Michael Flynn, the Newport County manager, described Pep Guardiola as the “crème de la crème” of coaching after his side secured an FA Cup fifth-round date with Manchester City and said he thinks the Premier League champions will handle the challenging Rodney Parade pitch on 16 February.
The League Two side outclassed Middlesbrough, 56 places above them in the football pyramid, to reach the fifth round for the first time since 1948-49 and earn another payday, with Flynn admitting that Cup success over the past two years has made his hometown club more than £2m, revenue that will help secure the club’s future.
Newport, who started this season’s Cup run against Metropolitan Police FC, overcame Leicester in the previous round and took Tottenham to a fourth-round replay after beating Leeds last season.
“We have had Mauricio Pochettino, Claude Puel, Thomas Christiansen, they are all fantastic managers but this is the crème de la crème,” Flynn said. “He [Pep] is a master, somebody that I just idolise and probably the best in the business, along with Jürgen Klopp, because I am a Liverpool fan.
“I’ve been very nervous about this, not because of the game because I knew what it meant for the whole football club, the whole city. These supporters deserve everything because these supporters have been through the mill. It’s a club that I love. What this means to this football club is absolutely huge.”
Flynn, who did his Uefa pro licence with Mikel Arteta, said the City assistant was among those to get in touch after the victory. “Mikel has just messaged me good luck and said: ‘See you soon.’ Knowing how good Pep is, I’m sure they will cope with that pitch. That’s something for them to worry about. I know we try and play football in the right way. We passed the ball a lot in tough conditions and they will do the same.
“I should have gone to a kids’ party on Sunday but I decided to watch Manchester City and Arsenal. But I wish I hadn’t because they were absolutely breathtaking. We are going to have to be prepared – I might play nine at the back.”
Of the financial implications, he added: “We have to stick to our budgets and things like that but this secures the financial future for the next few years.”
Tony Pulis, meanwhile, criticised his side’s poor performance on his return to south Wales. “They were the better team, they ran all over us,” the Middlesbrough manager said. “It was men against boys. Forget the conditions, you have to match people and that’s the real disappointment.
“I’m desperately disappointed for us and for the club but you have to give them a lot of credit and they get a great game now against Manchester City. I think Pep [Guardiola] will be hoping and praying the conditions are not like this [raining] when they turn up.”