Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola showed respect for Jose Mourinho ahead of the renewal of their often-stormy rivalry, saying his fellow coach will ''help me to reach another level.'' There was plenty of controversy when Guardiola and Mourinho met while coaching Spanish powerhouses Barcelona and Real Madrid in the early 2010s. They will work within a few kilometers of each other in the English Premier League this coming season, after being hired as managers of City and Manchester United. ''The big coaches, Jose is one them, help me reach another level,'' Guardiola said at his first news conference as City manager. ''He wants to win, I want to win. We know each other pretty well from before. It is great that big managers are here, top managers are here. Big managers take me as a manager to a different level.'' Mourinho will be one of the few familiar sights for Guardiola as he begins his first stint in English football. Widely regarded as the most coveted coach in the world, Guardiola arrives at Etihad Stadium with many uncertainties: Can City's squad adapt to his methods? Can he achieve the consistency in the grueling Premier League that his Barcelona and Bayern Munich teams have had down the years? What's it like to play a match the day after Christmas? His first league game against Sunderland, managed by the experienced Sam Allardyce, will likely be an eye-opener for Guardiola. ''I never go to stadiums where it is freezing and windy. And I say, 'Why not come play good (football) when it is freezing and windy?''' Guardiola said. ''That is a target for me, a personal ambition. I want to prove (myself). ''I never played in Premier League before,'' he added. ''And Sunderland and 'Big Sam,' I play the first one. That is why I am here, to see how it is, and I have to adapt to the qualities of my players. ''I will need a bit of time to discover the style of play here. It is going to be more physical ... halfway through the season, I might be able to explain better.'' Guardiola's predecessor, Manuel Pellegrini, was given a target of winning five trophies in five years, and he achieved three trophies in three years before being replaced by Guardiola. The 45-year-old Spanish coach has met Sheikh Mansour, City's Abu Dhabi-based owner, three times. ''He didn't say, 'You have to win Premier League or Champions League,''' Guardiola said. ''He told me, 'Do your job as best as possible, do your job like you are, and after that we are going to see.''' Guardiola also talked about individual players whose future at City has come under scrutiny. -On the 33-year-old Yaya Toure, who was sold to City by Guardiola and is in the final year of his contract: ''I count on him.'' -On Raheem Sterling, signed last offseason for $76 million but heavily criticized after his first season at City: ''Of course he has a little problem with the money they paid, and that is in the mind of the people. But I'm encouraged and I am looking forward to working with him and showing him how good a player he is.'' -On Vincent Kompany, City's injury-prone captain and center back: ''We spoke to him and said just focus on your body and come back to what you were in the past. Vincent will show his qualities.'' Guardiola's Barcelona and Bayern teams played easy-on-the-eye, attacking football and a tough pressing game. Don't expect that to change at City. ''At the end, what we want is so simple,'' Guardiola said. ''When the opponent has the ball, take it back as quick as possible. When we have the ball, try to move as quick as possible, to create as much chances as possible. That's all.'' (For more sportsnews andupdates, followAhramOnlineSportson Twitter at@AO_Sportsand onFacebookatAhramOnlineSports.) http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/232753.aspx
