Pep Guardiola drops hint on future as England eye ambitious move..

Pep Guardiola drops hint on future as England eye ambitious move to land Man City boss

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has hinted at extending his stay at the Etihad Stadium, potentially dashing the Football Association’s (FA) hopes of appointing him as the next England manager. Guardiola’s recent comments during a Puma event in New York suggest he is still passionate about his role at City, despite earlier indications he might be considering leaving.

“If you love what you do, why should I stop?” Guardiola said. “I like it – as much (now as when Manchester City) hired me – so let’s go.” These remarks contrast with his statement in May, when he said, “The reality is I am closer to leaving than staying.” At the time, he was reflecting on his fourth consecutive Premier League title win and mentioned, “We have talked with the club – my feeling is that I want to stay now. I will stay next season and during the season we will talk. But eight or nine years – we will see.”

Guardiola’s contract with City runs until the end of the 2024-25 season. By then, he will have matched Jurgen Klopp’s nine-year tenure at Liverpool. Klopp recently ended his time at Anfield, adding to the speculation about Guardiola’s future.

The FA is reportedly considering Guardiola as a long-term replacement for Gareth Southgate, who plans to step down after the Euro 2024 final. Other candidates for the England job include Lee Carsley, who led the Under-21s to European glory in 2023. According to The Independent, one scenario involves Carsley taking temporary charge for a year, allowing Guardiola to step in once his City contract expires.

Guardiola has previously expressed interest in managing a national team. In an interview with ESPN earlier this year, he said, “I would like to train a national team for a World Cup or a European Championship. I would like that. I would like to have the experience of living through a World Cup, or a Euro or a Copa America, or whatever it is. I don’t know when that would be, if that is five, 10, 15 years from now but I would like to have the experience of being a manager in a World Cup.”

Despite this interest, Guardiola’s latest comments suggest he remains committed to City. The team is currently in the United States for a pre-season tour, where they recently faced Celtic in a 4-3 loss in Chapel Hill and are set to play AC Milan on Saturday.

The FA is yet to announce Southgate’s successor officially. Southgate has been a long-serving manager, guiding England to significant successes, including a semi-final finish in the 2018 World Cup and a runners-up spot in the Euro 2020. His impending departure has sparked considerable debate about the best person to lead the national team forward.

In addition to Guardiola and Carsley, other names have been floated as potential candidates. However, Guardiola’s possible availability in 2025 adds a high-profile option to the FA’s list. If Guardiola were to take the England job, it would mark his first foray into international management, a prospect he has shown enthusiasm for in the past.

Ultimately, the decision will hinge on Guardiola’s final choice regarding his future at Manchester City and whether the FA can secure an interim solution like Carsley until Guardiola is available. For now, City fans can take comfort in his renewed expression of commitment to the club, even as the FA continues its search for Southgate’s replacement.

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