Martin Samuel on Pep...

I watched him on the Sunday Supplement yesterday morning discussing this very issue - and below is his article about it.

Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt is not just any old sawbones. He was, for a time, International Rescue for the world’s leading athletes. Michael Owen says he saved his career; so does Jamie Redknapp.
His list of clients reads like a who’s who of modern sport: Jurgen Klinsmann, Usain Bolt, Steven Gerrard, Jose Maria Olazabal, Will Greenwood, Paula Radcliffe, Dame Kelly Holmes, Giorgio Chiellini, Darren Gough, Maurice Greene, the German national football team. He was also, from April 1, 1977 to last Thursday, the head physician for Bayern Munich.
He stepped down, following a 3-1 defeat in Porto, saying he would not accept the medical department being blamed for the result. Munich had a long injury list including Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, David Alaba and Javi Martinez. They have had other lengthy absences this winter, such as Bastian Schweinsteiger, and named only three outfield substitutes in the recent win over Eintracht Frankfurt.

It is a good job UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules as good as make it impossible for another team to win the Bundesliga or Bayern could really be in trouble.
Muller-Wohlfahrt may be 72 but after 38 years’ service he is unlikely to be much fazed by criticism and his sudden departure suggests a clash of personalities at the very top.

There have been rumours of tension with the Pep Guardiola regime almost since the start of last season when the coach objected to Muller-Wohlfahrt operating, not at the training ground, but at his private practice five miles away. This tension culminated in Thiago Alcantara being sent back to Ramon Cugat in Barcelona for treatment on a ligament injury — an embarrassing public snub for a doctor with Muller-Wohlfahrt’s reputation.
During a recent match with Bayer Leverkusen, Guardiola could be seen angrily addressing the medical staff behind him when Medhi Benatia suffered a muscle injury. He appeared to clap sarcastically in their faces.

In his resignation statement, Muller-Wohlfahrt — who took his son Kilian and assistants Peter Ueblacker and Lutz Hansel with him — spoke of a breakdown in trust. Guardiola denies a rift. ‘When a player is injured it is not the fault of the doctor,’ he said. ‘Injured is injured. We could have lost against Porto even if we had injured players available.’
Despite this, most regard friction with Guardiola as responsible for Muller-Wohlfahrt’s decision.
The myth with Guardiola, like many at Barcelona, is that he is a low-maintenance genius. There is no such thing. Muller-Wohlfahrt has seen 23 managerial appointments in his time at Bayern and most have been strong characters. He has worked happily with coaches as diverse as Franz Beckenbauer, Felix Magath, Giovanni Trapattoni and Ottmar Hitzfeld. Yet has anyone treated him as disrespectfully as Guardiola did against Leverkusen?

The coach has his own issues, of course. Maybe Guardiola fears his reputation coming under increasing scrutiny as achievements in the Bundesliga are devalued. With Munich having so many advantages domestically, he is going to be judged on how the club performs in Europe — and following last season’s 5-0 semi-final defeat by Real Madrid, to trail Porto 3-1 is awkward.
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, the club chairman, is on record saying Guardiola will never be sacked, but letting his contract simply expire in 2016 — as the club did with Jupp Heynckes in 2013 — is a different matter. And where to then? The presumption is Manchester City. They appear increasingly desperate for this union to take place — to the extent that Manuel Pellegrini may be allowed to see out his final year to ensure the schedules coincide.
City’s problem here is that by so openly waiting for Guardiola’s crooked finger they are beginning to look rather small. They are too obvious, trying to catch his eye all the time.
‘Never buy a player who is taking a step down to join you,’ was George Graham’s adage. ‘They’ll act like they’re doing you a favour.’ City are running that risk.

Txiki Begiristain, City’s director of football, enjoys elevated status as the man closest to Guardiola and likeliest to get any deal over the line. This is handy as otherwise more would be made of the fact he has blown close to £200million on mediocre players that can barely make the team.
Yet what if Guardiola gets a better offer or, worse, City’s decline continues next season? How far are the club prepared to bend to get their man? Considering the way he saw off Muller-Wohlfahrt would they stretch to a gold stethoscope?
Yes, to engage Guardiola would be a fantastic coup for City — but not on any terms. The sudden resignation of a German institution is a glimpse of what can happen if a relationship becomes imbalanced.
Munich may live to regret it, particularly if Guardiola’s intention is to move on when his present contract ends anyway.
So City should at least tread carefully. If this is the power Guardiola wields at one of the biggest clubs in Europe imagine his boldness if he believes he is marrying below himself.

Most things can be spun to make them look a bit worrying. Our top brass want Pep whatever. That's the only reasons we got those three buffoons in charge.

Yesterday, he said getting Pep would be a real 'coup'...but he was pointing out that he clearly isn't some quiet man - he wields enormous influence as a Manager and is not afraid to make difficult decisions, even if that upsets staff or players. 

He was basically saying - they got Pellegrini for his quiet holistic approach. Pep is not necessarily that personality...but they really want him.

If Pep can rid us of the Cityitis that still plagues us (mainly in Europe), then that'll be a fabulous legacy.