Last Updated:
Pep Guardiola says he will not help Manchester City choose his successor, insisting the next manager must be “unique” as his iconic 10-year spell nears its end.
Pep Guardiola (Picture credit: AP)
Little did Pep Guardiola know that his iconic quote, “we cannot replace him“, would eventually come to define his own legacy at Manchester City.
As he prepares to take charge of his final game for City against Aston Villa on Sunday, the Spaniard made it clear that he will not be involved in choosing the man who succeeds him at the Etihad Stadium.
Former Chelsea and Leicester City boss Enzo Maresca, who previously worked under Guardiola as an assistant at City, has emerged as the leading candidate to take over.
But Guardiola insists the club should not look for a replica of him.
“It doesn’t work to copy and paste in this kind of job,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday.
“You have to be unique, natural and yourself, and the new manager will be himself,” he added ahead of City’s final Premier League game of the season.
“The moment it starts to be a copy of another one… Everyone is everyone. It has to be like that. And that’s why everything is going to be good.”
Since arriving in 2016, Guardiola has transformed the club into one of the most dominant forces world football has seen, redefining English football with his possession-heavy style and relentless pursuit of perfection.
Across a decade at City, the Spaniard delivered multiple Premier League titles, domestic cups, and the club’s long-awaited Champions League triumph.
But as one era closes, uncertainty still hangs over the club.
Guardiola will leave with the shadow of the Premier League’s 115 alleged financial rule breaches still looming over Manchester City.
The hearing process remains ongoing, but the outgoing manager said he has no doubts about the club’s position.
“Because I trust them,” Guardiola said.
“I trust them! Because I spoke with them and I trust how they behave and (what) they did. So what happened… there will be the resolution. I trust them.”
For now, Guardiola says his focus after City is simple: he just wants to “rest”. More than well-deserved, indeed.
(with Reuters inputs)
Read More
Source link
[ad_3]
