The Spanish coach has presided over a decade of glory at the Etihad...but he turned to the Perth outfit to help ease his way into British football when he first arrived
10:23, 19 May 2026
TOPSHOT - Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola poses with the trophy on the pitch after the English FA Cup final football match between Chelsea and Manchester City at Wembley stadium in London, on May 16, 2026. Manchester City won the game 1-0. The third FA Cup success of Guardiola's reign ended City's run of two successive defeats in the final. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP via Getty Images) / NOT FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING USE / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE
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Pep Guardiola with the FA Cup after Saturday's final against Chelsea, his 15th major trophy with Manchester City(Image: Adrian Dennis / AFP via Getty Images)
Pep Guardiola is expected to step down as Manchester City manager at the end of the season after a trophy-laden decade at the Etihad. The Spaniard took over at the club in 2016 and has gone on to dominate English football in that period.
Having tasted success with Barcelona and Bayern Munich, he has guided City to six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, five EFL Cups, and the Champions League title in 2023. Ironically, he looks set to head out after a rare second place finish in the league with Arsenal, managed by former Rangers midfielder Mikel Arteta, poised to clinch the English crown - although they could still pip the Gunners at the post.
But he did pick up silverware in his final season, winning both the EFL Cup over Arsenal in March before defeating Chelsea in Saturday's FA Cup final. Considered one of the greatest managers of all time, Guardiola's time at City actually got off to a slow start.
In his first season, they finished third in the league and finished without a trophy, the first time Guardiola had gone through a season without silverware as a manager. But the building blocks were already being put in place for an incredible run of success.
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During his first pre-season, Guardiola recognised the need to introduce some of his new signings to British football. They had already lost a friendly to his former club Bayern Munich and played another German side, Borussia Dortmund, when they turned to an unlikely rival to boost their preparations.
At the time, St Johnstone were well established in the Scottish Premiership and just two years previously had taken the Scottish Cup back to Perth. Manager Tommy Wright had played for City in the 1990s and, when a planned friendly with Manchester United in China had to be scrapped due to the weather, the club turned to him so Guardiola could experience a typical British side.
Spanish football manager Pep Guardiola waves as he speaks to Manchester City fans as he is officially unveiled as the club's new manager at the City Football Academy in Manchester, north west England on July 3, 2016. (Photo by OLI SCARFF / AFP via Getty Images)
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Pep Guardiola is unveiled as Manchester City manager in July 2016(Image: OLI SCARFF / AFP via Getty Images)
Speaking at the time, Wright said: "I still have a few contacts at City from my time there as a player, even if the club is a completely different animal. It has been completely transformed. This is one of the biggest and richest clubs in the world now with one of the top managers. They want to be the very best.
"It is a fantastic opportunity for the players. Let’s face it: we will never get a chance to play Manchester City in a major competition as a group. And playing a Pep Guardiola team certainly wasn’t part of my plans for this season. It was an invitation we simply couldn’t turn down."
The match took place behind closed doors at City's Academy Stadium just days before the Perth side opened their SPFL season with a match against Aberdeen. Saints held off their illustrious opponents for 45 minutes, but goals from Fernandinho, Fabian Delph and David Silva saw the English side ease to victory in the second 45.
Speaking afterwards, Wright said: "It was a really good experience for the players. City went on to win, but it was great for us and as far as preparations go, it will really benefit the team for Sunday."
former st johnstone manager tommy wright
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Tommy Wright with the Scottish Cup in 2014(Image: SNS Group)
Saints would draw that Aberdeen match but, like City, would go on to enjoy the most successful period in their history. After a fourth place finish in 2016/17, the McDiarmid Park men, then led by Callum Davidson, made history in 2020/21 when they became the first Scottish team other than Rangers or Celtic to win two trophies in a season since 1990 when Wright guided them to success on the League Cup and Scottish Cup.
While relegation followed in 2025, St Johnstone will take their place back amongst Scotland's elite next season after winning the 2025/267 SPFL Championship comfortably.
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