BORED GAMES

Birthday boy Pep: I can’t believe Roy is still coaching aged 72.. he can’t have anything to do at home!

PEP GUARDIOLA says Roy Hodgson is still managing at 72 because he must be bored at home.

Guardiola’s Manchester City host Hodgson’s Crystal Palace with the Spaniard, who turns 49 today, claiming his opposite number must still be managing out of boredom.

“I think when you are still training at 72, it must be boring at home,” said Guardiola.

“You are with young people, athletes, the competition, to prove yourself. That’s why it’s nice, our job.

“Every game is different, that’s maybe the reason why Roy and other older managers are still in charge and they still do it.

“I think the important thing when you retire is to know you want to do other things – if you’ve no interests and you’re at home, then you’re going to come back.

“I’m interested in doing other things and I’m going to do them.”

Asked if he will still be managing close to Hodgson’s age, Guardiola said: “If I still like it and I have offers and I’m enjoying it on and off the pitch then maybe.

“I didn’t say I’m going to retire next week or next year. I don’t think I’ll be at that age still a manager, but

I don’t know.” Guardiola responded to claims several of his squad partied at a luxury Cheshire hotel with women flown in from Italy, the night of their 6-1 win at Aston Villa.

“I knew about it,” said Guardiola. “When they have time, they make a dinner together a lot of times, have time together with staff.

“I like it when they are together outside of here, at home, in a restaurant in this case, and it’s nice.”

Hodgson says he has nothing to learn from Guardiola despite his haul of two Champions Leagues and league titles in three different countries. Instead he would prefer to rely on the lessons he learned from Dave Sexton, Don Howe and Bobby Robson nearly 50 years ago.

The game at the Etihad is Roy Hodgson’s 95th as Crystal Palace manager, more than he has accumulated at any other club in his career.

But as he takes his first steps in yet another decade of football management that started in Halmstad in 1976, the 72-year-old old dog admits he has little intention of learning any new tricks.

Hodgson said: “I don’t think I am trying to learn from them at this stage. I learned a lot from Don Howe. Bobby Robson and Dave Sexton when I was a young coach.”

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