Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola admitted Manchester City's season is worse than he ever expected, but he insisted he wants to be the man to try to turn things around, ahead of facing Aston Villa.
Guardiola publicly predicted a tough opening to the campaign as the team coped with a number of issues, but they confounded his expectations by going unbeaten until late October as they topped the Premier League and looked to be cruising through to the Champions League knockouts. However, an astonishing collapse has seen them win just one of their last 11 games with eight defeats - including conceding two goals in the last three minutes to an average Manchester United team on Sunday.
City were delighted when Guardiola signed a new contract in November to tie him to the club until 2027, but his worst ever run as a manager keeps on hitting new lows with no solution in sight. The Blues boss knows he is currently living off his incredibly successful past, but still believes he can forge a successful future.
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"One month [ago] we were top of the league and the only team unbeaten in Europe and after one month and 10 games we lost eight games," he said. "This is a big club, the club of course cannot accept it. I'm still here sitting here in the press conference because of what we have done in the past.
"I promise you I tried. I think managers all round the world when they have big problems work more and think more and talk more to try and get the guys to know that we are still so good. I knew it would be a tough season at the beginning - I said even when we were winning - but I didn't expect it would be so hard like it is right now.
"I am here but we have eight [defeats] in 11. Football is a team and I am completely convinced what I am saying that I am not good enough to find a way that players feel peace in their bodies and minds to play.
"I want it desperately. With eight defeats in 11, but I'm here to try and I will try again and again."