PEP QUITS MAN CITY! MARESCA HERE WE GO!

Hello everybody, welcome to That's Football.It's a monumentous day in Premier League history.Pep Guardiola will be leaving Manchester City and Fabrizio Romano has already done the here we go on his replacement Enzo Maresca.What a 24 hours.What a legacy in the Premier League.And what's next for Manchester City?

Because they're not going to win this Premier League title unless something incredible happens with Arsenal against Palace at the weekend.And still Man City would need to beat Bournemouth tonight, which we'll be doing a watch along for.But look, I suppose when it broke last night, there was some surprise, but there was some you know, acceptance from a lot of us.I personally felt that Pep Guardiola was going to go last summer.If you think about just over a year ago when he was literally scratching his head after a poor run of results for Man City, I think they were There was the opportunity to go then, but there maybe wasn't a replacement there.So I think that Pep has probably done an extra year than he was going to.

The interesting thing is, is that I think Man City win the league next year with Pep Guardiola.I think he is building something like Jurgen Klopp did and they're going to, well Klopp went early and Pep's going to go early as well.I suppose the difference with Pep is, how can you say he's going early when he's won so much?But, You've got to go on your own terms in life, and very, very rarely do you get to do that.Maybe next season, winning the title, maybe another tilt at the Champions League with this new team.The dream would be to walk out the door with the Premier League and the Champions League.

But he's obviously set this marker that he's going this summer.And in many ways, you have to respect it.And we'll talk about what comes next for Man City, because it is it the beginning of the end.Some people conspiracy theories saying the 1 -1 -5 is coming.I don't know whether it's any of those things, really.I think Pep Guardiola has probably hit a wall in relation to enjoyment of managing Manchester City in the Premier League.

I think it's become relentless for him.

We heard Jurgen Klopp, he said it's exhausting, so it will be for Pep as well.And maybe he just doesn't have the desire or appetite to go and do it again.And maybe he doesn't feel there's another Champions League in it.So maybe he wants to do other things.Financially, he's set for life, isn't he?But I suppose the only surprising thing is when it's broke.

For it's broke, break during an Arsenal game, 24 hours before a game that Man City need to win.But they've probably done well to keep it quiet for as long as they have.And look, on Maresco, which I'll speak about in a minute, because I want to spend a little bit of time on Pep.The only thing that made me think Pep would stay is because they're not going to win the league.and very few managers get to walk out the front door with a Guard of Honour and a Premier League title, and he won't be doing that.He'll still get a massive Guard of Honour, but his final season won't be as the best team in England.

It will be second.And that might have been a motivator, but obviously not enough of a motivator.But I think when you look at it, as I said, I felt he might go last summer.Obviously, he hasn't.He's going to go this summer.But I think the minute Incredible sources are saying at Christmas that Maresca is in talks with Manchester City.

That was the big hint for me That was the big hint.I think the idea for Man City was probably to win the league and Pep goes that's not gonna happen Like I said, but when you're talking to a Chelsea manager at Christmas time I mean, that's a big hint that Pep's going in the summer and I think the only reason some of us thought he might change his mind or it might not happen was the, you know, the growth of this new team that he's built, how good it is. I think they play the best football in the Premier League and they'll be stronger next season.Obviously, they spent a lot of money in January as well on Semenyu and Gehi.So it felt like the Man City juggernaut, whatever you want to call it, is not going to stop just because of Pep Guardiola leaving.It's just going to be a new team.And as we've seen many times, like, you know, all right, Slot went and won the league the first year after Klopp, but now look at it.

Sir Alex Ferguson leaves Man United, look at it for the last 13 years.So there will be that.opportunistic excitement from every other club in the Premier League that maybe, maybe this is the beginning of the end for Manchester City without Pep Guardiola.But they were successful before Pep, you know, they did win titles without Pep and they'll still have a very good team.without Pep afterwards as well.So look, I mean, look, his legacy is going to be as one of the greatest managers in world football.

He'll certainly be up there in the conversation for second best Premier League manager of all time.And, you know, I think that Strangely, I probably have more respect for Pep now than I did 12 months ago in the sense that I don't mind the style of football they play now.I think it's a little bit more quick, a little bit more direct, a little less tiki -taka.I also think he's done something I've never really you know, felt that he has done, which is rebuild a team properly.We've seen, you know, other managers do that.Certainly Sir Alex Ferguson rebuilt four or five teams.

When you look at it, Pep's never really rebuilt a team.Obviously, he's evolved teams, but to break a team up and rebuild it, I feel that's what this team is here.And if they do go and win the league next year, I think it will be similar to Klopp, where you go, well, the foundations were Peps.I'm sure Maresco will get a few players in, but the foundation is going to be Erling Haaland, Donnarumma, Gehi, Semenyu, Cherky, you know, Vardyel probably will still be there, O 'Reilly, a lot of these players are, Doku are Peps players, so Nunes as well.So look, It's been an interesting ride with Pep Guardiola.Everything has to come to an end.

There is a sadness to that.There is an excitement to that.And the new Manchester City will be with Enzo Maresca.

So what are your thoughts?Look, I think when you look at Chelsea before Christmas, especially that result where they lost with 1 -0 to Stamford Bridge to Arsenal, it was actually a draw.

I thought at that stage Chelsea were a very good team, very well organised, not a bad team to watch.Maresk has never been anybody that I've really respected as a top manager.I think Leicester fans used to moan about him and at Chelsea it was a little bit mixed.But when you look at what he did at Chelsea, All right, Conference League, I'd win it.Club World Cup, you know, was it a bit of a joke?Well, they still won it.

Up until Christmas, they were really good in a very volatile situation where he obviously had a board that was on his back all the time.I think a stability manager is probably what Manchester City needs.Many people say, well, why would you not go for Vincent Kompany or Luis Enrique?They're probably not available.And also, You go from Pep to that, it's quite a big step.With Maresca, maybe it will be a couple of years of stability and then they'll go for Vincent Kompany.

Maybe it'll be a year.Maybe he'll be massively successful from the start and be there for a decade.I can see why they're going for him.I don't think it's the most glamorous choice, but I think it's somebody that's worked at the club before.Man City do like all that sort of stuff.And I think it's going to be You know, it's somebody that comes into the club that the players will know from Chelsea and go, you know what?

He does have a bit of a reputation.But he's also an up and coming manager as well.So I don't think there's a problem with going with Maresco.I think the big question is, how do we react as the rest of the Premier League?Is there an opportunity here?You know, I'm speaking about it on the United stand this morning about Elliot Anderson.

You know, I think he's been a favourite to go to Man City.We now know Pep won't be there.Does that open up doors?Because if Pep's there,he's going to Man City, isn't he?If he's not there and he comes to Man United, that's a big clue that the loss of Pep does make Man City not as strong.

But look, the big question I suppose for myself is, I said Man City are going to win the league next year.Do I think they're going to win the league next year without Pep?That probably changes my opinion.I think it opens up the door and I think that's the best thing I can say.I said a few weeks ago Man City will win the league next year on the assumption that Pep Guardiola would be here.I'm not saying that anymore because That's just saying that we're going to win it next year with Pep is based on strong evidence.

Saying they're going to win the league next season with Maresca, I mean, that's a punt.And I don't need to make that punt.I need to look at the summer transfer window and make a proper analysis of it.So I think it opens up many questions.But what isn't in doubt is that Pep Guardiola has been a great Premier League manager.And whilst personally, You know, I've never really enjoyed it.

I haven't minded this last season and I didn't know he was definitely going to go.So look, this is what we want.You know, you've got Jabby Alonso at Chelsea.Is Arne Slott going to survive at Liverpool?Wenger.Arteta's going to be defending a title.

Man City are going to have a new manager.Man United have got Michael Carrick.It's going to be exciting.Let me know your thoughts.Smash like on the video.We are live with a Man City watch along at half seven tonight as well.

So I will see you for that.It's interesting to see how Man City respond.I personally think they might respond by not winning.I think it's a bit of a psychological blow, the timing of it.But we will see.Take care.

Stay safe.I look forward to your comments.