Sir Alex Ferguson: 'Pep Guardiola will find English football difficult'

Sir Alex Ferguson watches on from the stands
© Getty Images
Incoming Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola will initially find it difficult to adapt to Premier League football, according to Sir Alex Ferguson.

Former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has said that Pep Guardiola will initially find it difficult to adapt to English football.

Guardiola, currently in charge of Bayern Munich, has already agreed to take control of Manchester City at the end of the season and the Spaniard has been tipped to revolutionise the English club.

Ferguson has praised Guardiola's "fantastic work ethic" and style of management, but has warned the 45-year-old that he will need time to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League.

"Pep has got a fantastic work ethic about him. And he demands that from all his training sessions. So anyone who says they're not going to work hard won't last long, I'm sure of that," Ferguson told Sky Sports News.

"He has got great coaching ability there's no doubt about that. It's interesting because it'll be difficult to match what he did at Barcelona. Obviously City have had a real coup in getting him because he's an outstanding coach, but Pep won't find it easy.

"English football is not easy. Every foreign coach who has come to England will tell you that. Arsene Wenger, after a few months [of arriving], he was talking about that. Even Jose [Mourinho] when he came, after his first season he realised what he achieved was hard work."

Man City are currently facing a fight to finish in the top four in the Premier League this season.

Manchester City's Ivorian striker Wilfried Bony celebrates scoring the opening goal during the English League Cup quarter-final football match between Manchester City and Hull City at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, northwest England on December 1, 2015
Read Next:
West Ham eye Wilfried Bony swoop?
>
Related Video
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leicester CityLeicester31199354312366
2Tottenham HotspurSpurs311710456243261
3Arsenal30167748301855
4Manchester CityMan City30156952322051
5West Ham UnitedWest Ham301311647351250
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd30148838271150
7Southampton31138104132947
8Stoke CityStoke31137113437-346
9Liverpool2912894540544
10Chelsea30101194541441
11West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom30109113037-739
12Everton29911951411038
13Bournemouth31108133850-1238
14Watford30107133032-237
15Swansea CitySwansea3199133140-936
16Crystal Palace3096153240-833
17Norwich CityNorwich3177173254-2228
18Sunderland3068163655-1926
19Newcastle UnitedNewcastle3067172955-2625
20Aston Villa3137212258-3616