But with a CV that included spells as head coach at teams abroad there is little doubt that in the 18 months or so that have followed that the partnership is a complete success for the Swans.
Last year they led the team to a record Premier League finish and points haul and things have started just as well this season despite the poor performance against Watford last Saturday.
In an fascinating article in the Independent, Pep reveals what it was that “perfectionist” Monk did when he was thrust into the spotlight of Premier League management back in February last year.
“We analysed every mistake our team had done and how the opposition were – how teams attack and how they defend, how they establish domination and their percentage of possession
“We found out that teams 80 per cent [of the time] had the same kind of attacks. Some teams differ a little and when they differ, they have more success.
“We did a very deep analysis so we could prepare for the season and how we should train so we didn’t fail at the beginning. It was a lot of hours [watching videos] – you have to see the whole game and click every attack and every defensive action, and you do this for 10 games for every opposition team to see if there is a pattern.â€
Monk changed things around and the Swans gained more points than they ever had done before. His record against the supposed bigger teams says it all including three successive wins against Manchester United.
Pep is under no illusions as to what he thinks of his boss “He is very demanding, a perfectionist – on a tactical level, a performance level, and a training level,†adds Clotet
“This makes him a very good boss. At the same time he has good knowledge of the game and good reading. He knows how to approach the players. And he knew Swansea very well.â€
And Swansea can only be grateful for this.
You can read the full interview with Pep at this link
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