Pep Guardiola has said Manchester City will be his final managerial job in club football.
The inspirational former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss has won 18 trophies since taking charge at the Etihad Stadium in 2016.
He ended speculation over his short-term future last month when he signed a contract extension through to 2027 but he is now thinking about life after City.
Speaking in an interview on the YouTube channel of celebrity chef Dani Garcia, the 53-year-old did not indicate when he finally intended to step down but said he would not be returning to club football after doing so.
Guardiola said: “I’m not going to manage another team. I’m not talking about the long-term future but what I’m not going to do is leave Man City, go to another country, and do the same thing as now.
“I wouldn’t have the energy. The thought of starting somewhere else, all the process of training and so on. No, no, no! Maybe a national team, but that’s different.
“I want to leave it and go and play golf but I can’t. I think stopping would do me good.”
Guardiola has previously expressed an interest in coaching at international level later in his career.
Getting #UCL ready! 💪 pic.twitter.com/3fXkjuxDiU
— Manchester City (@ManCity) December 10, 2024
His immediate concern, however, is arresting City’s recent uncharacteristic slump in form.
The Premier League champions for the past four seasons have won just one of their last nine games in all competitions, a run that has included six defeats.
After Saturday’s frustrating 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace, City face a tough week with Wednesday’s Champions League trip to Turin to face Juventus followed by a derby against Manchester United next weekend.
“Right now we are not in the position, when we have had the results of the last seven, eight games, to talk about winning games in plural,” said Guardiola at his pre-match press conference in Italy.
“So we have to win the game and not look at what happens in the next one yet.”
The loss of Rodri through injury for the rest of the season has been a major blow to City but Guardiola insists the solution to the problems should not be complicated.
He said: “It’s not a mental thing. It’s about doing the simple things better.
“They are professionals and as much as we are all together, we will be a stronger team.
“The way we want to play is not going to be changed for obvious reasons, because our success was there.
“I know when we are able to do it, we are able to play good.”
Defender Ruben Dias also believes City will emerge stronger from this tough period.
The Portuguese said: “That people doubt us is the one thing that brings you strength, inspires you to be greater.
“This is our legacy – more than the treble, four in a row. All of it is spectacular but I do believe what defines a legacy is how you react in the most difficult moments of your career.
“I’m a true believer that those moments are the ones that define you. We embrace it. Those are the ones I’ll for sure remember later.”
