Pep Guardiola was close to becoming the next Italy national team head coach after leaving Manchester City earlier this summer, before ultimately turning down the role
Paolo Maldini says Pep Guardiola turned down the chance to become Italy’s head coach because of tiredness.
Guardiola, 55, left Manchester City after a decade as manager at the end of last season. That stint was longer than his time coaching Barcelona, including his season in charge of their B team, and Bayern Munich combined.
However, having previously played for Brescia and Roma in Italy, the Catalan coach held talks with the Italian Football Federation about the vacancy. Maldini was their technical director at the time and has since resigned, but recently reflected on his 16 days in that role.
Asked what really happened with Guardiola, Maldini told Corriere della Sera: “He is the coach who most embodies the technical and offensive game.
“Through some friends, he had expressed interest in coaching a national team. We went to visit him in Barcelona, we had lunch together, and we talked for a whole day. He was very tempted; he came very close to accepting. He had also started writing formations on papers.”
Maldini denied that Guardiola asked for a £17million annual salary. He replied when asked about those claims: “Absolutely not. Money has never been an issue. Pep told us clearly: ‘give me one euro less than what the last coach took, and I’m fine’.”
On the subject of why he refused to become Italy’s new coach, Maldini said: “Because of tiredness. Guardiola comes from 10 gruelling years in the Premier League. He had back surgery, and he wants to rest, but it was a very serious discussion; we studied the squads, from the under-17s upwards…”
He also offered another insight about what Guardiola said unprompted before the end of the interview. Asked about how he feels, Maldini said: “I have a worry that I will carry inside.
“I had taken on a heavy commitment that in the days had become almost a dream: to do something for the next generations, to build a competitive Italy – an interrupted but beautiful dream, also for the many people I had found willing to work.
FOLLOW OUR MAN CITY FB PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester City Facebook page
“Do you know what Guardiola has talked to us about at length? Of the impact that (Johan) Cruyff had on Spanish football.
“For two years, he was fought by everyone, but if Spain creates talent today, it is thanks to Cruyff’s instructions. We don’t want to compare ourselves to him, but that was the way.
“Difficult, long, but it would have changed the identity of Italian football. It’s a shame, a real shame.”
You must be logged in to post a comment Login