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Manchester City fans are still reeling from the news that their legendary manager is finally moving on, but a familiar voice has already mapped out a sensational next step. Oasis star Noel Gallagher believes that after conquering the club game, the tactical genius will set his sights on the one major trophy missing from his cabinet: the World Cup.
A Three Lions future for Pep?
As the blue half of Manchester prepare for an emotional farewell, Oasis star Gallagher has suggested the outgoing manager could eventually end up in the England dugout. Following the official announcement that Guardiola will leave Man City this summer after a decade of dominance, many are wondering what lies ahead for the man who secured 20 major trophies at the Etihad.
Gallagher, a close friend of the Spaniard, told talkSPORT: “If I know him at all, I would expect him to go after the World Cup with someone, I think that would drive him. That’s the only thing he hasn’t won. He’s done everything in the game, changed the game, changed the way people perceive the game. I can see him lifting the World Cup, I could see him as England manager. I could see him being the ‘Bigge’ manager, I couldn’t see him being the best Dutch manager. He’s leaving the game.”
Life after the Etihad genius
The transition at City is already underway and Enzo Maresca is expected to step into the huge void left by his former mentor. While Guardiola will step into a global ambassadorial role at City Football Group, Gallagher has warned that the era of guaranteed silverware could be coming to an end for the Citizens.
“Listen forget about replacing him, it’s over now,” admitted Gallagher. “That thing with almost a hundred percent certainty of winning a trophy every season with Pep, it’s done now, forget it. Now we have to reset and now Khaldoon [Al Mubarak] will be the most important man in the club and we’ll be off again. We will never see the likes of Guardiola again. And it’s not just a sad day for Man City fans, it’s a sad day for the Premier League because he was box office, he was a superstar.”
The pressure on Thomas Tuchel
Gallagher’s comments regarding the England job come at a time of considerable tension within the national team set-up. Current boss Thomas Tuchel is already facing intense scrutiny before the tournament in North America has even begun. Former Watford striker Troy Deeney has warned that failing to win the World Cup should be a dismissal for the German manager.
Tuchel’s controversial squad selection, which saw the omission of stars such as Phil Foden and Cole Palmer, has left the door open to speculation about his long-term future. If the Three Lions fail to deliver on the global stage, the FA may well find themselves looking for a successor. By then, the most successful leader in modern history will be available and looking for his next challenge.
A legacy that changed English football
Regardless of his next move, Guardiola’s influence on the English game remains unparalleled. Reflecting on his time in Manchester, the Catalan coach recently noted the connection he felt with the city’s industrious spirit. “This is a city built from work. From graft,” he said. “You see it in the color of the bricks. From people who signed up early, stayed late. The factories. The Pankhursts. The unions. The music. Just the industrial revolution and how this changed the world. And I think I grew to understand that, and so did my teams.”
Gallagher hopes that even as Guardiola moves into international management, he will remain a guiding light for City in the future. “There are rumors that he wants to stay at Manchester City Football Group so that would be great,” he added. “I think it would be terrible if we lost his knowledge, I think hopefully he will be our Johan Cruyff. Cruyff discovered him and hopefully Pep will be there when the powers that be need him to pick his brains.”
