Sam Allardyce has expressed his regret at Pep Guardiola's departure from Manchester City, describing it as 'sad' for English football. The former England, Newcastle and West Ham manager paid tribute to Guardiola’s transformative impact on the Premier League.
Guardiola stunned the football world by announcing he would leave City after a decade at the helm, during which he won 20 trophies, including six league titles and a historic Treble in 2023. His final game in charge was marked by an emotional farewell and an open-top bus parade through Manchester.
Allardyce, speaking on the 'No Tippy Tappy Football' podcast, said: 'It’s sad for anyone who supports Manchester City, but also sad for football in this country, because Pep Guardiola has been great. Whenever we’ve come across each other, it has always been a pleasure for me. I think a lot of what he does has helped the Premier League become the best league in the world.'
The 70-year-old believes Guardiola is unlikely to return to England, but expects him to miss the game. 'I’ll be sad to see him go, and I don’t think he’ll return to England, but I’m sure he’ll have the withdrawal symptoms in two or three months,' Allardyce added.
Enzo Maresca is reportedly set to replace Guardiola at the Etihad. Former City defender Nedum Onuoha backed the appointment, saying: 'I think he very much could fit the bill. This is somebody that has managed in the top flight with Chelsea and somebody that was also at City as an assistant coach.'
