6 ways Pep Guardiola's appointment at Man City will change English football

The 2015-16 season has been characterised by its lack of one outstanding team. All of the big clubs have been beset by persistent problems, allowing the consistency of clubs like Leicester City and Tottenham to install them as unlikely title contenders. Guardiola's appointment will change that.

During his time at Barcelona and Bayern Munich Guardiola has developed a formidable reputation. He is arguably the most dedicated and intelligent coach in football, a born perfectionist, and someone who doesn't settle for anything less than excellence. Next season, the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal will have to raise their levels dramatically, because Guardiola teams set the standard, and City will be leading from the front.

If La Liga still has a firm grip on the best players in the world, dominating the Ballon d'Or shortlist yet again this year, the Premier League is the true home of the super coach. The psychological battles waged off the pitch are an inescapable feature of the Premier League; just thinking about how Sam Allardyce will try and 'out-tactick' Guardiola, to borrow one of his own phrases, makes us giddy for next season already.

But it is the big clashes which will be so absorbing for those who relish the managerial battle. Just think of what we have in store: Guardiola against Arsene Wenger -- a man who shares something of his style but not his substance; the renewal of his nascent rivalry with Jurgen Klopp; clashing with whoever Chelsea appoint as manager, knowing that he was really their first choice; and, most intriguingly of all, the possibility of Pep v Jose II. His bitter contests with Mourinho came to cast a shadow over La Liga - if the Portuguese is appointed at United this summer, what a prospect we have in store.

Speaking of United, their fans could be forgiven for being aghast at the news City have lured Guardiola. A disciple of attacking football, who trusts in youth and is a great ambassador for the sport - Guardiola ticks all the boxes that Mourinho does not. But United have missed the boat twice with the Catalan now, choosing David Moyes as Sir Alex Ferguson's replacement and then persisting with Louis van Gaal. This could be a huge strategic error.

Guardiola 's managerial career to date - four seasons at Barca, three with Bayern - doesn't indicate he is a man to forge his own dynasty, but he is the perfect figure to lay the groundwork for one. He established a new model at Barcelona, with successive coaching appointments aiming largely for consistency of approach, and his task at Bayern was to lay down a template for a new style of play and a club ethos. There have been whispers that City see Guardiola as their Johan Cruyff - someone to impose a philosophy for success for decades to come, as the Dutchman did at Barcelona, before Guardiola revived it so brilliantly.

If he does have that kind of impact, United could be looking at a bleak decade ahead, especially considering the vast difference in quality between the two clubs' respective youth teams. This is a legacy appointment by City, even if Guardiola does only serve three years.

A club which has never once made it to the quarter-finals of the Champions League - though ironically City stand a good chance this year when they face Dynamo Kiev in the last 16 - will now be led by a manager who has never been knocked out before the semi-finals. Guardiola's Champions League record would be greatly embellished by a win with Bayern this season to go with his two triumphs for Barcelona, but nonetheless, his consistency in the competition is quite remarkable.

As much as this is an appointment to elevate City's global standing, it will also make them serious players on the pitch in the grandest club competition of them all. An immediate impact can be expected. Manuel Pellegrini and the City hierarchy have done a fine job preparing the ground for Guardiola these past few years - installing an attractive, attacking style, buying technically gifted young talents - so nearly everything is in place for a flying start.

The most immediate implication of Guardiola's appointment is the strategy he implements over which players to build his team around, and which to jettison. Yaya Toure, who was sold by Guardiola after being played as a centre-back in the 2009 Champions League final, could be on borrowed time - with recent comments from his agent hinting at his displeasure with the imminent appointment. Players such as Jesus Navas and Wilfriend Bony could also be on the way out.

There is unlikely to be a huge movement of players over from Munich though. The only player Guardiola took from Barca to Bayern was Thiago Alcantara and the Germans will be hugely resistant to any approaches for the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller. Bayern have the power to say 'no' to City, even with Guardiola in charge. Similarly, any move for Lionel Messi is unlikely to succeed. Still, City's recruitment strategy hasn't been faultless in recent seasons so Guardiola may have some key additions in mind.

One big question is the extent to which Guardiola will import his style of play or adapt it to the demands of the Premier League. Can the kind of pressing he became famous for at Barcelona be sustained in a league without a winter break and, as we have seen this season, a broad dispersal of talent amongst all clubs, ensuring there are no games where the result seems a forgone conclusion?

The answer can be found in his work at Bayern, where those expecting Barca 2.0 were disappointed. Guardiola grew to appreciate the cult of counter-attacking in the Bundesliga and although the fundamentals of his approach will never change - be dominant with the ball, win it back quickly if you lose it - he showed a tactical flexibility in Germany by moulding his approach to best fit the league.

Guardiola now has the chance to apply his huge body of knowledge - and his intuitive tactical acumen - to a new task in England. We've seen a whole portfolio of different formations from Guardiola XIs over the years, teams of eight midfielders at Barcelona and full-backs playing as midfielders in Germany amongst many other innovations - so expect some things you've never seen before in the Premier League.