Pep Guardiola spoke for the first time since Thomas Tuchel was announced as England manager. (Image: Man City)
Pep Guardiola served up an impassioned rant as the Manchester City boss weighed in on the England manager’s nationality debate.
Guardiola was touted as a potential replacement for Gareth Southgate before Thomas Tuchel was revealed as the Three Lions’ new coach earlier this week.
The decision to appoint a German manager has already faced heavy criticism, with claims the national team manager’s job should be given to an Englishman.
Guardiola debunked such suggestions, claiming: “There is one thing every human being has no intervention with, where we are born. We don’t decide, mum and dad decide in certain moments and nine months later we are here.
“I didn’t decide to be Catalan. I didn’t decide to be English, so that is the influence.”
He later added: “I know we are proud of where we are born and where we live, but the world is so big. You have to be open-minded…
“Look today all around the world and the wars that are happening because people believe ‘you are better than the other one’. What happens in Russia, Israel, Ukraine, Gaza, Africa, just because we believe we are better than the others, we are not.”
It came after Guardiola was pressed on whether he’d been contacted by the FA about the England job, with Guardiola issuing a spiky response.
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The FA were reported to want Pep Guardiola to take over from Gareth Southgate. (Image: Getty)
On his links to the England job, Guardiola responded: “Thomas Tuchel is the manager, so forget about it. I’m the manager of City, so the conversations I have are about.
“This is what it is. Tuchel is the manager already, Thomas is that. This is the most important, the rest is not important.”
While the England manager’s position is seemingly off the table for now, Guardiola’s future is still up in the air, with the City boss out of contract at the end of the season.
However, Guardiola once again reiterated his stance that he hasn’t yet decided if he plans to stay at the Etihad Stadium beyond the summer.
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Addressing the speculation surrounding his future, Guardiola commented: “When I take it [a decision], I will inform you, for sure, 100 per cent. That’s why there is no news, and that’s why I don’t have to add absolutely anything else. Wolves is my priority.”
On whether he’ll play a part in deciding his successor, Guardiola continued: “I’m pretty sure Man City have options when Txiki [Begiristain] leaves, and have options when Pep will leave. Sooner or later it’s going to happen, and they are prepared. So it’s not going to be a surprise.
“They know that I have to, every sporting director, or manager, or whatever, they have the chance and that’s why I’m here for many years, I want to be really, really convinced that it’s the best for the club.
“I will not delay every action knowing that I am creating a problem for the club. If I feel that it’s a problem right now, I would take a decision as quick as possible.”
City resume their Premier League title challenge on Sunday afternoon against Wolves at Molineux.
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1963918/man-city-pep-guardiola-england-thomas-tuchel