Petulant Pep showing signs of meltdown
City’s struggles taking a toll on legendary coach
Coaching great Pep Guardiola’s hint that Manchester City might be his last job has raised eyebrows and suggests the team’s erratic form is getting to the usually calm Spaniard.
The 45-year-old told NBC his career was “arriving at the end” ahead of City’s 2-1 win over Burnley on Monday, and followed up those comments with a moody exchange with the BBC, during which he constantly rubbed his nose as if he had developed a nervous tic.
The Burnley win left City seven points behind Premier League leader Chelsea, which can go 10 points clear if it beats Tottenham on Wednesday.
It all looked very different when City made an electrifying start to the season under Guardiola, winning its first 10 matches, including getting the better of his old rival Jose Mourinho in the Manchester derby.
However, since then its form has slipped considerably, with City at one point going six without a win — Guardiola’s worst run as a manager.
Question marks over the wisdom of signing goalkeeper Claudio Bravo and his callous dispensing of fan favorite and England No 1 Joe Hart have been backed up by some erratic efforts by the Chilean goalkeeper.
Bravo has not been helped by a creaking defense, which was brutally exposed by Leicester in a 4-2 loss in December. That led to Guardiola’s bizarre claim he didn’t coach tackling after his team failed to make a single tackle in 35 minutes.
With it the mask of serenity surrounding Guardiola has slipped, leading to his suggesting to NBC he could call it quits after City.
The end?
“I will be at Manchester for the next three seasons, maybe more,” said Guardiola.
“I will not be on the bench until I am 60 or 65 years old. I feel the process of my goodbye has already started.
“I am arriving at the end of my coaching career, of this I am sure.”
While Mourinho may wear his heart on his sleeve, Guardiola seems self-contained and almost cold in his media conferences, only once letting the mask slip when his Portuguese rival provoked him one too many times when they were at Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively.
Guardiola arrived at City with much fanfare, as was only right for a man who delivered 14 trophies in four years at the Barca helm.
However, his stint at Bayern Munich — replacing German Jupp Heynckes who had won the domestic double and the Champions League — yielded three Bundesliga crowns but failed to land the Champions League.
“If my work is judged on whether I win the Champions League or not, I have failed,” he said after his final hopes of winning European soccer’s top club prize with Bayern had disappeared last season, going out in the semifinals to Atletico Madrid.
“I need to accept that. If people think I have failed, I have to accept that. If you think that I have failed, you have to write it.”
It is way too early to write off his City sojourn but the club’s A bu D ha bi owners will be praying their dream capture does not turn into a nightmare.
Throughout the remarkably prickly interview with the BBC following the victory over Burnley, Guardiola looked tense and miserable. Asked if he was happy, he forced a smile and, in a tone dripping with sarcasm, said: “More than you believe. I’m so happy, believe me. Happy New Year.”