Pep to leave at the end of the season

[Kippax Street 1880]

It was a gag about Burnham. 'Commemorating a Manchester hero who's moving on after a decade' etc and then he said congratulations to Pep for all his success. Quite funny to be fair.

That's a good line, wonder who wrote it for him.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

My theory. Pep wants to tell the fans he's leaving not the media and that is specifically what the Co-op event is for.

I agree. I suspect Co-Op Live would have been quietly booked months ago, not as an afterthought following the FA Cup & WSL wins.

 

[Kippax Street 1880]

His daughters just congratulated Arsenal and posted we’ll be back, hopefully she’s keen on him staying, or she’s got the job :-)

She's just a City fan mate wouldn't read too much into it.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

I find it baffling what Pep would do next. He has all he wants at City, he won't get that anywhere else... The right owners who listen and work around him tbh. The money. The best opponents to beat. The backs against wall, take on the world fight. The relationships he has built up. A red cartel loving media to beat. And the charges verdict in our favour.

Maybe he is tired though and just wants to put his feet up (which I can't see). But I do wonder what his plans would be post City. I can't see him going to America or the ME and playing in a weak league - That's too boring.

I would tell him to go away and not come back until a week before the season starts.

Let Lijnders get them ready, play golf for a couple of months and maybe take in the World Cup.

 

[Gumzy97]

I stand by what I wrote. Maresca and Mendes have been linking his name since January.

He joined Mendes late last year and then started fires at Chelsea to extricate himself.

The tangled web becomes even worse when it includes Mendes and Fabrizio Romano being close to Viana for information, just as previously, Berrada was to Ornstein.

Maresca has this agreement in principle as the contingency to Pep but that hasn't stopped him also talking to Napoli and Juventus.

Pep has had one foot out of the door but he's an emotional guy and still not pulled the trigger, which isn't ideal for Maresca and Mendes.

I don't believe Olly Holt has any contact with a City sponsor or the Club was briefing anybody.

Who stands to gain the most outside of Pep leads me back to the same people who were telling some of the London pack in January that Maresca was the main name in the frame.

In the space of a couple of days Alonso was joining Chelsea and Pep was leaving City, I don't believe in coincidences.

Mendes is a puppeteer.

I really don't like that Mendes has two concrete links within City now if Maresca takes over.

 

[Bellamy's Caddy]

I have a gut feeling that it's most likely Pep has decided he definitely will be calling an end to his time at City, but at the end of next season when his contract expires. It would make sense as to why the rumour mill has been in overdrive, but while he has been consistently saying he has a contract and will be there next season.

City are ultra professional these days and leaks of any importance are rare. Perfectly aware that this may end up being wishful thinking, but if he was definitely going this season I think there would have been an official communication after all the leaks to confirm it, rather than leaving it to linger on as it is currently doing.

He's a hard man to predict, but as things stand I would now be more surprised if he does call it a day at the end of this season.

 

[COAT_OF_ARMS]

Just the three mentions of DNA there. Rather raggy, if I do say so.

Except it's a key part of CFG's footballing strategy, and successes, and has been for quite some time.

 

[M12Blue]

I don’t get why he wants out. Best job in world (his words), new exciting team being put together, a fresh challenge in PL, and the opportunity to give it back to the media c#nts once we’re exonerated re-115, probably a pay rise and a mid-season couple of weeks in the sun golfing if he really wanted it.
I’m being selfish but I would like him to stay until I take my last breath.

 

[oakiecokie]

After watching the press conference after the game I mentioned that during Covid he was here and his family in Spain. I seem to recall someone close to him passing, then later he and his wife separated. My wife said (like you) maybe there's a reconciliation, or maybe it's time for many other non football reasons, he just wants to go home. If it's for family then that's the best reason.

I`m almost certain that I read an article a few months ago that Pep and his wife had a reconciliation but it didn`t work out and they divorced. Perhaps they want to try again and he`s taking a year out as a sabbatical and see how the land lies then.
That last part is just my take on things.

 

[BringBackSwales]

Still think he will stay and see out his contract. The media got what they wanted causing chaos around the club before a big game

 

[Marvin.]

My theory. Pep wants to tell the fans he's leaving not the media and that is specifically what the Co-op event is for.

Will we know this week?

I went back to the post-Bournemouth press conference and Pep says he will discuss his future with Khaldoon but I couldn't make out the timeline. I am hoping we know by the Villa game.

Pep said he needs to know that the players are still listening to him. I would say they are.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

I was thinking equally about the first point TBH
If Maresca has not been informed by the Club that Pep has definitely decided to leave, then he should not be putting out the fact that he wants to meet the players next week.
And if he has been informed that he is definitely going, then he should be arranging such matters with the Club behind the scenes, and let Pep make a dignified exit first.
It seems like indecent haste to me, and totally unnecessary. Pep still has a year on his contract and so he would be perfectly entitled to take a short holiday and reflect on everything, once the season is over, before informing the club of his decision.
Both things together make me feel things are not as clear cut as some people are making out.

I don't believe the story he wants to meet the players next week either.

It's common sense he would obviously want to, nothing more than someone writing an easy piece.

 

[Coatigan]

I'm the same. I can't for the life of me understand what Maresca has done in management that warrants him getting the City job. I can take Pep going, im gutted but he's given us 10 unbelievable years and deserves to go how/when he wants, but Maresca? Nah blows my mind. Only caveat to that is the level of elite managers seems pretty low at the moment.

To be clear, I agree.

But the same was said for Pep himself when he was given the Barcelona job. And for Tito Villanova when he took over from him, put forward by Pep himself.

I don't see it with Maresca. But I have to trust the club do. Let's hope they are right.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

I would tell him to go away and not come back until a week before the season starts.

Let Lijnders get them ready, play golf for a couple of months and maybe take in the World Cup.

I'd go one further and give him a year off.

 

[Blue tiger]

I’m sure Barca fans felt the same when Pep was handed the reins there

Probably, but at least he was already a legend of the club as a player and loved. That was a risk that payed off as Pep was an unknown quantity as a manager having only really coached Barcelona B. Marseca isn't. He was sacked at Parma, he got Leicester promoted which is a good achievement, but hardly elite level stuff. As for Chelsea granted he won the Europa conference league, but without Google I bet you couldn't tell me half the teams they beat to win it? Let's not forget West Ham won that same competition and Palace could do so next week. They beat PSG in that micky mouse world club cup, but again they had a easy run to the final. And lastly this season he was on a run of like one win in seven when he left Chelsea. So if it is him, I honestly don't see what he has done to warrant the job. I'll back him, hope he absolutely smashes it out the park. Doesn't change the fact I think he's a very lucky boy to be even in the conversation.

 

[Oldtraffordblue1]

She's just a City fan mate wouldn't read too much into it.

She can have the job - it works out it's in her DNA, it doesn't she can ring her dad to come and sort the mess out, he's not going to say no to her ;) Imagine opposition corners we leave 4 on the half way line Donna catching the ball all the time and punts it up field for a leg race, obviously every team then copies us and suddenly Arsenal's goal count goes down by a 25-30%!

 

[Gaz76]

Well I couldn't eat the grass cos there was none in the pitch ....

Did this come as a surprise to you?

 

[SatOnTheWall]

Romano said on YouTube that “Luis Enrique is now going to negotiate a new contract with Paris Saint-Germain, which is already in the final stages..."

With a City release clause?

 

[Pontypool Blue]

Long term goalkeeper and fitness coach leaving alongside stalwarts like Bernardo and Stones.

Someone on here a few weeks back claiming that they know someone who worked at St Bede's and that Maresca had enrolled his kids into the school for this coming school year.

 

[Ban-jani]

I find it very hard but thats on me and my personality. I wish I didn't give a fuck about the media and the constant attacks on us by the footballing establishment not to mention the systemic cheating that is acceptable refereeing in the Premier League.

I’m with you entirely. I just try and remember that it’ll always be the case and they won’t ever let up. United, Liverpool and Arsenal have decades worth of tentacles plugged into the authorities and the media. We’ve got no chance and the club’s insistence on playing the nice guy doesn’t work and will never work.

Even after we win the 115 case, it’ll be brought up and the club will do nothing.