Pep Guardiola: Why this is his last season in the Premier League
Pep Guardiola is entering the final year of his contract at Manchester City, and the Spanish gaffer is probably entering the last year of his time in the Premier League.
He was a superb footballer, but when he quit the sport, most people will remember Pep for being arguably the best manager ever.
Having begun his senior managerial career at Barcelona, Pep has managed at two more clubs in different countries and dominated the leagues there.
He is one of the most decorated players/managers of all time and continues to be one of the best in the world.
After dominating La Liga with Barcelona in Spain and creating one of the best teams in Europe with the help of Lionel Messi, he made Bayern Munich by far the most successful club in Germany.
Even after he left, Bayern continued to dominate the competition for several seasons because of the standard he had set in the German top flight.
His next stop was Manchester City, a team looking to become the dominant force in England and Europe, having spent so much money.
The Citizens seemed to have a bottomless supply of money, which may have been a motivating factor in his choosing to go there.
Over the years, they have signed the best players in the world for him, and City has an unlimited talent supply.
However, putting it that way takes some credit away from the genius of Pep Guardiola because another manager could still have struggled with the current city team.
There are several instances of managers who have what we could consider the most talented squad in the world, and they failed.
However, fans who buy Manchester City tickets will forever be grateful to Pep for his work at the club since he became their manager in 2016.
His team has dominated the Premier League, and he is looking to win the title again in 2025, but the upcoming season will undoubtedly be his last in the Premier League.
There are so many reasons why Pep would want to leave, and we have covered some in this article.
No more Jurgen Klopp to challenge him
The most exciting part of Pep Guardiola being the manager of Manchester City is probably his competition with Jurgen Klopp.
The Spaniard prevented Klopp from winning the German league title when he arrived at Bayern Munich, and Klopp moved to the Premier League in 2015.
A year later, Guardiola also moved to England’s top flight, which created a serious rivalry between Manchester City and Liverpool.
It was one of the most enjoyable rivalries in world football, and over the years, both managers have competed in several competitions, including the Premier League.
Klopp is one manager who makes life tough for Pep, and the Spaniard acknowledged that he made him a better manager when the German announced he was quitting Liverpool last season.
The competition for the top spot with the German ensured something was exciting to fight for in the Premier League every year.
However, now that Klopp is gone, Pep will not feel the need to stay, and he would not be interested in forging a new rivalry with the managers coming through at the different Premier League clubs.
He would be the longest-serving Premier League manager this season
The Premier League's hire-and-fire culture is why Jurgen Klopp’s nine-year spell at Liverpool was a special one.
The German came to a club that needed stabilisation and was given the time to do that before he left as a hero to their fans and the City’s population.
Next term, Guardiola would be the longest-serving manager in the Premier League and the second longest-serving manager in the English football pyramid, with only Simon Weaver of Harrogate Town having served for a longer term.
Pep has already spent eight years in Manchester City, the longest he has spent at any other club and he certainly does not seem like a manager who will spend the rest of his career at the club.
Nine years is more than enough to give to City, and we do not expect him to extend his stay with the English champions further than this season.
He might need a new challenge in a different league
After eight years in the Premier League, it seems there is no other competition to explore. After all, we all agree that the Premier League is the best in the world.
Pep worked in La Liga and the Bundesliga before, leaving the Ligue 1 and Serie A as the two top divisions in which he has not managed a club.
Leaving City will not be a difficult decision because he has achieved everything he can at the Manchester club, but choosing his next destination will be tricky.
Nevertheless, the Spaniard could be open to a new challenge after a short break from the game. It would be interesting to see where he goes next, and that could be a reason why he quits the Premier League.
Pep might want more rest and opt for international football
A while ago, Pep was linked with the Brazil managerial job, with several reports claiming he has agreed to coach the Selecao next.
That was a tempting prospect to consider because he is one of the best managers in the world, and Brazil has arguably the best talent in world football.
That rumour proved to be untrue, but Pep might be tempted to become an international manager and win the World Cup.
He has already won all the available club trophies and has managed in arguably the toughest leagues in the world, so coaching a national team might be the ideal next step.
Taking that step will ensure he remains in the game, but he would avoid having to work every day, as is the case for a club manager.
If he becomes available to coach a national team, the world’s top national teams would all jump at the chance to make him their gaffer.
Conclusion
Pep has finally won the Champions League and has dominated the Premier League since the 2017/2018 season, so he can hardly get another achievement in England.
Next season, he would compete against managers who were not at their jobs, and some were not even qualified managers when he came to England, so there wouldn’t be the motivation to continue.
Whatever decision he makes regarding his future, he will leave England as one of the best coaches the Premier League has ever had.
