Khaldoon al-Mubarak has revealed that Pep Guardiola threatened to quit as Manchester City manager around 100 times, comparing the empty threats to Aesop's fable The Boy Who Cried Wolf. Guardiola left the club last month after 10 years, during which he won 17 major honours.
Mubarak, who described himself as Guardiola's 'psychiatrist', said he was instrumental in convincing the manager to stay on multiple occasions. 'In the case of Pep, when he says 'I quit', it doesn't mean he's quitting,' Mubarak explained. He noted that Guardiola never expected to stay more than four or five years, but each time Mubarak persuaded him to continue until the genuine moment arrived.
The chairman said he knew when Guardiola truly meant to leave. 'I did not fight this at all because I knew this was the time he meant it.' Guardiola's replacement, Enzo Maresca, has been lined up, and Mubarak expressed confidence in the club's future success, stating, 'We are far from peaked.'
Mubarak also addressed speculation about Erling Haaland's future after a Real Madrid presidential candidate held up a shirt with the striker's name. Mubarak praised Haaland as a 'leader' and 'goalscoring machine', but did not comment on any contract clause.
