Pep pondering ‘many things’ before City renewal

Pep Guardiola said he will take “many things” into consideration before he decides whether to extend his contract at Manchester City.

The Man City manager has a contract at the Etihad Stadium until 2025 and is set to decide on his future later this year.

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Guardiola, who saw rival Jurgen Klopp announce his departure from Liverpool last week citing a lack of energy to do the job, said he “feels good” but admits things could change in the next few months.

“Normally the decision is quick,” Guardiola told a news conference on Tuesday. “We cannot admit eight years is a lot of time. Next year will be nine seasons, so it is a lot of time. We have to see the players, how is their behaviour, our standards, if we can keep it, and if the players follow you, if I am tired or not.

“Many things are involved in that. Extending after two years is not the same as extending after nine. It’s completely different. Still I am sitting here and I am OK.

“I think we have time. Now I feel really good like always I have been but football changes a lot. I have my opinion that when you have a year and a half left on your contract it is a lot, a lot of time in world football. We have time.”

City, looking for a record fourth Premier League title in a row, have had dips in form this season, but face Burnley on Wednesday on the back of a seven-match winning run.

That streak has included dramatic late winners against Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur in their last two games and they remain in with a chance of repeating last season’s treble of the Premier League title, Champions League and FA Cup.

“Winning helps you to have more energy, when you are losing games you are more tired,” said Guardiola. “I see the team getting better and playing difficult opponents like at Goodison Park after the [Club] World Cup or Newcastle or Spurs away and seeing how the team behaved [showed] — wow we are still together, we are on the same path. That gives you energy. Energy, you do not switch it on or off.

“You have to bring energy every day with what you live in your personal life and many things. That is what I am living now. That is why I said one and a half years is a lot of time.”