start to play. There was five, ten seconds before someone goes to take the ball and start to play. When this happens everything is slow.

The Spanish coach had grown frustrated by the slow tempo with which the game had started

The Spanish coach had grown frustrated by the slow tempo with which the game had started

Things soon clicked for City and the home side plundered five goal past a hapless Palace side

Things soon clicked for City and the home side plundered five goal past a hapless Palace side

'So the ball boys were slow, everybody was slow. And we have to create in the game, to provoke the game. And we didn't for most of the time in the first half.'

'In the second half, you could see immediately that the team was ready,' Guardiola added.

The increase in play certainly helped the home side, as City went on a ruthless goalscoring spree which saw Raheem Sterling bag a brace and Leroy Sane, Sergio Aguero and Fabian Delph also fill their boots.

The result fired Guardiola's side to the summit of the Premier League at the expense of their neighbours Manchester United, albeit on goal difference.

City return to action this week when they face Shaktar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.

Guardiola's insistance for quicker play paid off and his team shot to the top of the league

Guardiola's insistance for quicker play paid off and his team shot to the top of the league

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