Pep Guardiola has prolonged his contract as supervisor of Premier League champions Manchester Metropolis for an additional two seasons, saying Thursday “I couldn’t go away now” with the membership dealing with arguably the hardest interval of his time on the Etihad Stadium.
There had been hypothesis the 53-year-old’s Metropolis profession may very well be coming to an finish, with the membership dealing with an unsure future because of an ongoing listening to over 115 breaches of the Premier League’s monetary laws — prices they deny utterly.
Metropolis are additionally at present on a four-game shedding streak in all competitions — the worst of Guardiola’s managerial profession, excluding penalty shoot-outs — though they’re second within the Premier League, 5 factors behind leaders Liverpool.
Stories emerged on Tuesday that Guardiola, whose earlier deal expires on the finish of this season, would keep although Metropolis’s director of soccer Txiki Begiristain, an in depth ally, had already confirmed his exit on the finish of the marketing campaign.
But in an interview with the membership’s media channels following Thursday’s announcement of his contract extension, Guardiola mentioned he had felt this may be his final season on the Etihad solely to counsel the membership’s present place had led him to alter his thoughts.
“I felt I couldn’t go away now, easy as that,” he mentioned.
“Don’t ask me the rationale why. Possibly the 4 defeats have been the rationale why and I felt I can not go away. I felt the membership nonetheless need me or had the truth that we have been collectively and that’s the rationale why we signal.”
He added: “I take pleasure in being right here. I like my job. I like being the supervisor of this membership.
“I mentioned many instances from many, a few years in the past, the second I can’t have that feeling, even underneath contract, I’ll ring my chairman and CEO and say the most effective for the membership proper now could be I’ve to depart.
“I don’t have that feeling proper now and that’s why I prolonged a little bit bit longer.”
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‘Actually particular feeling’
Guardiola took over at Metropolis in 2016 and has since gained a complete of 18 trophies throughout all competitions, together with six Premier League titles with the final 4 coming in succession — an English file.
He led Metropolis to a Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble in 2023, whereas the membership additionally gained the League Cup 4 years in a row underneath him between 2018 and 2021.
Guardiola, who beforehand loved a trophy-laden profession as a participant and coach at Barcelona earlier than taking cost of German giants Bayern Munich, mentioned in an preliminary membership assertion: “Manchester Metropolis means a lot to me. That is my ninth season right here; we have now skilled so many superb instances collectively.
“I’ve a extremely particular feeling for this soccer membership. That’s the reason I’m so blissful to be staying for one more two extra seasons.”
He added: “Thanks to everybody for persevering with to belief and help me – the proprietor, the chairman Khaldoon (Al Mubarak), Ferran (Soriano), Txiki (Begiristain), the gamers and naturally the followers… everybody linked to Manchester Metropolis. It has all the time been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be right here.
“I’ve mentioned this many instances earlier than, however I’ve every part a supervisor might ever want for, and I recognize that a lot. Hopefully now we are able to add extra trophies to those we have now already gained. That can be my focus.”
Metropolis chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak mentioned: “Like each Metropolis fan, I’m delighted that Pep’s journey with Manchester Metropolis will proceed; permitting his dedication, ardour and progressive pondering to proceed to form the panorama of the sport.”
AFP
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