New Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted that the club were right to reject him earlier in his career.
Ex-Barcelona chief Guardiola, a key player in the Catalan giants’ 1192 European Cup winning squad, had the chance to turn out for City in the twilight of his playing career.
But City, in 2005 managed by Stuart Pearce, offered Pep a six-month deal, whilst the Spaniard was unwilling to move his family to England for such a short period.
Pep, who was unveiled as City’s new manager over the last few days. said:
“I came here at when the club was at the other training ground (Carrington, which the club left in 2014).
“I have to say that Stuart Pearce was right because I came here at 33, 34 years old and at that age for a player it was a disaster. It was intelligent not to pick me up.
“My dream was to play in the Premier League. He offered me six months but I would have had to move my family and so in the end we decided not but if you analyse my physical condition at the time I think it was the right decision.”
Guardiola also insisted that he would have come to City this summer regardless of whether they had achieved a top four place last season or not.
He added: “I wasn’t worried. I was coming to Manchester, I was never going to stay at home.
“But we are not in the Champions League, we have to be clear [City still have to qualify].
“That situation is now in this moment better than Manchester United’s though.”
By Steve Osborne                     @BlizzardSteve75
