Pep Guardiola trying 'to discover life' after Man City departure as coach admits he doesn't 'feel' desire to return to football

Guardiola has insisted that he does not miss the game at all after deciding to call time on his spell at the Etihad Stadium. The Catalan tactician chose to step away from the dugout following ten highly successful seasons with the Premier League giants. The manager opted for this move to protect his mental well-being and seek new happiness outside the relentless footballing routine that made his name.

In a recent interview with the OKX platform, Guardiola opened up about the personal reasons behind his decision to step away from the pressure of management for his own emotional well-being.

"From a mental standpoint, I don't miss anything at all. I started managing at 37, and my entire life has been bound to football. Now, I want to try and discover life, to be happy doing other things that have nothing to do with football," Guardiola explained.

"I love my job, but there comes a time when you feel you have to stop. Maybe one day I'll wake up and say, 'Right, I want to get back into management.' But that feeling has to come from within, and today, I just don't feel it."

The decision to step away temporarily was heavily driven by a strong desire to dedicate time fully to family and reflect on the remainder of life's journey. He continued: "I'm trying to figure out what my life will look like. I decided to stop because I want to take a bit more care of myself. I want to spend more time with my children and with my father, who is 95 and still with us. I've reached the age of 56, I'm no longer young, and the way you see things changes as well. I'm still adjusting to this new phase, but it's going pretty well."

While he acknowledges his current happiness in his new life, Guardiola has not entirely ruled out a future return to football. "I started managing at 37, and today I'm 56. I need to do new things. Right now, I feel very happy."

Regarding a potential return to City, Guardiola added: "One day, of course, I will return to the Etihad Stadium. But right now, I want to stay behind the scenes. If they ever need me, I'll be there," he explained.

To conclude, he also paid a special tribute to Jurgen Klopp, stating: "He was the greatest rival of my career. He was capable of changing his tactical system every twenty minutes. He used to drive me crazy."