Every footballer knows that every coach has his own manual in which certain basic requirements must be met - which are not only linked to technique and tactics - in order to be considered. Of course, Pep Guardiola is no exception. It's nothing new how demanding the Manchester City manager can be with his players. However, in the last few hours, a curious rule was revealed that he implements to control the physique of his coaches.
In an interview with The Coaches Voice, Frenchman Gael Clichy recalled the so-called "two-kilo rule" imposed by the Spanish coach after his arrival in Manchester, and which he himself had to obey during his time with the English team between 2011 and 2016.
"If you weighed two kilos more than what he considered your maximum weight, you didn't train. In football, you always hear coaches say, 'If you're overweight, you don't train.' In the end, if it's a major player, the rule gets swept under the rug because they need that player. With Pep Guardiola, if you were two kilos overweight after finishing the hard work and proper nutrition of pre-season, you weren't training. I saw players who didn't train for two weeks," explained the 38-year-old former defender.
In addition, the Frenchman referred to the only year he was under Guardiola: "I'm grateful for what I learned under him, but I would have liked it to have been more than one season. It ignited a spark in the way I look at football and made me want to learn even more."
Gaël Clichy with Pep Guardiola during his time at Manchester City
Guardiola revolutionised English football since his arrival at City, turning a behind-the-scenes team into the absolute dominator of the Premier League. After that first season in 2016 in which he had Clichy in the squad and his team finished third, the Spanish coach built what is now a true dynasty: he won five of the last six leagues, among other cups and local titles, and in 2023 he reached the top at the international level by winning the Champions League and the recent Club World Cup, Two unprecedented titles in the club's history.
Who is Gaël Clichy?
Gaël Clichy is a 38-year-old former French footballer who played for different teams around the world, including two English giants such as Arsenal and Manchester City, where he was managed by Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola.
Last July, at the age of 38, he made the decision to hang up his boots to start his coaching career. Currently, he is part of the coaching staff of the French U-21 National Team led by French legend, Thierry Henry.