• UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
NewsExplored
  • UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • LinkedIn

  • Tumblr

  • RSS

Sports

Pep Guardiola: Manchester City boss was ‘not close at all’ to leaving, says Guillem Balague

Pep Guardiola: Manchester City boss was ‘not close at all’ to leaving, says Guillem Balague
Newsexplored
19th November 2020
8
SHARES
ShareTweet
SubscribeRedditGoogleWhatsappStumbleuponPinterestDiggLinkedinTumblrTelegram
Views:
1
Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola signs his new contract, seated between Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano (left) and director of football Txiki Begiristain (right)

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was “not close at all” to leaving the Premier League club, says BBC Radio 5 Live’s Guillem Balague.

They have won six major honours since the ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach, 49, took charge in 2016.

“The man is happy, he’s enjoying himself, he’s surrounded by friends,” said Spanish football writer Balague.

After surrendering the league title to Liverpool last season and failing to reach the Champions League semi-finals for a fourth straight year, Guardiola entered the final year of his contract with City.

He was linked with a return to the Nou Camp after presidential candidate Victor Font said last month he would be keen to bring him backexternal-link but Guardiola said his time as Barca coach was “over”.

“We all knew that Manchester City had put a deal on the table – the length of it we did not know – and City were not going to put any kind of pressure on him,” added Balague.

“In the last couple of months, there have been stories about unrest in the camp, players’ agents knocking on doors to see what’s going on, just because they didn’t know if Guardiola was going to stay on.

“But the decision-makers at Manchester City have been very confident. The transition that started this summer – into a Manchester City version two, with Guardiola – will continue next summer as well.

“Most of the transition is done, but there is more to do. He feels there is room for improvement and it needed him in charge of it.”

Guardiola won nine major honours in four years as Barcelona coach and, after a year’s sabbatical, spent three years at Bayern Munich from 2013.

“At Barcelona there was so much tension that the last year [2011-12] was very difficult for him,” said Balague.

data-ad-format="auto">

“At Bayern Munich, after every game, he had to explain to his bosses why the team won or lost. It became clear in the last six or seven months of his contract that he was not going to renew.

“But at City, he doesn’t have to do any of that. He’s motivated by the fact there are going to have to be changes in the squad and he’s got the backing of the club to do that.

“With the [presidential] elections at Barcelona on 24 January, it’s a good time to say ‘I won’t be part of that’ or ‘you cannot use my name’. But also, it’s time for everybody to focus on the job at hand and nobody should be thinking about leaving, because he’s staying on.”

Champions League win ‘never a demand’ by Man City

Guardiola’s European record has been questioned, as it is nine years since the second of his two Champions League wins as a manager.


He has failed to lead City past the quarter-finals in four attempts but Balague says winning the Champions League “was never a demand” by the City board.

“If he doesn’t get the Champions League, that’ll be a stick he gets hit with for the rest of his time at Manchester City,” he added.

“What Guardiola was asked to do was dominate the domestic titles and be regulars in, say, the semi-finals of the Champions League. That hasn’t happened yet, not so much to win it but to actually be competing for it, so I’m sure there is an incentive in doing that.

“I’m not sure Manchester City will ever ask Guardiola to win the Champions League as a condition. But, if you look at some of the results that happened to them, they could have gone the other way.

“I’m sure Pep Guardiola would like it to go their way and confirm that Manchester City belong in that elite of the top four or top six European teams.”

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Share on Skype (Opens in new window)

Related

Related Itemsbalaguecloseguardiolaguillemleavingmanchester
Sports
19th November 2020
Newsexplored @newsexploredweb

Related Itemsbalaguecloseguardiolaguillemleavingmanchester

More in Sports

  • Read More
    Lewis Hamilton beats Sergio Perez to Imola pole

    Views:1 Sunday’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is live on Radio 5 Live Sports Extra and the BBC...

    Newsexplored 19th November 2020
  • Read More
    NBA: Joel Embiid makes Philadelphia 76ers history in win over LA Clippers

    Views:1 Embiid helped the 76ers to their fourth straight win Joel Embiid scored 36 points and added...

    Newsexplored 19th November 2020
  • Read More
    Bellator 257: Report, highlights and full replay

    Views:1 The report below contains details of Bellator 257 but you can watch the entire event again...

    Newsexplored 19th November 2020
  • Read More
    Paul Pogba: Jose Mourinho ‘couldn’t care less’ about midfielder’s criticism

    Views:1 Pogba helped Manchester United beat Spurs 3-1 last week Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho says he “couldn’t...

    Newsexplored 19th November 2020
  • Read More
    Everton 2-2 Tottenham: Harry Kane scores twice to cancel out Gylfi Sigurdsson’s two goals

    Views:1 Kane scored his 20th and 21st goals in the Premier League this season Harry Kane suffered...

    Newsexplored 19th November 2020
  • Read More
    Super League: Hull Kingston Rovers 25-24 Huddersfield Giants – Hull KR score seven-second try

    Views:1 Ben Crooks (centre) scored after seven seconds to beat Tim Jonkers’ 14-second effort for St Helens...

    Newsexplored 19th November 2020
  • Read More
    World Snooker Championship: Ronnie O’Sullivan says he wants ‘protection’ from fans at Crucible

    Views:1 Ronnie O’Sullivan has lost all five of the ranking finals he has reached this season Venue:...

    Newsexplored 19th November 2020
  • Read More
    Billie Jean King Cup: Heather Watson & Katie Boulter give Great Britain lead over Mexico

    Views:1 Katie Boulter reached a career-high ranking of 82 in 2019 before injury derailed her progress Venue:...

    Newsexplored 19th November 2020
  • Read More
    Emilia Romagna Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc crashes after impressing in second practice

    Views:1 Bottas topped both practice sessions at Imola Charles Leclerc crashed his Ferrari at the end of...

    Newsexplored 19th November 2020
  • Read More
    John Dawes: Former Wales and Lions captain and coach dies, aged 80

    Views:1 John Dawes was inducted to the World Rugby Hall of Fame in 2016 Legendary former Wales...

    Newsexplored 19th November 2020
  • Read More
    Chelsea v Manchester City: Blues will hunt Pep Guardiola’s side next season – Thomas Tuchel

    Views:1 Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden and Kevin de Bruyne (pictured) scored for Manchester City in a dominant...

    Newsexplored 19th November 2020
  • Read More
    Monte Carlo Masters. Dan Evans beats David Goffin to reach semi-finals

    Views:1 Dan Evans was playing in his first Masters Series quarter-final British number one Dan Evans came...

    Newsexplored 19th November 2020
Scroll for more
Tap
data-ad-format="auto">
NewsExplored

NewsExplored - Making sure all the latest news is explored?

Contact us for help

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • Comments

  • The UK professor and the fake Russian agent
    UK26th March 2021
  • Deshaun Watson: Houston Texans quarterback being investigated by police amid 21 civil lawsuits
    USA3rd April 2021
  • Atlanta spa shootings: How we talk about violence
    USA19th March 2021
  • Arsenal 0-3 Liverpool: Diogo Jota scores twice in Premier League win
    Sports3rd April 2021
  • Titanic: Searching for the ‘missing’ Chinese survivors
    USA16th April 2021
  • Tiger Woods car crash: Golfing great drove at almost double the speed limit
    USA7th April 2021
  • Georgia voting: Fact-checking claims about the new election law
    USA7th April 2021
  • Deshaun Watson: Houston Texans quarterback being investigated by police amid 21 civil lawsuits
    USA3rd April 2021
  • Les Rehrer says:

    Hello Its me :P and thanks for this post

  • optumrx login says:

    Thank For News.

  • Kent Laatsch says:

    Please let me know if you're looking for a writer…

  • Bob says:

    RT News was where I learned that Erdogan controlled isis.…

Copyright © 2018 Top News Theme. Theme by MVP Themes, powered by Wordpress.

Rugby World Cup 2021: England to face France and Wales will play New Zealand
FAI investigating video message played to Republic of Ireland squad before England friendly
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok