Guardiola ‘told friends’ he still wants England job despite FA U-turn | Football | Sport
Pep Guardiola could consider a move into the England set-up (Image: Getty)
Pep Guardiola reportedly told his inner circle he would be interested in taking charge of England after initially rejecting the role in 2024. The iconic coach departed Manchester City this summer following an extraordinary decade at the helm.
Guardiola secured 20 major trophies in Manchester, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League. His next move in football remains uncertain as the Mail reports that the 55-year-old will not be returning to club management in the immediate future. However, they claim Guardiola revealed to his close friends that he harbours ambitions of leading the Three Lions at some point.
While he is “prone to changing his mind,” he may view England’s World Cup elimination as a potential opportunity to step into the role. Tuchel’s choices throughout the semi-final loss to Argentina have been widely criticised, with many demanding his sacking just months after penning a two-year extension with the FA.
Now, Guardiola’s name is being floated around again just two years after he rejected the Three Lions. The ex-Barcelona manager committed verbally to the England job after talks with FA officials.
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However, The Athletic revealed that he reversed his decision at the last minute and chose to remain at the Etihad for a further two years. After stepping down from City, Guardiola stated he would step away from football for the time being.
Could Pep Guardiola replace Thomas Tuchel? (Image: Getty)
He said: “Rest. No plans to train for a while. Otherwise I would be here. I need to step back, I will not train for a while.
“Many people when I said it will be my last season said after three months you will come back. I don’t think so, I will take a while, but I have to prove to myself [that I need a rest].”
He added: “It’s not 10 years – except half a year in New York, it has been 17 or 18 years every three days with people demanding trebles and Premier Leagues and I need to breathe a little bit and relax. I will be out for a while.
“I feel really satisfied, happy and proud. It has been the experience of my life at City, otherwise I would not have been 10 years. I cannot be more grateful for the amount of love and affection.”
Tuchel is adamant he will keep his job with England (Image: Getty)
Given Guardiola’s tendency to reverse his decisions, the possibility of him taking charge of England cannot be entirely ruled out. But regardless of his potential interest, the FA have found themselves in a difficult spot regarding Tuchel’s position at the helm.
It is reported that a break clause existed within the German’s contract, which would have permitted either party to cut short the agreement should England have been knocked out before the quarter-final stage at the World Cup. Following their defeat to Argentina in the semi-finals, the FA would now find it difficult to reach an agreement with Tuchel.
But despite the growing speculation around Guardiola, the former Bayern Munich boss seems content on his position with England, with his deal running through to Euro 2028. He said: “We keep on going with the contract until the home Euros.
“I’m looking forward to that even though right now it’s difficult to look that far ahead.”
