When the greatest manager in the world arrived in Manchester, it was only natural that his first interview should be with the Lord of Manchester: Mr Noel Gallagher.
A long-time, and long-suffering Manchester City fan, there was no one better to grill incoming City manager Pep Guardiola about his plans for his beloved club.
Naturally, it was a fascinating and often hilarious exchange - take a look at the highlights below (you can watch the full thing here), and let's hope Pep won't be looking back in anger come the end of the season...
The weather
Pep: The reason why I came here is for the weather.
Noel: Well have you got a coat with a hood on it? Cos you're gonna need it.
Managing in England
Noel: Did you speak to any of the other managers who have been to England? Because when we read the newspapers managers that come here from different countries, they quickly become obsessed with the place. And it's funny for us because we're English and this is the football we've all grown up with - but it seems to be that managers from other countries come and they are quickly addicted to the place - have you spoken to anybody [about that]?
Pep: Yep. They told me it is so hard, so tough. And other people say, 'Pep is not going to adapt in that way'. So that is why I am here, to try to do it. So the people, some of them have confidence it will go well, but some of them, in Germany as well, the people say, 'the way you play is not possible in the Premier League', so I said to myself 'why not?', 'why not travel there to try it?'
Young players
Noel: Will you like to see it with your own eyes [the youth teams] or will you be relying on your team to kind of look at these younger players and see what the academy is going to produce?
Pep: First of all I have to know them, and first of all, in the preseason all the big talents in the team are going to join us in the preseason - all of them - and after they have to show me how good they are. And after, my intuition...'OK, he is able, he is not able' - maybe sometimes I will be right, maybe we can make a mistake, but it depends on them. So I am not a genius to come here to say, 'Oh, you are not good, and now you are good.' No. It depends on the quality. But the people tell me, the academy Manchester City in comparison to other people, they have very good talent.
Scousers
Noel: Even the women are pretty good. I mean the football women by the way. The centre forward's a scouser but we don't hold that against her. That's alright.
Other managers
Noel: In the Premier League now, we have, I'd say, if there are seven top managers in the world, only two don't now work in the Premier League, which is Ancelotti and Simeone. So all the best managers in the world are here now. Are you looking forward to the task of locking horns with those guys on a weekly basis like Klopp and Ranieri and Conte - and there's another guy across the road - are you looking forward to locking horns with them on a weekly basis?
Pep: Of course we know each other and the way we play...normally I have a very good relationship with my colleagues so it's not a problem.
The Press
Noel: Manchester is quickly now gonna become the centre of the footballing universe because of City and United with two new coaches. And we have a culture in this country where the press, as well as the football being relentless - I don't know whether you know this - but the press is gonna be a relentless, relentless, day in, day out - there's gonna be prodding and poking from the media - how do you plan to deal with that...or is it water off a duck's back, are you not bothered?
Pep: The managers, when we win, and we are happy in that moment, the press conference we are funny guys and we are comfortable guys with the media. When you lose and the people say bullshit, that moment you are angry and you speak not properly, so that is how it is. But I live in Barcelona, in Munich it was completely different, in Barcelona and the people in Madrid, it's absolutely crazy. So I don't know....I can survive, so no problem.
Legacy
Noel: We've read that you say that you only really stay anywhere for three or four years, do you intend to build a legacy here, or at least put the foundations in place?
Pep: No, I came to learn. That's why I move on. I came to learn, if not I would still be in Barcelona with huge players.
Noel: Cos we hope that you're gonna get addicted to the place, and the weather, and you're gonna stay forever.
Sheikh Mansour
Noel: Have you met Sheikh Mansoor yet?
Pep: Once.
Noel: What's he like, cos no one's ever met him. Unbelievably, I've never met him. Is he alright?
Pep: He's so shy.
Noel: Is he really?
Pep: I don't know! I don't know. I met him once and it was OK.
Stuart Pearce
Noel: Is it true that Stuart Pearce, when he was the manager here, turned you down as a player?
Pep: Yes. I came here.
Noel: We're so grateful that you've not held that against us. And that you've deemed to come back and manage us.
Pep: But I have to say something, Stuart Pearce was right. I came here 33 or 34 years old and that time, like a football player was definitely a disaster. And it was so intelligent to not pick me up...when you analyse that moment how it was my physical condition I think it was right decision, don't beat Pep up.
Noel: You were ready for management?
Pep: Yep. Perfectly!
A change of mind?
Noel: So when you, coming towards the end of last season, were you looking at Man City trying desperately to cock up getting in the Champions League and thinking if they don't get in, what am I gonna do? Because we were thinking, if we don't make it to the Champions League, he ain't gonna bother coming? Were you a bit worried?
[man laughs]
Noel: Off camera, his agent's going... [shrugs]
Pep: No, I am gonna say so if they are not going to the Champions League, I'm going to Manchester, I'm not going to stay at home. But we are not in Champions League [yet], you have to be clear.
Psychology
Noel: I read somewhere, I don't know I think it was a Bayern Munich player, you'd signed the guy and he turned up first day at training and you said to him, "Are you ready to play football?" and he said "Yeah" and you said to him [slowly] "no, but are you ready to play football?" That's like Star Wars shit. D'you know what I mean? That's like a Jedi mind trick. Did you Jedi mind trick him and confuse him into being a great player?... Do you try and get inside player's heads?
Pep: Of course. At the end our job is to convince the guys that is the best way to go, the course, the road. So that is what it is. So the tactics is important, the training, the facilities, but at the end it is what I have to do to convince you. Sometimes - with you, we're going to take a beer in the bar, maybe it's the best way to convince you...
Noel: You can convince me of anything.
Bayern
Noel: How would you sum up your time in Bayern Munich, now, looking back on it, with great success?
Pep: It was an amazing experience. I know for the people it was a big failure because we didn't win the Champions League, but for the other side...
Music
Noel: Can we talk about music? I believe you're a Coldplay fan, is that right?
Pep: And James Blunt.
Noel: That bit will never be on the TV.
Pep: I read an interview and read you don't like too much this guy..
Noel: It's not that I don't like him, el Señor, it's that I hate him, that's all it is.
