By most accounts, Pep Guardiola had a good day yesterday. Manchester City overcame Burnley 2-1 at home, despite going down to 10 men early in the game and a referee keen on making some interesting artistic choices. Still, it was the result that mattered, and the win lifted City back into the Top 4.
But for all the good news of the day, Pep seemed oddly wistful. And in an interview with the BBC that could be charitably described as “awkward,” the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager dropped an explosive nugget.
“I am arriving at the end of my coaching career, of this I am sure.”
I’m sorry, what?
“I will be at Manchester for the next three seasons, maybe more. I will not be on the bench until I am 60 or 65 years old. I feel the process of my goodbye has already started.”
It’s very possible that Pep was having a bad day. (Or maybe a bad week.) His interview with the BBC certainly indicated as much. You can read a partial transcript at the link above, but it’s worth noting this particular exchange: