Antoine Semenyo on what makes Pep Guardiola a genius, playing with Rayan Cherki, and Manchester City vs Arsenal: Men in Blazers 04/18/26

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0:39He's a genius, to be honest. He has so many ideas. Everyone's just learning every single day something new. What's it like playing alongside Erling Haaland? I do learn a lot from him on the pitch in terms of movement in the box and finishing. Every game is a final now, essentially. So everyone's so calm, so relaxed, and it's quite refreshing.

1:01Welcome to a Men In Blazers Premier League Rumble O 'Rumble's pod special with a gent who is going to play in it. We are sat here on the precipice of one of the biggest games of the season. We've been counting down to Manchester City against Arsenal from the very beginning of the season. Honestly, it feels like the Premier League Cup final in many ways. Elated that joining us today, a returning guest, player who has been remarkable to watch arrive at Manchester City and transform them. Really one of the biggest players in this second half of the season, in this City surge. Coming round the outside, causing sleepless nights for many many Arsenal fans.

1:43I know he's such a beautiful human being, it's impossible not to enjoy what he says. He is an inspirational character beyond belief. We're talking about the singular Anton Semenya, who arrived in Manchester during the January transfer window, banging in nine goals and adding three assists since. We had the chance to spend time with him Thursday morning to discuss amongst other things the massive change that Pep has brought to his game to ensure that he soars. What's it like to play with that man Carlum Globetrotter, Ryan Cherky? I love listening to that. Essentially, he's like, if I don't know what he's going to do, the defenders don't know either.

2:21We also threw in It's top five African players of all time. So here it is, a podcast to make you Saturday. 24 hours out from the game, that I don't like to be hyperbolic, that will define the rest of civilisation. Here's Manchester City in Ghana's Anton Semenya.

2:41My guest today is living proof that good guys might actually finish first. Four years ago, he was playing his trade at Bristol City, but after bringing his blur of speed, two-footed clinicality and humility to the Etihad Stadium in January, he's looked like he's always played there, become a potent part of Manchester City's search for the title. Welcome back, Mr Anton Semenya. Hello, Rog, how are you? I'm so happy to see you, man. January 9th this year, your incredible life journey continued, moved to Manchester City. What were the emotions like in that car journey up to Manchester? Was it nerves?

3:20Was it uncertainty? Was it relief? Or were you just all surging confidence? I think I came here with confidence. I felt like I ended Bournemouth's journey on a high and I was just starting a new adventure. So I was excited, a little bit of nerves. Yeah, I was just ready to get started. What's the biggest difference mentally joining Manchester City where you're experiencing only the pressure of the title race, that hunt for the Premier League trophy? It's being 100 % every day in training, being 100 % in games. Not every game is going to be your best game, but it's always like doing what you can, being at 100 % is always important.

3:56I've got great characters around in the team, so they keep me at 100%, keep me on my toes, and I'm always ready to go. I want to give huge thanks to Bank of America, Official Bank of US Soccer, and the FIFA World Cup 2026 for supporting the Men in Blazers media network. Discover what's possible in sports and in life. What would you like the power to do? But arriving up north can be a little bit different. It's disorienting. It's a different culture, different vibe, different everything. Who are the players in that locker room who went out of their way to welcome you and make it easy? To be fair, quite a few.

4:30Rodri, Ruben Diaz, Bernardo, Jeremy Doku, Erling as well. The majority of the team have been so welcoming since I've come. They've made me feel so comfortable. And yeah, just embraced the group straight away. That first tactical meeting with Pep Guardiola, Anton, what's that like? What did he say he wanted from you? Most of his messages is just freedom. Just play like how you're playing at Bournemouth. Nothing really changes in that sense. Just express yourself. You're around good players who are always going to find you. That's literally what I've been doing ever since, just enjoying my football.

5:03When we think of Pep Guardiola, the nuance, the structure, the tactics, we're used to players taking months, even a whole season to understand what's needed. You scored on your debut. You've slapped home eight more since, think three assists. what is it that Pep wants you to do when you get on the ball in your opponent's half and what's the secret about how you've just adapted so quickly I would say just when I get on the ball it's just getting out defenders getting to the bar line crossing shooting when I can making the right decisions those messages have been said quite a bit so that's what I've been doing really just driving that defender is doing what I do best also making the right decisions at the right time it's not every time I can cross not every time I can shoot so there's a lot more to it than that but But yeah, I would say those are the main messages.

5:45You've made it look easy. You've already won the trophy. Carabao, I think it was your first final. And you admitted afterwards that you had to pinch yourself, which I just love. And your first City game has been this culmination of almost 300 professional matches up and down this league. Bath City in the National League South. I think it's at the sixth tier. You're now in the Premier League title chase. That first game, you're in the tunnel, Anton, wearing the sky blue of Manchester City. that wall of sound hits you do you say a special prayer that day or do you just take it like it is? I feel like every prayer is special to be honest I feel like every game is the same message it's just asking the Lord for protection to keep us injury free and also to lead us into victory and just glorifying his name so I feel like it's the most important thing I feel like we're playing for him at the end of the day so no matter what the result is I always give thanks Question from our Discord Kyle from Indianapolis Anton, a lot of City players have described seeing football in a whole new way after listening to Pep.

6:47Is there any new trait or tactic that you've added or noticed in your game that was something you hadn't thought about before or even tried? I would say positionally it's been very different. I'm always on the move. I want to anticipate the ball. I want to run into the spaces, but it's also like since I've been here, it's just like timing of movement. I always get there a bit too early. So like the first few days you could kind of suss out. I was getting into the areas, the right areas, but I was there too early. So I was end up being marked out of the game. But essentially, when we're doing all the tactical work, he's always saying to me, just take your time.

7:18You will know the triggers when to move. So it's like I've been watching out for different triggers. And it's a lot because it's so new to me. But the first few weeks, it flew by and started getting used to it. So now I feel like my movement is a lot better than what it was when I was at Bournemouth. You're so fast, you almost have to learn to slow it down in moments. Yeah, he's taught me a lot about that, just slowing down to speed up again. He feels like every time I hit the ball, I'm going at 100 miles per hour. And it's also like I don't need to do that because I've got the speed to get past the player.

7:49So it's almost slowing down, slow down the game. And then you speed up again. No one will live with me. That's his exact word. So I've been working on that a lot. The team you've joined, you already said this, is full of larger than life characters. What's it like playing alongside Erling Haaland after the last three years of playing against him or playing on teams trying to neutralise him? It's a relief. He's always a threat when you play against him and you can see it being in the team now. Everyone wants to mark him at the game. There's people, two, three players marking him at one go. That's the kind of threat he poses.

8:21He's amazing. Great guy. Obviously a great player to play with. Top goal scorer. I learn a lot from him. I do learn a lot from him on the pitch in terms of movement in the box and finishing. I'm adding it to my game, but overall, he's a lovely guy. when you get the ball at your feet and there's so many weapons on this city team for you to think about erlin doku bernardo silver nico o'reilly even gay he finishing like a boss can you talk about what goes through your mind as you decide whether you should pass run or shoot what options do you process i think it just depends on the game really if there's spaces to run and exploit that's the first thing I want to do.

9:02I want to be able to get the team up the pitch any way I can and then bring those players into the game because if you bring them up higher into our final third that's where they work their magic. They obviously have a lot of creative players in the team so they can find a pass, they have an eye for a pass. Sometimes I'm looking up and I've got so many good options to pass to but I'm also not taken away from my game. I know taking the space and getting that defenders is my thing so they've slowly adapted to how I am and I've adapted to how they are and it's just worked out perfectly so far. Erling is in your Insta comments telling you to pass me.

9:36Yeah he's funny like that to be fair that's the kind of banner we have. When he's in the right areas I'll always pass him. I know what he can do in the box and I know he's a great scorer so any chance he gets he scores. It was announced this morning Bernardo Silva will leave City at the end of the season. Nine years, 450 appearances, six titles, one Champions League, one of the greatest characters in many ways, the soul of this modern City era. Kevin De Bruyne has already called him the big little man. You know him. What will City lose when he goes? Well, he's definitely a leader in my eyes. I feel like what he brings to the team, it's amazing.

10:13It's more like he brings a lot of things on the pitch, but off the pitch, he's just a great person. He's just someone you want to be around. He's a role model. He's won it all. And he's got that experience. So new players coming in, that's what you're looking at. You're like, OK, this is what it takes to get to the top. And he shows those behaviours every day. So he's a role model, a leader, and he will be missed for sure. Can we talk about Ryan Cherky? Freedom, flamboyance, vision, impudence. You're laughing already. A free soul. I mean, that no-look game he assists at the weekend. As his teammate, Anton, what do you expect when he's on the ball?

10:49How do you even prepare? Because he's constantly trying to do the unthinkable. As a wide man, I'm playing on his side all the time. So when you're training with him every day, you slowly get used to what he's going to do. But you know he wants to thread the needle, he wants to make a good pass, so you've got an easier chance. He draws so many defenders in and it's like it creates space for other players because of how creative and good on the ball he is. Half the time you don't know what you're expecting, but at the same time, whatever he does is going to make a chance easier for the other players.

11:20So essentially you don't know what he's expecting. You also know the defenders don't, if that's the case. Because last weekend against Chelsea, ball came to him on the wing. I think it was Kukurea shut him down. Cherky trapped the ball with the sole of his foot and then decided, I'm going to scoop it up high, chest high, and then I'm going to volley it over an astonished defender's head right into your stride as you burst down the flank. You could hear the whole stadium gasp in that moment. Is part of you gasping too, or are you just like, yeah, we trained on that? I wouldn't say necessarily trained on it.

11:52I think he's got enough instinct at the end of the day. I feel like when you play football as kids, you go off instinct and that's how he's playing at the moment. And to be honest, that's his style. He just likes to express himself, show what he can do on the ball and he's doing it well. And no one can really stop him right now. So listen, the more it continues, the more we have chances of scoring. Do you not just want to stop when he plays a pass like that and just applaud? That's what I'm thinking in my head half the time. I'm running with the ball. I'm like, what a player he is, honestly. That's what I'm thinking half the time.

12:21But it's great to have as a teammate, great guy in the changing room. He's got a bit of a personality, which is nice. And when you get on the pitch, you know that he's going to create a chance or he's going to even score. Before you arrived, Anton, City were seen as a team in transition. So many new talents, finding their way, bedding in. That was the conversation. But something suddenly clicked in this past month. Pep Guardiola is the king of spring. And he half joked, he said, the sun's out. the players moods better because quote in Manchester there's never the sun you've been on the inside of that locker room how do you understand what's changed he's uh he's a genius to be honest he has so many ideas and when we're in the meeting everyone's just learning every single day just something new but he's obviously done what he's done he's won so many trophies he's one of the most successful managers in the world so even when things aren't going great you know he's got something in his locker to help the team get their form back so yeah he's just a genius and this is your first title chase yes in football it's often said you have to win a title to know how to win a title always said to give city just an incredible edge you've not been part of a title winning club yet but so many of your teammates so many of them are new but Pep knows Rodri knows Bernardo Silva knows what's the one thing you've learned from those teammates about this moment in the title race, the home stretch.

13:45What's the advice they've given you or just the way they carry themselves? They haven't really given us advice. I think it's more so just being calm, just taking game by game. You know, every game is a final now, essentially. So everyone's so calm, so relaxed. And it's quite refreshing, to be honest, because when you're in a title race, all you'd think is pressure. You're sweating, you're nervous about every game, but it's the complete opposite. Everyone's just so relaxed. Arsenal game this weekend. Yeah. We've all been counting down to this like it's a fight between Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris how would you live it as a player does it feel different do you sleep well going into it does it occasionally creep into your dreams um no not for me anyway I feel like I'm very calm level-headed I'm just ready to embrace the game embrace the challenge and we know what's at stake at the end of the day so if we do what we need to do on the pitch carry on the fine form that we have at the moment we have a chance of winning so I'm pretty I'm pretty chill about it I'm just like yeah.

14:43Does it feel like another game? Yeah it feels like another game of course we know what's at stake we know there's going to be big pressure behind the game could be season defining maybe but I feel like I wouldn't approach it in any other way but being calm. Does it feel like a free hit for City because you're the pursuer the chaser the hunter? Not necessarily I feel like we're chasing them for a reason so I wouldn't say it's a free hit it's more so we want to win we want to catch up and we want to win every game as possible before the end of the season. So we know that we need to win 100%. So I don't think it's a free hit.

15:17I think it's another opportunity to catch them up and go from there. What kind of game should we expect? Entertain, entertainment. It's going to be a tough game for both teams. I feel like we can't discredit what Arsenal have done this season. They're obviously up there for a reason. But at the same time, we're a top team. and if you don't stop us in flow state, then there'll be a big problem. So I feel like we're just going to prepare this week and everything will be smooth, no injuries, no nothing. And yeah, we'll see how the game goes. Anton, what's your first Premier League memory as a fan?

15:53I can't remember what year Chelsea won the Premier League, but that was always my first memory. I loved watching Didier Drogba at the time. That was one of my first memories, Chelsea lifting up the Premier League. You watched him when you were at Bristol City and dreamed of experiencing what he has, haven't you? Yeah, I was a striker at the time, so everything he'd done, I wanted to do. Strength, finishing, aerial ability, just able to turn a game on his head individually. Anything he could do, I would want him to do. What's your first World Cup memory? I'd say when Ghana were playing Uruguay in the quarterfinals.

16:28I feel like that's a memory that I'll never forget. 2010? Yeah, 2010. Played such a good game, it was just unfortunate about the penalty, but that was like the first proper memory I had of the World Cup. Luis Suarez. Luis Suarez, yeah. Yeah, that's a trip down memory lane I don't really want to go down, to be honest, but yeah. The painful memories always last longer. No, they do, they do. But just to say that Ghana made it into the quarterfinals is such a big thing. So, I mean, hopefully in years to come we can replicate that. This is going to be your second World Cup campaign, with Garner. New coach just announced for the Black Stars, Carlos Quiroz.

17:06You're playing England in Group L. What's it like in that City locker room with so many England teammates? To be honest, I feel like we're so focused on what's going on right now. No one's really said anything about the World Cup. There's been little comments like, we're going to take it to you guys. And I'm just like, yeah, we're going to cause you problems. But just little stuff, nothing too crazy. But I feel like we've got a job on our hands right now. So no one's really said much about that. We'll deal with that once the time comes. But I feel like, yeah, we know what's at stake at the moment.

17:35And we really want to pursue, catch up with Arsenal and hopefully win. Your top five African players all time. Oh, top five. Jeez. Okay. This is no particular order. Salah, Eto 'o, Didier Drogba, Yaya Toure and Michael Essien. Michael Essien. What a player. I mean, that's a hell of a midfield you've dropped in that top five. It is a hell of a midfield, I tell you. That's a lot of strength, pace, ball control, ball retention, everything you can think of. Anton, I know faith plays a big role in your life on and off the pitch. I remember we talked last time about your pre-match ritual at the Vitality Stadium for Bournemouth.

18:13It included a prayer huddle with Pastor John, local legend, Bournemouth season ticket holder. How have you adapted those rituals in your new surroundings? Me and Pastor John still speak most days and he sends me a prayer before the games. So I have like three, four minutes in a change room where I'm listening to his prayer. And yeah, it just gives me that motivation. And then I have Mark and Jeremy who pray with me in the tunnel. So maybe one of us will lead the prayer. But yeah, we stand together, huddled up and we just pray and just again, thank God for this opportunity to play football and just to lead us to victory.

18:50Voice notes are the single greatest. Last question for you. City fans already have a song for you, sung to Just The Way You Are by Milky. It must be incredible to hear it sung, especially after all you've been through. Yeah. What is the message to everyone listening, all those who are grinding away with a big dream that feels six tears away as it was for you? What's the one quality that's the most important that you have that we can all take from your story? I think being resilient is number one for me. Keep going, keep going, keep going. You don't know where you're going to, But if you're resilient every day, every night, every training session, every game, you never know what opportunities lie.

19:31So it's just being persistent, consistently doing the same things over and over and you never know what happens. So stay prayed up as always. You pray on these things, of course, but I feel like mentally you have to be really resilient. Dreams are one thing, skills another. Tenacity is just as important. It is just as important. It is important. I feel like, yeah, talent is one thing, but talent can take you one place and not take you further. Whereas if you're resilient, you're mentally strong, it can push you a lot further than talent can. So if you have a mixture, you have both, you're truly blessed.

20:05Anton, to you, to your family, to your continued rise and really, I mean, your inspirational journey. Thank you, mate. No, thank you very much, Rog. Courage.

20:20Thank you.