Wenger: I could have signed Pep

by Hapless_Hans Wed Feb 21, 2018 5:50 pm

Pep Guardiola wanted to join Arsenal as a player, says Arsene Wenger

Arsene Wenger revealed he was once visited by Pep Guardiola when the former Barcelona player wanted to sign for Arsenal.

Guardiola made more than 250 appearances for Barcelona as a player, before a series of brief spells at the likes of Roma and Brescia, and retired in 2006.

Wenger, who will face the Manchester City manager in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, live on Sky Sports, says he invited the Spaniard to his home to discuss the possibility of a move to north London.

Wenger told beIN Sports: "I talked to him a few times and once he came to my house when he was a player, because he wanted to play for Arsenal."

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/11259411/pep-guardiola-wanted-to-join-arsenal-as-a-player-says-arsene-wenger

by Mr Nick09 Wed Feb 21, 2018 6:15 pm

I still believe that Wenger bids for player just so he can say "I could have signed X or Y".

Shut it old man it's never a source of pride to tell us how you missed out on legendary players

by Great Leader Sprucenuce Wed Feb 21, 2018 6:33 pm

Depends when tbh, if it was when he joined Brescia who cares lol.

by Firenze Wed Feb 21, 2018 6:54 pm

Mr Nick09 wrote:I still believe that Wenger bids for player just so he can say "I could have signed X or Y".

Shut it old man it's never a source of pride to tell us how you missed out on legendary players

Pep wasn't a legendary player IMO.

by Tomwin Lannister Wed Feb 21, 2018 6:58 pm

Always hate people who never shut up about what they 'could have' done as if it's a point of pride

And in football, Wenger does it every 2 months.

I could have become a pro footballer, I completed step 1 of joining an amateur team as a kid. Just never followed through with steps 2-10. Could have though, trust me fam.

by RealGunner Wed Feb 21, 2018 7:04 pm

Glad he didn't sign him.

by guest7 Wed Feb 21, 2018 7:09 pm

RealGunner wrote:Glad he didn't sign him.

He would have coached you instead of City if that was the case so I'm not sure you mean that

by BarcaLearning Thu Feb 22, 2018 6:23 am

Probably since Wenger doesnt do anything these days, he can only talk about his past 'achievements'.

by titosantill Thu Feb 22, 2018 12:31 pm

this is not one of those "wenger missed out on this player" moments, in pep's years as a footballer i can't recall anytime when wenger as arsenal's coach ever needed him, he'd have been on the bench even behind edu if we're talking 2000s, and behind petit, (who was definitely the better player, but had his time in spain ruined by politics) in the nineties. that said, nobody wants to hear what wenger could have done, he's become the king of could have in football.....just do it, damn it

by farfan Thu Feb 22, 2018 1:39 pm

Firenze wrote:
Mr Nick09 wrote:I still believe that Wenger bids for player just so he can say "I could have signed X or Y".

Shut it old man it's never a source of pride to tell us how you missed out on legendary players

Pep wasn't a legendary player IMO.

He was a decent player who enjoyed the privileges that came with being a Catalan youth product in an era when there weren't many. Got completely exposed the moment he moved to a different environment.

by Great Leader Sprucenuce Thu Feb 22, 2018 1:43 pm

What is this nonsense i'm reading Laughing

Pep was a great player, there is no argument to the contrary for anyone that watched him.

Judging him on his time in Italy, where he was in his 30s and played barely 25 games in 2 years is absolutely ridiculous.

Edu better rofl

Please don't let your hate of the man cloud your judgment and i doubt any of you saw him play anyway.

by Doc Thu Feb 22, 2018 2:00 pm

Re-read what Tito wrote there Mole.

he'd have been on the bench even behind edu if we're talking 2000s

That is true, after Pep left Barcelona, he really wasn't exactly the stellar midfielder he was in his Barca days. He would have been benched, pretty normal too.

by Great Leader Sprucenuce Thu Feb 22, 2018 3:43 pm

I apologise to Tito then because he's right at that time he was well past his best.

The rest I stand by though tbh.

by titosantill Fri Feb 23, 2018 1:32 am

point still remains there wasn't a time period at arsenal when he needed pep for him to even bring this up. and there where other great players on those sides; pep would have been as revered as bakero if he didn't go into coaching....and bakero was better. just for the youngins out there, bakero wasn't a scrub. enough of me talking about rivals.

on a way more important note, wenger should stop the could haves and make it a reality by making a bid for benzema and/or bale. i don't want to hear any "i could have signed benzema" interviews.

by titosantill Fri Feb 23, 2018 1:50 am

on the surface mrnick's comment sounds like a joke, but when one really thinks about it, i believe wenger really doesn't want to sign any of these players he "bids" on, or almost signs. i bet he was happy liverpool did not accept the 40 million plus 2 stunt he pulled. seems like he makes an initial approach, and the minor road block that occurs, whether it be rival clubs interest, or negotiation issues with said player or agent, he backs out, then holds a conference about how said player almost signed for arsenal

by farfan Fri Feb 23, 2018 10:16 am

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:What is this nonsense i'm reading

Pep was a great player, there is no argument to the contrary for anyone that watched him.

Judging him on his time in Italy, where he was in his 30s and played barely 25 games in 2 years is absolutely ridiculous.

Edu better

Please don't let your hate of the man cloud your judgment and i doubt any of you saw him play anyway.

Nobody in their right mind would suggest that he wasn't a great player, but a lot of people are conflating Pep the manager with Pep the player.

If you compare him to the defensive/central midfielders of his era, he absolutely doesn't belong in the conversation of the top 10 players of his time. I mean France had better players than him who were not even called up to major competitions. Laughing

by Perucho21 Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:00 pm

Wenger after yesterday's game

"I could have signed Harmonica as our top statistics analyst from GLFC. One of my biggest regrets"

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