Guardiola quit Manchester City '100 times' in decade, says chairman Al Mubarak

Pep Guardiola threatened to quit Manchester City approximately 100 times during his decade at the club, chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has revealed, adding that he effectively served as the Catalan coach’s ‘psychiatrist’ through the turbulent stretches of a tenure that yielded 20 trophies.

Al Mubarak, who runs the club on behalf of owner Sheikh Mansour, made the remarks while paying tribute to Guardiola following his departure after ten years in charge — a spell that included six Premier League titles, two trebles and the 2023 Champions League.

“In the downs, he must have quit 100 times over these ten years, just so you know, just for the record,” Al Mubarak said. “There’s the story, The Boy Who Cried Wolf. In the case of Pep, when he says I quit, it doesn’t mean he’s quitting. You don’t take it that seriously — you have to manage him.”

The chairman explained that he had always been able to distinguish between Guardiola’s habitual frustration and a genuine decision to leave, and that this time he recognised the difference immediately. “Whenever he quits or whenever he thinks it’s time, I will always convince him to come back, until the time where I know it’s actually the real time,” Al Mubarak said. “I knew it and that’s why I didn’t fight it.”

Al Mubarak described the relationship as one of close personal friendship as much as professional partnership. “He’s more than just the manager of the club. To me, he’s a friend. We are close friends. And I will say, and I don’t know if he will admit it, but I consider myself his psychiatrist.”

Guardiola was the longest-serving manager across all four divisions of English football at the time of his departure, and Al Mubarak argued his influence extended well beyond City’s own results. “He changed English football,” the chairman said. “You look at the way the league has evolved, the way football is played in this league from ten years ago to today. It’s unquestionable, his influence over the game.”

Al Mubarak also confirmed that a successor will be announced “very soon”, describing the search as a “thoughtful and structured process” and saying he is convinced the club has identified the right candidate. The appointment is widely expected to be Enzo Maresca.