Gossip on the Guys: Professor Pep

After the most amazing results Pep achieved in his first year coaching Barcelona, others are now looking to take lessons from him. Pep gave a lecture before a hundred and fifty managers yesterday - isn't it funny how a man who is one of the youngest professional coaches out there is teaching these much older, much more experienced ones? That's just how amazing he is. We wonder if they raised their hands to ask questions, and called him Professor Pep? Although, we've never heard of a professor giving a lecture in his training shorts, but then, Pep is unique in everything.

It proved to be a fun and enjoyable lecture, with Pep showing a PowerPoint presentation with slides from some of Barca’s Champions League matches, something that was received with great applause. We’re wondering, did Pep make it himself?

Anyway, Pep revealed some of the secrets that led Barca to victory, emphasizing that attitude is key and the most important thing is for the players to have the will to win. He acknowledged that there are some players who may seem like they just don’t want to give the effort, and that the way he deals with that is to have a talk with them and see what the problem is. He also mentioned that the younger players around sixteen or seventeen years old need more attention, he makes sure to see them face to face or even take them out for dinner when they need to have a chat.

Above all, Pep stressed on the need for the players to just run, saying: “The great virtue has been the team's willingness to run and run and run.” According to him, a lot of running is vitally crucial, that and keeping possession: "In the world of football there is only one secret: I do or do not have the ball."

Pep also talked about the different positions and the vital aspects of each one, underlining the assets Barca has in such players as Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Yaya, Busquets and Valdes.

He concluded by specifying what he wants of his players in the coming season: “Run, cabrones, run! It’s the only way to achieve success.”