Pep Guardiola on what inspired contract renewal

Pep Guardiola on what inspired contract renewal

Pep Guardiola on what inspired contract renewal. Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has explained that the Cityzens’ recent run of poor form, was key to him signing the two-year contract extension with the club this week.

City went into November’s international break on the back of an unusual run of four consecutive defeats. Tottenham Hotspur, Bournemouth, Sporting CP and Brighton all got the better of the reigning Premier League champions, presenting Guardiola with the longest losing streak of his entire managerial career.

Guardiola’s existing deal had been due to expire at the end of this season, but the 53-year-old put pen to paper on a new agreement stretching to 2027 on Thursday.

When quizzed on the reasons behind his continued commitment to a club which he first joined in 2016, Guardiola told Manchester City’s in-house media team:

“I felt I could not leave now, simple as that.

“Don’t ask me the reason why. Maybe the four defeats were the reason why and I felt I cannot leave. I felt the club still want me or had the fact that we were together and that’s the reason why we sign.”

The impending departure of City’s long-serving sporting director and Guardiola’s close friend Txiki Begiristain at the end of this season, conjured doubts over the manager’s immediate future.

That sense of uncertainty had transmitted to the Catalan coach himself, as Guardiola revealed:

“I want to be honest, I thought this [season] should be the last one. But the problems we had in the last month, I felt now was not the right time to leave.”

Despite Begiristain’s exit, City’s entire hierarchy has been carefully moulded to fit Guardiola’s every need. The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss admitted that he has “everything a manager could ever wish for”.

“Manchester City means so much to me,” he continued. “This is my ninth season here – we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club. That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.”