Pep Guardiola: Manchester City boss '100% staying' with the Blues next season
Last updated on .From the section Man City
Pep Guardiola says he is "100% staying" as Manchester City manager next season.
After winning successive Premier League titles with record points totals, City look certain to finish second at best to runaway leaders Liverpool this term.
It has led to suggestions Guardiola will trigger a break clause in his contract, which runs to 2021.
However, speaking before Saturday's home game with Crystal Palace, Guardiola said: "Unless they sack me, I am staying, 100%."
City were third in the Premier League before winning 3-1 at Manchester United in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final and beating Aston Villa 6-1 to go back above Leicester.
"It's not because we have won the last two games," Guardiola added. "Even if it was going bad, I'm not going anywhere.
"No manager wins all the time. I enjoy working with these players. We've lost some games so it is simple, we need to work out what we can do better."
'If you're training at 72, it must be boring at home'
Guardiola celebrates his 49th birthday on Saturday, which means he will be 23 years younger than Roy Hodgson in the opposite dugout at Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola was only five when Hodgson began his managerial career at Swedish club Halmstad.
The Spaniard marvels at how the former England boss has retained his enthusiasm for the game, although Hodgson's wife, Sheila, may not be too pleased at Guardiola's assessment.
"I think when you are training at 72, it must be boring at home," he said.
"Our job is nice. You are working with young people, athletes, in competition. Every game is different. Maybe that's why Roy and the other older managers do it. I am not going to retire next week or next year but I don't think I will still be a manager at that age."
Meanwhile, City's French defender Aymeric Laporte is closing in on a comeback.
Laporte has been absent since August, when he suffered a knee injury against Brighton.
He has been training with the first-team squad for a couple of weeks and although Guardiola has ruled the 25-year-old out of the Palace game, it is understood he may be in contention for a return when City host Fulham in the FA Cup fourth round on 26 January.
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If anything, Liverpool winning the title at a canter is more likely to make him stay than leave. He knows the league is over, he's planning for revenge mission next season already.
FFP is as big a joke as FIFA, EUFA & VAR
Don't think they're gonna be too happy seeing their multi-billion dollar brand fighting it out with Rodgers Leicester for 2nd place.
(Not to mention the constant champions league failures)
He just came up against something which money cannot buy ... Klopp.
Potato head is slowly watching the league slipping away.
Soon to dumped out the CL by Real Madrid then it's adios
That's goodbye to you well travelled european oil fans.
That single european trophy is very lonely at the emptyhad.
1000s coming in fancy dress as plastic empty seats. 😏
Blue moon you saw me sitting alone🧂
Obviously means he's on the move!
Worse than Watford!!
....But he is expected to consistently win titles/trophies.
That's why he's there and why he is paid an astronomical salary.
When you're the manager of a club with top players and a £bn budget, second best will not be tolerated long term whoever they are.
Has been for some time...
Mansour's cheque book no longer available to him...
And, if the truth be known...
Probably desperate to go to a big club again...
Mind you...
It may have to be Italy...
Where corruption is still rife and the concept of FFP...
Is completely alien.