4 hours ago
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Erling Haaland has been promoted to the leadership group at Manchester City this season and Pep Guardiola has explained what the Norwegian offers.
Pep Guardiola praised Erling Haaland's leadership skills and selflessness, admitting he was surprised to find a striker who could think about something other than goals.
Haaland was added to City's four-man leadership group by Guardiola in the summer and it is a role the 25-year-old has embraced on and off the pitch as he enjoys a record-breaking start to the season.
The Norwegian has 26 goals in 16 games for club and country this term, but Guardiola said Haaland remains humble and said his kindness was a key reason why he was promoted to a leadership role.
"It's difficult to find a real, real world class player to be incredibly humble and thinking about what is the best for the team," the City boss said.
"I know he will score goals and the impact he has on the team and the way he is scoring goals is helping the team, but I have the feeling that he always had an eye on what is best for the team. That is difficult to find in players of this kind of ability or talent, to have that generosity or kindness, whatever you want to say. Erling is like that.
"It was a surprise because normally strikers just think about goals, goals, goals. Of course he has to score goals, that is still the best way to help us that is obviously clear. that's why I decided for that [leadership group] because he signed a contract for ten years. As much as he is involved in many, things it will be better for him and for the club."
Haaland has brought a different element to City's leadership team as well. He can be a joker in the dressing room and can help lighten the mood when required.
He uses social media to showcase his personality and has recently launched his own YouTube channel, as his profile continues to grow. Guardiola has no qualms with him displaying that side of his character in the dressing room or on social media.
"He's a new generation," he said. "Social media is completely different. We are not as much involved but they grew up with that.
"They can do whatever they want as long as they respect the club and the private life."
As well as his staggering goalscoring exploits this season, Haaland has also become a formidable presence in his own penalty area as City deal with an aerial bombardment from set pieces.
"He's present in set-pieces, he's so tall," said Guardiola. "I always try to organise the team to allow them to run as less as possible because he is so big and cannot play 90 minutes every three days. I don't want that.
"That's why I always think as much as the team controls the ball through passes you can handle the game the way you want to do you survive. When it's not possible you have to help."
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