The China Mail - Guardiola's Premier League legacy carried forward by Spanish coaches

Arsenal's 22-year wait to become English champions has been ended under Mikel Arteta, a former assistant to Guardiola.

Unai Emery has been declared "king" of the Europa League after winning the competition for a fifth time and securing Aston Villa's first trophy for three decades on Wednesday.

And Andoni Iraola has been linked with Liverpool after guiding Bournemouth into Europe for the first time in the club's history.

"It's clear that the Spanish influence is growing in England, but it also is elsewhere in Europe," Spain and City midfielder Rodri, who won the Ballon d'Or in 2024, told AFP.

Arteta will face off against another elite level Spanish coach in the Champions League final on May 30 when Luis Enrique looks to move alongside Guardiola by winning Europe's biggest prize for the third time.

And he will be joined by Xabi Alonso in London next season after the Basque agreed to join Chelsea.

"I think the contribution (of Spanish coaches) comes first by the opportunity given by this country, this league, to a lot of foreign managers, to fulfil a dream and to give them the chance to do what they love the most, in the best league," said Arteta.

"It's football and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but I think we are very grateful, especially the way we get treated here and the opportunity that we are given."

- Guardiola's legacy -

Guardiola has pioneered a fundamental change in style that has percolated from the elite level down to the grassroots of English football.

His methods, and the deep pockets of Abu Dhabi state backing, have seen City rack up 20 trophies during his 10 years in charge.

The more traditional, physical style of the English game has made way to teams at all levels trying to play out from the back.

"The secret is (Spanish coaches) work really well from early ages on tactics, on methodologies, to understand the game," Guardiola told Man City's media channel.

"So in a team sport, you need to acknowledge why things happen. Spanish coaches work really well to understand the game."

Yet the change has not been universally welcomed among fans.

"It is admired rather than loved," said John Williams, University Fellow in Sociology at the University of Leicester and author of the book "Football in Wind and Rain".

"The British like directness and action and that is not always the focus of the Spanish approach.

"Manchester City played some beautiful football under Pep, but where was the heart or the struggle? Sometimes they were just too good, too much in charge."

Ironically it is Arteta who has offered a counterbalance to the Guardiola philosophy.

Born in the Basque country and a product of the Barcelona academy, Arteta has spent almost all of the past 24 years in Britain since joining Scottish giants Rangers as a 20-year-old.

He has successfully blended some of Guardiola's methods with a physical side that were propelled to the title by their strength from set-pieces and a strong defensive record built on several strapping defenders.

K.Leung--ThChM