Colchester United striker Lyle Taylor has stirred up fresh debate by accusing Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola of “ruining” English football.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5Live, Taylor expressed deep frustration at the dramatic transformation of football in England since Guardiola’s arrival in 2016. The former Premier League striker believes the identity of the English game has been lost, and he blames Guardiola’s influence for the shift.
Guardiola, who joined Manchester City nearly a decade ago, has been widely praised for revolutionising the English game. His tactical approach, based on possession, structured build-up play, and playing out from the back, has helped City dominate English football, with six Premier League titles to his name.
His style has not only brought success to the Etihad Stadium but has also influenced clubs throughout the English football pyramid.
However, Taylor and others like him feel that this influence hasn’t been entirely positive. They argue that Guardiola’s possession-based system has disrupted the essence of what made English football so unique — a high-tempo, physical game with a more direct style of play.
According to Taylor, the modern emphasis on playing from the back and intricate passing is a major departure from the more straightforward, traditional approach that once defined football in England.
“It’s not English football anymore,” Taylor said during the interview, clearly angered by what he perceives as a loss of identity in the sport. He went on to criticise the way teams now try to mimic Guardiola’s style, even at youth levels and in the lower leagues.
According to him, there is now a hybrid style emerging — an awkward mix of the English long-ball game and the European positional play — which he finds unnatural and frustrating. He gave an example of how players today still try to play channel balls like they did growing up, even while being expected to follow a continental system that doesn’t traditionally use those tactics.
Taylor’s views highlight a growing tension within English football. While many celebrate Guardiola’s impact for raising the standard of play and helping make the Premier League the most admired competition in the world, others worry that the domestic game is losing touch with its roots. Critics argue that the copycat approach has trickled down into the Championship and even League Two, affecting players, coaches, and club strategies across the board.
The bigger question remains: can English football reclaim its traditional style, or is the Guardiola era simply too ingrained in its DNA now to ever reverse course?
