News24
12 Sep 2019, 17:43 GMT+10
Cape Town - AC Milan legend Arrigo Sacchi says the Premier League is "experiencing a golden age" with the likes of Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola, and Mauricio Pochettino in England.
Sacchi, considered by many to be one of the greatest managers ever, won two European Cups and a Serie A title at Milan, guiding Italy to narrow defeat in the 1994 World Cup final.
His attacking system, preference for zonal marking, belief in Total Football and pioneering of high-pressing and high defensive lines makes him one of the most revolutionary figures in the game.
And Sacchi sees plenty of himself in Klopp and Guardiola in particular, while also praising Pochettino.
"Their football is similar to mine and I really appreciate their values, culture and mentality," he told the Daily Mail.
"My Milan team innovated, the teams of Guardiola and Klopp continue to innovate.
"In my book, there are many similar phrases that I loved to say before taking the field.
"I've always loved instilling my players with the desire to go beyond their own limits. In my notes, I wrote: 'Victory is important when it is amplified and helped by the beauty of the game'.
"They think like me. We have the duty to make the public enjoy football, to be excited by it. Making great football is more difficult than talking about it.
"I like the desire they have to dominate. Football must be domination and beauty, music and culture.
"I enjoy watching them. The problem in the Premier League is that they play too often and there is too much competition. Perhaps this is why the national team never achieves great results."
Asked who he would appoint out of Klopp, Guardiola or Pochettino given the chance, Sacchi replied: "I guarantee you that I would be in trouble.
"You mentioned my favourites and all three have the same philosophical system even though they are very different.
"England has a crazy, brilliant championship. It is experiencing a golden age."
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