Guardiola: I am arriving at the end of my coaching career
Pep Guardiola has suggested he is approaching the end of his coaching career.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss is just six months into his latest assignment at Manchester City.
Guardiola recently said he does not intend to emulate Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and spend 20 years in the job, but it now seems he is already thinking about the end of his career.
The Spaniard made the revelation in an interview with NBC, which was publicised soon after City had ground out a hard-fought 2-1 win over Burnley at the Etihad Stadium.
“I will be at Manchester for the next three seasons, maybe more, but I am arriving at the end of my coaching career, of this I am sure,” said the 45-year-old.
“I will not be on the bench until I am 60 or 65 years old. I feel that the the process of my goodbye has already started.”
Guardiola was asked about this at his post-match press conference but, after giving a series of terse interviews following the fractious victory, elaborated little.
“It might be one of my last teams,” he said. Asked why he might chose to retire, he said: “Because I decide so.”
Guardiola was in no great mood for media commitments after being frustrated by a number of decisions in a laboured 2-1 win over the Clarets. Chief among them was the sending off of Fernandinho – a third red card for the Brazilian in six appearances – while Guardiola was also frustrated a Ben Mee strike was allowed to stand.
Mee’s 70th-minute effort, after goalkeeper Claudio Bravo lost out in an aerial challenge with Sam Vokes, set up a nervy ending after goals from Gael Clichy and Sergio Aguero had put City in command.
Asked about the Fernandinho incident by the BBC, Guardiola said: “You’re the journalist not me.” asked for his thoughts, Guardiola added: “Ask the referee not me.”