'I’ve been managed by Pep Guardiola and Marcelo Bielsa – this is why they’re different'

Kalvin Phillips has played under two of the most successful and influential managers of the modern era in Marcelo Bielsa and Pep Guardiola - and he has shared what both are like to work with

Kalvin Phillips has explained how different Pep Guardiola and Marcelo Bielsa are to work under.

Guardiola may have won more trophies than Bielsa throughout his managerial career, but the Spanish mastermind has always shown his Argentinian counterpart the utmost admiration and respect. And when asked about the 69-year-old, Guardiola often jumps at the chance to praise Bielsa.

When Leeds gained promotion to the Premier League during the 2019/20 campaign, Guardiola said: "Give him my Barcelona and you will see how he will win titles. Give me Leeds, with all due respect to the Leeds players, but I would still be in the Championship."

Former Leeds midfielder Phillips has played under the tutelage of both men at one point or another in his career, and he has noted how both men share notable parallels, reports the Manchester Evening News. The City star, who is currently on loan at Ipswich Town, opened up about the intense demands of his coaches while chatting with Leeds striker Patrick Bamford on the 'My Mate's a Footballer' podcast.

He admitted: "I'd say the similarities are how demanding (they are). They love football and everything they do is about football and they just want you as a player and as a team to get better and better and better." Despite Guardiola's respect for the ex-Argentina boss, Phillips pointed out that their tactical approaches are worlds apart.

He continued: "I think Pep's more about possession based and not forcing passes and making sure when you make the pass it's 100 per cent." He added: "Bielsa was more like, 'get forward as quick as possible, wingers bomb on, strikers - make sure you get in the box, midfielders - make sure you get in the box and then if you lose a ball, try and win it back as fast as possible.

"'If you don't, then you've got like a 50 meter sprint to your own goal'." Phillips is eager to rediscover the form that made him an integral part of Gareth Southgate's England squad during his time at Leeds and is now managed by much-admired coach Kieran McKenna at Ipswich.

After a challenging period struggling for game time following his near £50million transfer to City in 2022, and a less than stellar loan stint at West Ham last season marred by mistakes, the 28-year-old is looking to turn things around. Phillips has confessed to facing challenges since his move to Manchester, expressing frustration over Guardiola's remarks about him being overweight after the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Nonetheless, he remains optimistic about his stint with Ipswich, stating that new manager McKenna has shown faith in him and ensured that all his actions were for his advantage. Ipswich sit 17th in the Premier League standings after seven games played, with four draws and three losses to their name.

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