The Premier

[Q165]

I quite like Pep Guardiola both as a person and as a manager. However I am not comfortable with something he has just said. What I read is "Everyone in this country supports Liverpool, the media and everyone." I don't think that it is "everyone" but just a good number. Further I don't think they "support" Liverpool but rather they back them in this particular situation. I can only speak for myself here but I think there is a good reason. Man City are just very unlikeable. At the moment the club represents a lot that is bad in football today especially the throwing in of massive amounts with the sole objective of buying success. It is likely that they will achieve this success and I would not begrudge their fans enjoyment of it, I am just not comfortable with it.

[WBA123]

I quite like Pep Guardiola both as a person and as a manager. However I am not comfortable with something he has just said. What I read is "Everyone in this country supports Liverpool, the media and everyone." I don't think that it is "everyone" but just a good number. Further I don't think they "support" Liverpool but rather they back them in this particular situation. I can only speak for myself here but I think there is a good reason. Man City are just very unlikeable. At the moment the club represents a lot that is bad in football today especially the throwing in of massive amounts with the sole objective of buying success. It is likely that they will achieve this success and I would not begrudge their fans enjoyment of it, I am just not comfortable with it.

I am actually the opposite, although I think I'm in the minority.

I would prefer Man City to win the league and generally do better than Liverpool for a couple of reasons. One is that I prefer Pep's playing style, another is I think Man City fans have been long suffering and loyal even when they were in the old 3rd division.

But the main reason is I think Klopp is the worst manager in terms of when he loses/draws games. He said after drawing with Spurs on Saturday that he didn't like how they played football. I remember him saying we didn't need the points when we drew with them as we were already down, didn't he say our grass was too long? I've seen him criticise the ref constantly, typically in games they haven't won. And there's been loads of times when he hasn't got the right result and lashed out at the other team for having the temerity to try and stop Liverpool from scoring. By the way I think he's a brilliant manager, just a poor loser.

[mickd1961]

I think he’s right, most neutrals prefer Liverpool.

However, a decade ago the neutral was rooting for Man City after their dire years.

Same in the next few years for Newcastle as they build towards winning something and once they do win the neutral will get bored and move onto the next underdog that’s on the way up.

[Leicesterbaggie]

I totally agree with your sentiments 123. He's very magnanimous in victory but not so in defeat. It's easy to compliment the opposition when you win but it takes character to do so when you lose. Klopp, as you say, is a good manager but I don't like that trait in him. Pep tends to be more measured with his comments, win or lose.

[Albionic68]

I don't support Liverpool, I support West Bromwich Albion. They can both fk off as far as I'm concerned. Despite that somehow I'd feel a little less dirty seeing City win the title. Really appreciate and fully respect Kevin De Bruyne's vision and technical ability. Superb footballer.

[Omegstrat6]

Klopp is very much a marmite kind of character and whilst he is undoubtedly a great manager and can be quite likeable in some interviews there is certainly also that "bad loser" element to him as 123, Leicester and others have pointed out.

Tbh, I still hope Liverpool win though as of all the so called "top" teams I prefer them and used to have had a soft spot for them since their heyday in the 70s and then having spent some time working up there. Pep is a good manager too but get the impression that Man City as a club have very much bought their recent success rather than earnt it. Undoubtedly they have a group of very talented players but is it me or do they only really perform well when De Bruyne is playing?

[Albionic68]

Couldn't tell you about the last part as I don't watch them often enough to know.

[mickd1961]

Often in these situations it’s not a matter of who you “support” but more a case of who you hate the least.

[baggiematt]

I don’t buy into the hate the rich clubs get. The cost of transforming a low premier league side to a mega club is 100s of million. The cost to do so 40/50/60 years ago was much less. City will have a national and international fan base like United and Liverpool in 20 to 30 years.

Why should it be a closed shop because someone else did it many years ago and it cost less?

[BaggieBlood]

The irony.

Livafool bought success for decades using the Moores pools millions.

Their fans are entitled p ricks who think they should win everything and their current manager is a complete a rse hole who got his players to join hands abs celebrate getting a draw against up and then criticised us for parking the bus, which is exactly what he meant when having a go at spurs on Saturday.

City were worse than us not long ago and only a injury time winner from dickov against a pulis managed Gillingham got them promotion in the thurd tier play off final. Their fans deserve this success for all they have suffered over the years.

I just wish we had rich, forward thinking owners like them, as they regenerating the local area as was as the team.

Personally, I've always had a soft spot for City maybe because they were our feeder club in the 70s or because they battered the vile 5 nil at their claret blue s hit hole with an excellent young side including David White and Co.

I prefer City to win the league out of all the top clubs, and didn't mind Arsenal, until they treated Wenger like he was akin to s ex offender.