With his return to Manchester City, Ilkay Gundogan is ready to learn more under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola. The Spaniard is arguably the best manager in football right now and one of the best in history. The German midfielder got the chance to see his managerial skills up close. Furthermore, from his position as a defensive midfielder, Gundogan was able to monitor the entire field in the same way that Guardiola did as a player.
After Barcelona forced Gundogan out of the club, Manchester City helped bring him back. Gundogan won the Premier League five times and the FA Cup four times, and also won the UEFA Champions League with Manchester City. The team captain spent one season at Barcelona after that treble-winning season. Now he can continue to develop in the second half of his career. At 33, Gundogan is starting to think about his future.
Following his return to Manchester City, Gundogan spoke to the media about the future of his career. After Barcelona refused to include him in the club's plans, the German received offers from Saudi Arabia and the Premier League. Although not the main reason for his return, Gundogan also spoke about the possibility of entering the world of coaching. Having Pep Guardiola in the shoes of a coach is undoubtedly a great way to understand the complexities of coaching.
“Of course we discussed tactics, but he [Guardiola] “He explains things to me and we exchange ideas there. I feel I have a lot to learn from him,” Gundogan said.
Gundogan has started his coaching process by learning from Guardiola
Coaching isn't Gundogan's latest interest either: in the final years of his first spell at Manchester United, Gundogan began gaining his coaching licence from UEFA.
“[Coaching] It's definitely something I'll consider in the future. That's why I also got my B license badge a few years ago, but I haven't actually talked about it yet.”
The German manager has kept quiet about it publicly but acknowledged the opportunities on offer in Manchester are exceptional. It's no exaggeration to say that the Etihad Stadium currently has arguably the best coaching staff in Europe on its bench, and after seven seasons in the Premier League, Gundogan will be able to gain a lot of knowledge from Pep Guardiola and his staff.
“Anyone who gets to be part of his backroom staff feels blessed and wants to be there, and I think that's what I want to be when I think about retiring one day.”
When will that day be? It's difficult for Guardiola, too. The fact that he returned to Manchester City shows that he still has plenty of energy. Moreover, his performances at Barcelona prove that he can compete at the highest level. Manchester City's expectations are high. With Rodri recovering from injury, Gundogan may soon find himself in the midfield under Pep Guardiola. For the German manager, who has had a successful career in the Premier League, that shouldn't be a problem. Rather, it will just give us more opportunities to see how Pep Guardiola manages the game and the team.
Photo: Imago
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