Pep Guardiola has not confirmed his future at Manchester City as he reflects on his decade in English soccer. Concerns grow among fans about a potential exit after the season.
Key points
Pep Guardiola has not confirmed his future at Manchester City
Concerns grow about his potential departure after ten years
Guardiola reflected on his decade in English soccer
He recently attended a League One match as a guest
Mentioned in this story
Pep Guardiola
Manchester CityLeague One
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola waves to fans
Pep Guardiola has yet to confirm if he will remain Manchester City boss next season -Credit:Visionhaus/Getty Images
(Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Pep Guardiola discussed lessons he can apply to next season amid ongoing uncertainty surrounding whether he will stay at Manchester City. Some Blues are concerned he might end his tenure after 10 years at the Etihad with several factors pointing toward a summer exit.
City's manager dedicated a day this week to watching Stockport against Port Vale in League One as a guest of the County owner, and much of his press conference on Friday was devoted to reflecting fondly on his decade in English soccer, including recollections of traveling with his son to watch one of Neil Warnock's teams play.
Guardiola has previously referenced the fact that he has one more year remaining on his contract when questioned about his future, without ever confirming that he will fulfill it. Those close to him observe that he has completed every deal that he has signed, and City's position is and has always been that they would prefer him to remain indefinitely, as per the Manchester Evening News.
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Manchester City players and staff celebrate winning the Carabao Cup
Guardiola has already guided City to Carabao Cup glory this season -Credit:Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
City are pursuing the Premier League and FA Cup to complement the Carabao Cup they have already secured this season, and while a domestic treble could serve as an ideal farewell, Guardiola has already declined similar departure opportunities.
Asked about his mindset heading into the final three weeks of the season, the Catalan mentioned how he has discovered something to implement in the UEFA Champions League next season.
"Last season was 24 hours thinking what will happen at the club if we will not qualify for the Champions League. I felt it a lot. I can't imagine teams who are [trying] to not be relegated because it changes clubs. Players change, financially you can't invest in good players and in the end that is the reason why teams have success," he said.
"This season we won the Carabao Cup, FA Cup final again and still fighting against this Arsenal, so what can I say? It is really good. I would love to go through in the Champions League but the level is higher and it will be good learnings for me for the next season. It will be good for that competition how sometimes you have to approach."
Guardiola's comments regarding next season won't be sufficient to persuade everyone that he'll still be at the helm, though he has already surpassed even his own expectations by remaining at the Etihad this long. Regardless of whether 10 years stretches to 11, the manager credited the player care department and the club for sustaining the conditions that have enabled him to remain at the pinnacle of the sport.
"I wouldn't have been 10 years, 10 seasons if I don't have the environment," he added. "Aymeric Laporte - who was another player that helped us incredibly a lot to understand what you had to do from behind, from build-ups, commits, and this kind of stuff - in a newspaper in Spain said, 'City is the best club in the world, you never realise how good they are, how incredibly organized, until you leave.'
"And that is the biggest compliment we can get, that the players can leave and say, 'That place was incredible,' and I have the same feeling. I wouldn't be 10 years, even with good titles if I don't have incredible environment. Now I still have incredible energy, still I'm so good, coming here to work on my day off. Because I realized from many, many details that, I think Aymeric explained perfectly, there are many details that make how the people take care of all of us, the organization, all of us in all details.
"Our families, our little, little details that make my job as a manager, the players, just think about what you have to do. And that's why I am here... of course we're here because we won a lot and that's why they don't fire you because they continue to trust you because you have success but apart from that the club is really, really extraordinary. Extraordinary.
"And I love when Gundo came back from Barcelona and said, 'Man City is top, top.' You know, when that happens, we are in a good way. That's why we are consistently the Champions League for the last 12, 13, 14 years. That's why we are always fighting for the titles, because they are consistent around the tactics, the systems, the players, the managers. You know? It's like a bubble that makes people feel good."
