Pep Guardiola not worried about Man City’s future after he leaves

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By Martin Graham | 2nd Oct 2022

Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City is in good hands and will not falter whenever he leaves the club. The Spaniard has a contract that expires next summer, with no indication of where his future lies.

With the Manchester derby coming up on Sunday afternoon, Pep Guardiola has started to look to the future of the Citizens. Pep Guardiola has been at the Etihad for several years and has helped them to win several trophies, with the UEFA Champions League still eluding them.

The season has started with Man City trailing Arsenal on the Premier League table but has not lost any game. Two draws this term means they have some gap to close. Meanwhile, their marquee signing this summer – Erling Haaland, has been in explosive form and scoring goals with so much abandon.

Everything in life has a way of reaching its end, and Pep Guardiola knows his time at the Etihad will come to a halt. It is something he can do nothing about, as nature will eventually take its cause. Guardiola believes Man City will be okay after his departure as he focused on the derby against Manchester United on Sunday afternoon.

The Manchester Derby

Since the arrival of Pep Guardiola at the Etihad, the Spanish gaffer has enjoyed several successes. He has won all the trophies in the land but has remained a failure in Europe, where he has failed to land their most coveted title – the UEFA Champions League.

He has been engaged in several battles against local rivals and has succeeded in turning Man City from noisy neighbours to successful neighbours. Along the way, he has lost a few skirmishes against the guardians of Old Trafford, with managers like Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer trumping him on a few occasions. Despite the glitches, he has somehow found a way to guide Man City to win the war.

When they take on Manchester United on Sunday afternoon, the defending champions should dominate the Red Devils and consolidate their quest for a third straight Premier League crown. With United floundering at the start of the season, Guardiola would be wary of the newfound form that has seen them win four Premier League matches on the trot.

A future without Guardiola

Since he arrived at the Etihad in 2016, Guardiola has never finished below Manchester United. The gap between both clubs grew to 35 points last season. It shows how far United has dropped. The failures to keep the club at the top since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson led to the appointment of Erik Ten Hag.

In the six years at the helm at Manchester City, Guardiola has won the league four times and is chasing a third straight league title this season. With all the successes enjoyed at the club, what happens when Guardiola leaves? The Spaniard has a contract that expires at the end of the season. As it is, there is no clear indication of the long-term future of Pep Guardiola.

Guardiola believes Man City would not end up like United after his departure. Man United collapsed after the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. According to the Spaniard, unlike United, where the managers that took over from Ferguson had to deal with a new and inexperienced chief executive Ed Woodward, with an ownership model based on debt, the Citizens have a well-oiled machine behind the scenes.

Money is not a problem for the Abu Dhabi group, which took over the club in 2008. The club also have leading and experienced executives in Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain. Both directors have an eye on the long-term.