Pep Guardiola recently hinted that his time as Manchester City manager could soon come to an end, as he commented that the club should begin looking for his replacement. The Spaniard doesn’t have a timeline for his departure yet, though, and is expected to stay for at least one more season after this.
Guardiola is currently the longest-serving manager in the Premier League, having been at City for almost 10 years. When he leaves, there’s a risk that City could experience similar struggles to Manchester United after Sir Alex Ferguson exited the club.
Manchester City Currently Battling for Another Title
Fans won’t be happy to hear that the Guardiola era could soon be ending. The legendary manager has already delivered six Premier League titles and is attempting to secure a seventh. According to the latest Premier League title odds, City are 11/4 to win at the time of writing, and it will be a challenge to beat Arsenal.
Indeed, the Gunners are at 1/4 in the football betting odds to top the table this term, with the North London side flying under Mikel Arteta. After 20 games played, Guardiola’s former understudy had a six-point lead on his mentor, meaning that the title race will be fierce and could go down to the wire.
City have also had a better season in the Champions League so far this term, with only one loss in the first six games. The English giants could potentially win both competitions, and doing so would mark an excellent time for Guardiola to leave on a high. However, the chances of the manager leaving after this season ends are still considered to be slim.
Guardiola Has Hinted at His Departure
Guardiola’s stint at City is the longest he’s ever stayed with a club, having managed Barcelona and Bayern Munich before the English Premier League outfit. Although he’s the longest-serving manager currently in the league, he hasn’t overtaken David Moyes’ tenure of 11 years at Everton, or the incredible long-term careers of Ferguson or Arsene Wenger.
In an interview in December, the decorated City manager said that the club “must prepare” for his departure but indicated that he still has at least a few seasons left. This suggests that Guardiola will not leave the club until he’s sure that the person replacing him will be up to the task.
The 54-year-old is clearly concerned that his leaving could have a similar knock-on effect to when Ferguson stepped down at United in 2013. The Red Devils have failed to win the league in the years since then and have been through 10 managers. City may discover how hard it is to replace a legend like Guardiola as well, with few managers in the world as consistently successful as him.
City fans won’t want to think about life without Guardiola, but it’s a reality that they may soon need to contend with. The iconic manager will most likely stay for a few more seasons, though, and could even help with the transition towards his replacement. That may ensure that City don’t suffer the same woes as their Manchester neighbors.
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