Robbie Savage was stunned by BBC colleague Emma Saunders’ claim that Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez was capable of doing something Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola couldn’t do.
The outspoken pundit said wow on multiple occasions while on BBC 606 with Saunders, as she explained that she believes Benitez could manage a full range of situation whereas the Man City boss can’t handle a losing side.
Savage kept interrupting Saunders while she was explaining why Benitez’s achievements at Newcastle United were so impressive before suggesting Guardiola may not have the same level of success as the Spaniard if at St James Park.
“We were talking about Pep Guardiola and saying is he a genius (Savage said it was him saying) yes to a certain degree as there’s no denying what he has achieved as a football manager,” said Saunders on BBC Radio 5 Live (18:14, Saturday April 20th)
“However this is where the asterisk comes in, I believe that he is the ultimate manager when it comes to managing winners, to manage champions and he has proven that.
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“He has been in charge of some of the best teams in Europe and the entire world, however can he do it when it all goes pear shaped and I think that is the question, I think that’s the test of an ultimate manager, can he do it on a rainy day as well?
“And here is where Rafa Benitez comes in because he has achieved it all across the board and has won a Champions League but also look at the situation off the pitch with Newcastle United, and there he is Newcastle all but safe (Savage shouted that all they did was beat Southampton 2-0 (which was score that time)).
“But it’s absolutely turmoil off the pitch and he has got his head down, and I’m not sure Pep Guardiola could do that, I’m not sure he knows how to deal with losing or difficult times (Savage then said wow twice).
“I think (Benitez) can manage a full range of situations and I’m not sure Guardiola can manage a losing team.”
Savage then said “wow” once more before saying that they should open the phone lines on BBC 606 to ask fans about this claim.
OPINION
Savage seemed a mixture of being completely shocked as well as being up in arms over Saunders’ praise. Yet it was easy to see the point she was trying to make. While the BBC host may have been barking up the wrong tree to claim Guardiola couldn’t manage a losing team, her praise of the job Benitez has done at the Magpies was understandable. The Magpies look like they have secured their Premier League status for another season and given the media circus that surrounds Mike Ashley and the limited transfer budget handed to Benitez, it’s a fantastic achievement for them to be in the top-flight for another season. It’s easy to imagine that Guardiola could struggle in charge of the Magpies, not because he can’t cope with losing, but because he couldn’t deal with having Ashley limiting his potential vision for the club. The Man City boss always rocks up at a club with a long-term plan under his arm and it’s odd to imagine him being able to do that at the Magpies under Ashley’s care.