Barcelona nearly sold Pep Guardiola until Johan Cruyff stepped in to defend 'lanky great beanpole'

Johan Cruyff paid tribute to “intelligent” Pep Guardiola before his death, excerpts from the Dutch master’s posthumously-released autobiography have revealed this week.

Cruyff managed Guardiola at Barcelona during his eight-year tenure as boss at the Nou Camp between 1988 and 1996 but the Catalan giants’ hierarchy were unimpressed with the midfielder’s progress during the early years of his career at the La Masia academy.

Writing in his autobiography My Turn the Netherlands legend – who died of lung cancer earlier this year – reveals how he fought to keep Guardiola and helped the Spaniard settle into the first-team despite opposition from the board of directors.

“As a player at Barcelona, they wanted to get rid of Pep because they thought he was a lanky great beanpole who couldn't defend, who had no strength and couldn't do anything in the air,” he wrote.

“So he was blamed for all the things he wasn't good at, while I thought they were all things he could learn to do well.

“What all those people didn't see was that Guardiola had the fundamental qualities needed at the top level: speed of action, technique, insight. Those are phenomena that very few people exhibit, but in his case they were present in spades.

“As well as his footballing qualities, Guardiola has a very strong personality and in intelligent mind. You can talk to him about any subject under the sun.”

Guardiola has often sung Cruyff’s praises throughout their respective careers and the former Ajax, Barcelona and Feyenoord playmaker admitted before his death that he was touched by the Manchester City manager’s comments.

“I've simply done what I thought was best for everyone,” he added. “Because this isn't just the football I love, it's the football the supporters love as well. It's football as football must be.”