Neil Warnock has said that Pep Guardiola could ‘walk into’ any job he sees fit should he choose to leave Manchester City.

Warnock, 76, boasts an impressive 45-year career in management, having taken charge of teams like Sheffield United, Leeds, Crystal Palace, and Queens Park Rangers. Despite his own successes, his accolades seem modest next to those of Guardiola.

The 54-year-old Spanish maestro has had a stellar nine-year spell at Manchester City, clinching six Premier League titles, one Champions League, two FA Cups, and even bagged a treble in the 2022/23 season. So when Warnock found out about Guardiola’s admiration for him and his desire to delve into tactical discussions, he was more than willing to participate.

Speaking on David Seaman’s ‘Seaman Says’ podcast via Betway, Warnock said: “I’m a big, big fan of Pep and I’m actually doing a programme with him, an interview with him at the end of this week. I’m right looking forward to it. I’ve always wanted to talk to him about other things.

“Last year he said to Kyle Walker, ‘would you ask Neil, would he come up here? I’d love to pick his brains.’ I thought, ‘you what? You’d love to pick my brains? ‘ He’s the best manager in my time. So it’s going to be great. I met him a few times and it was funny, when I went in his office after the game last year, his daughters only wanted pictures of me. They didn’t want any pictures with their dad. I said, ‘I can’t blame you.’ I’ve got so much time for him,” reports the Manchester Evening News.

Meanwhile, Warnock suggested that Guardiola’s impressive track record would allow him to secure any managerial position he desired. He praised the Spaniard’s loyalty and resolve for sticking with City for another season. He added: “The easy way out for Pep would have been walking out last year, without a shadow of a doubt.

“He’d walk into any job he wants. He’s won four on the trot. But he didn’t walk out. I’ve seen him in positions that I’ve been in, and it’s not a nice place to be as a manager, but I’ve got so much confidence that he will right it, and he hasn’t got a lot to right. It’s just a matter of signing a few more legs.

“You don’t blame your players when you’re having a bad time. You don’t throw them to the lions. And there’s times when I’ve watched Man City and some of the goals they have conceded, that’s not down to the manager. They’ve got to become defenders again.”

Despite their dominance under Guardiola, the Cityzens have had a somewhat disappointing 2024/25 season – currently sitting fourth in the league, 17 points adrift of leaders Liverpool. The team was dealt a significant blow early in the season when Rodri sustained an ACL injury during September’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal, leaving a gaping hole in the midfield that urgently needed filling.

With a mere 13 victories from 25 matches this season, it seems increasingly unlikely that City will be able to close the gap and outdo Arne Slot’s team in the Premier League title race. In other news, the Sky Blues were knocked out of the Champions League on Wednesday night after a 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

They ended up 22nd in the new league standings of the European tournament, facing off against Los Blancos over two legs for a spot in the round of 16. After a 3-2 loss at the Etihad in the first leg earlier this month, Guardiola’s squad travelled to Madrid needing to reverse a one-goal deficit.

However, their Champions League aspirations were crushed when Kylian M’bappe netted an unreturned hat-trick within 61 minutes, with Nico Gonzalez managing a last-minute consolation goal in a 3-1 defeat for City. The side’s focus now shifts to Sunday’s Premier League clash with Liverpool.

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