Pep Guardiola has explained why he decided to sign a new two-year contract with Manchester City.
City have announced that Guardiola has penned a new deal that will see him manage the reigning Premier League champions until 2025.
Should Pep see out the new deal, he will have spent nine years at the club, far longer than the four years he managed Barcelona and the three he spent at Bayern Munich.
Guardiola has brought a period of unparalleled success to City, leading his side to four Premier League titles in the last five seasons and guiding them to a Champions League final for the first time in the club’s history.
More than success on the pitch though, Guardiola said that the faith placed in him was a big factor in his decision to sign.
This one [contract renewal] I involved my family more than ever because it has already been seven years and will be nine years [at the end of the new contract].
It’s important to have the feeling they support me in those decisions.”
While the Guardiola family reportedly came to their decision over the course of a few days during a trip to Scotland last month, from a strictly sporting perspective, Guardiola didn’t need much time to reach a decision.
I cannot be in a better place because in these seven years we were in bad, bad moments and the organisation, starting with Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the CEO Ferran Soriano, of course Txiki [Begiristain] and Omar [Berrada], the people close to me – how they support me in these bad moments, that is what really counts.
“In most clubs, people support the manager because of results.
Here they support unconditionally because they know everyone works hard and does their best as possible.”
