Kevin de Bruyne says new Manchester City players can be overawed by the tactical detail given by Pep Guardiola in training, as he explained why he avoids a close relationship with his manager.
De Bruyne was speaking to Los Angeles Lakers star Alex Caruso for Bleacher Report, where he was discussing the differences between Premier League football and NFL American Football.
Using Guardiola to illustrate his point, De Bruyne explained how the level of detail he gives to City players has proved daunting to new arrivals in the past.
"He explains so much to some people when we have a meeting," De Bruyne said. "In football, you have tactics, but it's not like the NFL.
"I think there's players when they come in and they have a few meetings and he explains so much in the beginning. Like football, you don't think so much; you just do it. You know a few things that you need to do but then in the beginning, people are just wondering, 'Oh, my head is blown off.'
"I think first of all is tactical. I think player relations, sometimes it's difficult because you have 25 players, and to have a personal relationship with everybody is difficult."
That personal relationship with players is something De Bruyne said he was keen to keep professional, to avoid any suggestion of favouritism when it came to Guardiola's team selections.
"On one hand, I think also because you're the boss there's always going to be a certain distance," he continued.
"Maybe in 10-15 years when I'm done, you're gonna have a different relationship.
"But for us, it's, it's impossible to have like a real close relationship with a coach because otherwise you're going to ask 24 other people who are saying, 'Oh yeah, you only play because, because of the coach,' and all that stuff, so that that's not possible."
