On Monday night, Oliver Holt reported for the Daily Mail that Pep Guardiola would leave his post as Manchester City manager at the end of this season. The news of Pep Guardiola’s imminent departure came ahead of Manchester City’s most important Premier League fixture of the season against Bournemouth last night. Manchester City’s bid to win this season’s Premier League title ended as they drew 1-1 with Bournemouth last night. That result sees Arsenal crowned as Premier League champions. Following last night’s match, Guardiola wouldn’t be drawn into a discussion about his future. That isn’t a major surprise as it was highly unlikely that the Manchester City manager would announce his departure from the club he has dominated English football with at a post-game press conference. Pep Guardiola avoided the elephant in the room last night despite it appearing inevitable that his time at Manchester City is almost at an end.
Pep Guardiola reveals that he is set to sit down with the Manchester City hierarchy to discuss his future.
It was inevitable last night that Pep Guardiola would in some way address his future. Following Manchester City’s draw with Bournemouth, Guardiola revealed he is due to discuss his future with the hierarchy of the club. In quotes relayed by The Express, Guardiola said: “I can say I have one year of my contract. With the conversations I’ve had for many, many years, always from my experience when you announce – whatever you announce – during the competition is a bad, bad result.”
“The first person who I have to talk to is the chairman. Because we both decided when we finish the season we will sit and we will talk. It’s as simple as that. When we finish the season, we will see and we will talk. After we will take the decision.”
“I have one year of my contract, I will not tell you here but I have to talk to my chairman, my players, my staff. I’m the happiest man on the planet in this club. It is extraordinary.”
Pep Guardiola reiterated his point when he spoke further. He also added that Manchester City will be back fighting on all fronts next season. He added: “With the club, I always talk. But not now. The first thing you should understand, I have to talk with the chairman first. We will talk in the next few days.”
“First, we have to talk with the chairman what we have to do. I’m fine. Now is the moment with the chairman to talk. After that we will see what happens. Next season, we will be back. City will be back. We will be competing to the end in the competitions.”
Nothing said by Guardiola was a surprise, however it does feel like a matter of time before the news City fans don’t want made official will arrive.
It would have been a major shock if Pep Guardiola had announced his departure from Manchester City in a post-game press conference. That was never likely to occur. For now, Guardiola is set to discuss his future with the City hierarchy, as he explained last night. However those talks transpire, there does seem to be only one ending to them. It is seemingly now only a matter of time before Guardiola’s departure from City is confirmed.
Last night, the traveling City supporters serenaded Pep Guardiola with chants of ‘one more year’. If there is any manager who could backflip on a decision that seems already made, it is Guardiola. But that is improbable and highly unlikely to occur. Guardiola was shown how much he is loved and appreciated by Manchester City fans last night and it was fantastic to see. What is also clear is just how much Guardiola loves Manchester City which makes the seemingly impending official announcement of his departure from the club seem like it will hit everyone associated with City like a tonne of bricks.
Pep Guardiola is due to discuss his future with the Manchester City hierarchy in the coming days. The result of those talks seems inevitable and now it is just a waiting game for when Pep Guardiola’s departure from a club he has led to the top of mountain finally arrives.
Adam, may I throw in a possible option. Everyone is assuming Maresco will take over from Pep, who will ride off into the sunset ,despite saying he has one more year on his contract. Enzo could take over whilst Pep stays on as a Consultant to steer the changeover smoother. He does have business interests in Manchester. He talks about having another year on his contract and having “discussions” with the Board, why say that if you are planning to depart forever? Just a mad idea from me.
I don’t think it would work. We only have to look down the road to see how United fell with Ferguson hanging around.
Maresca will need clear air imo to get to work. Pep deserves to have time to himself somewhere. He’s earned that and he has given us more than we could’ve hoped for.
I get your idea, but if Pep goes as expected, I think Maresca needs clear space to implement his own ideas.
Yes, I did say it was a mad theory and we don’t want to wind up with a Spectre at the Feast like Utd has with Fergie or Liverpool had with Dalgleish. I do think that he will not disappear forever as his attachment to the club must run deep’
All will be revealed I think after Sunday
As a post script I just remember what Roy Keane said a few weeks ago ” Ferguson hangs around like a bad smell”. Micah Richards fell off his chair laughing on SKY Sports