Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola says it will be impossible for him to ever coach another club in England and says he is now a Mancunian for life.
Guardiola, who led Manchester City to the English Premier League title last season with a record points tally of 100, signed a contract extension with the champions earlier this year.
It will take him to the end of the 2020-2021 campaign.
One of the most successful managers in world football, Guardiola has been known to keep his coaching stints brief, spending four years at FC Barcelona and three at Bayern Munich.
However, even if he ended his stay at Manchester City after five years in 2021, he said he could not envisage one day managing an English Premier League rival.
“I will be Mancunian for (the) rest of my life. I will (always) be a Manchester City fan. It will not be possible to train another club in England like Manchester City,” Guardiola said in an interview.
“I feel beloved by the people here… I want to make a better club, to make them believe we are strong enough to do better things.”
The 47-year-old won 14 trophies as FC Barcelona coach and seven while at Bayern, but said a less intrusive media landscape made it easier to settle as a manager in England.
“I understand why in England you can stay at a club for 20 years in one place,” Guardiola, who also claimed the English League Cup for Manchester City last season, added.
“Here, during the week, I don’t see the journalists and, for example, we had maybe some problems in the locker room, sometimes we have to be tough with players — but nothing goes out. Just a few times.
“In FC Barcelona or in Bayern Munich everything that happened, the next time (day) it is in… the media. So, here you are more comfortable.”
The former FC Barcelona player has won almost every major honour available to him as a manager.
However, one of the prizes he still wishes to claim, is hearing Elton John sing live.
“I’ve never been to a concert of his, it is a huge dream. I met him at Watford when we played there last season and it was a huge pleasure,” Guardiola said.
(Reuters/NAN)
