Toni Kroos calls Pep Guardiola the “key figure of German football” – and explains why he nevertheless did not want to extend his FCB contract.
Toni Kroos has praised Pep Guardiola in the highest tones, even though he only played for FC Bayern for one year under the Catalan.
“He was the key figure for German football and for me personally. He opened everyone’s eyes to the importance of control,” the German international said in an interview with The Athletic.
“Many coaches and club officials came to Säbener Strasse to see his training and talk to him about the way he played,” Kroos said.
In Germany, he said, they had previously been mainly interested in what happened inside the penalty areas. “No commentator raised his voice when the ball was in the centre. We, the people in the centre, were hardly interested. Sometimes we were not seen at all,” the 30-year-old described the status quo before Guardiola’s arrival in Germany.
His team-mates at the time would also see Guardiola as the best coach of the Munich team. “If you ask the Bayern players today, she would still tell you that he is the best coach they’ve ever had when it comes to the sport. And they had many others to compare him with. I loved playing that one year for him.”
Kroos didn’t want to renew “just because” of Guardiola
Despite Guardiola’s wish to extend his contract, Kroos moved on to Real Madrid in 2014.
“I never think it’s a good sign to sign a contract just because of the coach. Pep wanted me to renew, but what good would it do to sign a five-year contract when the coach is soon to leave? He went to ManCity two years later, but we’re still in touch and getting along very well. I’ll never forget that because I’ve learned so much.”
Kroos considers a renewed collaboration with Guardiola unlikely, as he wants to end his career at Real and Guardiola, as a former Barca coach and player, would never go to his arch-rivals.
Kroos raves about Zidane
Kroos also praises his current coach Zinédine Zidane beyond all measure. “He has the locker room under his control simply because of his natural authority. It’s not acting, that’s extremely important. Especially with a team like Real Madrid, you have to get the players behind you. Everyone has to feel valued and be part of the whole,” Kroos explained. “It’s not easy because some play more than others, but he does it extremely well.”
On Wednesday, Kroos and coach Zidane will meet Manchester City in the Champions League with coach Guardiola (Champions League: Real Madrid – Manchester City).
Kroos also had the opportunity to join Liverpool FC in 2014. Steven Gerrard and then Reds star Luis Suárez tried to persuade the German with short messages. “It wasn’t a real chat, but they offered to tell me more about the club and so on. It’s funny because Suárez was about to transfer to Barcelona at the time.”