Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has admitted his great admiration for Manchester City rival Pep Guardiola.
Pochettino concedes they both kicked off their coaching careers at the same time.
He told L'Equipe: "I think we started coaching at about the same time, maybe six months apart (after one season leading the reserves, Guardiola took the helm of Barcelona in the summer of 2008).
"I have never been close to Guardiola so it's impossible to say that he's a source of inspiration when you do not know him. What is certain is that he has had success in Barcelona and Bayern, and he will probably know the same with Manchester City.
"It can be a reference for many young coaches. I recognize that he is a coach that I really like and who, in my opinion, is one of the best in the world. I like watching his teams play."
Source: tribalfootball.com