Being at the right club at the right time and with the best service conditions is the desire of every football coach. Pep Guardiola and Manchester City have been like a perfect match. But that hasn’t insulated them from the ups and downs of the game. Despite winning the most important trophies on offer in England, the club have not been able to win their most sought after piece of silverware under the direction of the Catalan coach. Even after six years of being in charge.
The Blues came close to lifting the Champions League in 2021, losing in the final to Chelsea. Even that was a huge disappointment as Chelsea were underdogs heading into the encounter. City are regularly accused of ‘buying’ trophies as the club spends heavily on players. When that doesn’t translate into winning the biggest trophy on offer, it looks like the coach is failing.
The life of a football coach is hard enough. The pressure from the fans and the club hierarchy can be so great that changes in the dugout are frequent. Managers rarely stay in a job for more than five years these days.
The job is usually very unstable. This is understandable, as it largely depends on the results. Because teams regularly go through good times and bad times, it takes a lot of patience to wait for the good times when the bad times drag on.
Once goodwill begins to dissipate, the exit door opens wide. Therefore, it has been said that there are two types of managers; those who have just been fired and those who will soon be fired.
Fortunately for Guardiola, he is not just any coach. The Catalan boss is a special breed. His success at work sets him apart from the rest. He has won everything there is to win in the game as a club coach. He has been successful everywhere he has been; from Spain to Germany and now to England.
However, he remains ambitious, looking to win even more. His unquenchable desire for the best and relentless commitment to success form the intersection with City. The recent contract extension sees the relationship continue for another couple of years.
Despite his success in England so far, Guardiola still has things to do in the Champions League. The same goes for the club. The manager expressed his excitement for the opportunity to continue with the project.
“I am very happy to stay at Manchester City for two more years,” said Guardiola. “I can’t say thank you enough to everyone at the club for trusting me. I am happy and comfortable here. I have everything I need to do my job as well as possible.
“I know the next chapter of this club is going to be amazing for the next decade. It happened in the last ten years, and it will happen in the next ten years because this club is so stable.
“From the first day I felt something special being here. I couldn’t be in a better place.
“I still feel we can achieve more together and that’s why I want to stay and keep fighting for trophies.”
Most likely, the feeling about the renewal will be mutual. That the faithful of the city, both in the boardroom and in the stands, believe and trust Guardiola to do it is a fact. It is clear that the vast majority of fans around the world are loving life under Pep. And the man loves the city dugout, too.
Source: Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City Contract Extension Good for Both Parties
