He looked smart and stylish in a sharp suit and tie, but Pep Guardiola cut an impressive figure at his unveiling as Bayern coach on Monday for many reasons other than his outward appearance. Everyone knew he would attempt to hold the press conference in German, but he took his audience completely by surprise with his fluency and accuracy in a language that was completely new to him only a few months ago. “Guten Tag, Grüß Gott, meine Damen und Herren”, “Hello and good day ladies and gentlemen,” the Spaniard said at the biggest press conference in the club’s history, with more than 240 reporters, 40 TV crews and 30 photographers having flocked to the Allianz Arena.
“Please excuse my German,” he continued, “I’ve spent a year learning it in New York – not the optimal place to learn German. I hope to improve my knowledge of German here very soon.” It was a polite apology from gentleman Guardiola, who offered a glimpse of his innermost thoughts: “To me, this is a gift. I’d like to thank Bayern Munich very much for the opportunity to become the club’s new coach.”
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