Surely it would place a massive asterisk on all the trophies won during his time at Man City? In future discussions on the greatest manager would this be a talking point which stains our perception on him? Or will he still be lauded as the greatest by some despite the wider context?
Not at all.
He didnt actively cheat. He just worked with what he got and what the board gave him. His tactical skills arent in question and his job isnt to question the owner and how they do stuff.
Exactly like the players. De Bruyne achieved everything with skill and not because he bribed the ref or cheat in any other way. He and his agents made a deal with the board. How they pay him isnt his concern.
We don’t know whether De Bruyne and Guardiola would even be at City if it weren’t for the cheating. If they’d stayed within the rules, they might not have won the FA in 2011, or the league in 2012 and 2014. Their pull would’ve been seriously diminished, meaning big names like Aguero and Silva could’ve turned them down. They may not have qualified for the Champions League as consistently, further impacting their ability to attract top talent.
Lol we absolutely do know: they definitely wouldn’t.