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| Pep Guardiola could be waiting in the wings if Manuel Pellegrini can't bring success this season |
WHILE the shadow of Pep Guardiola looms large over Manuel Pellegrini the under pressure Manchester City manager can at least boast the best record of the top Premier League bosses.
Since the cool Chilean arrived at the same time as the man from across the Mancunian divide, Sir Alex Ferguson headed off into the sunset, he can claim the title of top dog in the high profile battle involving the elite.
Now in his third season Pellegrini has simply won more games than Arsene Wenger who he faces tomorrow night at The Emirates and the now departed Jose Mourinho.
In the 92 Premier League matches the big three have contested since Pellegrini’s Etihad arrival, the City manager has collected 10 more points than Wenger and is 13 ahead of Mourinho.
Pellegrini has won 61 of those games; Wenger 56 and Mourinho 55.
And when it comes down to goals Pellegrini once again hits the spot with 217 under his Premier League guidance while Mourinho comes next with 182.
Wenger whose sides are often praised for being easy on the eye trails well behind on 168 goals.
Yet it’s clear that the 62-year-old’s days are still numbered as the club, led by their former Barcelona duo of chief executive Ferran Soriano and director of football Txiki Begiristain, continue to court Guardiola who they know well from their Nou Camp days.
Infact serious questions would be asked by owner Sheikh Mansour if Guardiola, who is leaving Bayern Munich in the summer, ended up elsewhere in the Premier League.
But you won’t find a more relaxed figure going to the gallows than Pellegrini who far from asking for a last cigarette as he looks to meet his fate would happily chew on a big fat cigar accompanied by the finest malt whisky.
He’s been around the block enough times to know football’s machinations – and to his credit didn’t attempt to sugar coat what almost certainly lies in store for him.
On the eve of the trip to face Arsenal he maintained: “I repeat what I said last season if something happens in the future I will be the first to know.”
It’s why he was able to ride the constant speculation suggesting that the failure to land any silverware after an initial campaign which produced the Premier League title and League Cup would cost him his job.
He was made aware a new two year contract was in the offering.
So why was Pellegrini handed the extended deal last summer when it was known that their number one managerial target was likely to be available 12 months down the line?
Quite simply to take the heat off Pellegrini. The club knew that if he had remained on his original three year deal contract speculation surrounding Guardiola could have undermined him and the team and they didn’t want to hire a new manager for just a season.
Now they can point out that Pellegrini still has a year to run when Guardiola becomes available – an attempted smokescreen enabling Soriano and Begiristain to try and ensnare their wanted man away from the public glare.
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| The Manchester City boss remains calm despite the speculation surrounding his future |
Does it bother Pellegrini? Not one bit.
Unflustered, phlegmatic, if the call comes that his days at the Etihad are numbered he will simply collect his generous compensation package and probably walk straight into another job.
Before facing the Gunners tomorrow night he was even prepared to talk about his likely successor telling Guardiola the Premier League is the place to be.
“It is impossible not to want to work here especially if you have experience working in other leagues. Pep Guardiola will work here, I don’t know if it is next season here or at another club, I am not sure,” he said.
“Some day he will come here. I hope he will have the option to work at Manchester City because I love this club and I hope in the future he can do it also because I am sure that he will also be very important for the club.
“That is a lot of things to happen in the future. When is the future? You never know. But if the future is next season the only thing I am worried about is this season trying to win the most amount of titles I can and not worry about the other things.”
In the meantime the 62-year-old Pellegrini insists he is still involved in the future plans of the club.
“I work with Txiki (Begiristain) and Ferran (Soriano) everyday about next season. It doesn’t matter if I continue or I don’t continue,” he added. “I think you must continue to work and prepare.
“After that you will see what happens next season. I enjoy England and I enjoy the Premier League. I think it is the best league in the world at the moment and I hope I will continue in England, first at Manchester City and after that in England.”
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