**Pep Guardiola**has guided Manchester City to the most dominant era in their history. He hopes to bounce back from a rare dip in his time in the Premier League to take more trophies and teased at the idea that his story with the Citizens could last a little longer than we have all been led to expect.
‘I love this city’
Guardiola put pen to paper for an extension last November to last until 2027. That would mark 11 years in the dugout with the Citizens, but he hinted that there might be more energy in the tank.
"I have two more years, maybe I'll extend two more years. So the question is when I will stop in this year or in two years, or in four years, I will take a break. But now I feel fine, I would say.”
The 54-year-old spent four seasons at **Barcelona**before fatigue forced him to stop, and his time in Bavaria ended after three years. This is the first time that success has not completely drained him.
“I love this city. When you are 10 years in one place, it's because you feel comfortable.”
But it is not all sentiment: the boss has a job to do. His men bowed out of the Club World Cup with a 4-3 loss to **Al-Hilal**in the Round of 16, and there is a way to go to return to the heights of earlier in the decade. That said, he has seen signs that the side are resetting their minds after a torrid campaign.
*“The Manchester City team is giving me good vibes, starting from the **Club World Cup*in the United States. There we created something, I saw something that I liked, that we missed last season.”
He has never gone two years in a row in his managerial career without a league title. History would suggest the **Premier League**crown will be his, and the squad are starting to rise to expectations.
"The training sessions, the body language, the details, arriving on time, going backwards, how we defend throw-ins, stupid things you realise the team is there. That will help us be more consistent.”
‘He wants to transcend’
Ederson, who joined the side from **Benfica**in 2017, might have ended his walk with the Spaniard. A stomach bug supposedly ruled him out of the trip to Molineux Stadium last week, but rumours report he is eyeing up an exit. However, he has set a standard for shot stoppers when the ball is at their feet.
*"It's difficult for me to find one keeper that is not brave with the feet. I'm not saying be like Ederson; have the ability to put the ball 60 yards, in the pockets, like Stefan Ortega, for example - he has this ability as well. I'm not saying that, but all of them have to have the minimum to play [with the ball].”*
The new season is off to a great start with a 4-0 win over Wolves. James Trafford kept a clean sheet in a back four with Rayan Ait-Nouri, while Tijjani Reijnders ran the show from the midfield, getting a goal and an assist. The crowning glory was a goal off the bench from a French genius.
Rayan Cherki cracked the hosts apart with ease: he flicked the ball forward, picked it up back, performed a stepover, then slotted a shot into the back of the net with his 'weaker' right foot.
*"He's an incredibly talented player; his use of the ball with both feet is top. We know him a bit from Lyon, but now we have to start to know each other, knowing exactly what we want and have to do.”*
The talent of the 22-year-old is clear to the masses, but critics have questioned his attitude and work rate. His relationship with the manager will be one to watch, but Guardiola gave the impression that he has met a character who wants to put himself in conversations with some of the greats of the club.
*"I have the feeling his mindset is he wants to transcend, become a good player for us, and a good player for the Premier League. Always when we sign a player, that is what I'm looking for, this desire, passion: we need players that want to continue the legacy of old names, continue to be up there.”*
Guardiola’s words are courtesy of an interview with Men in Blazers.