London, July 28 (IANS) Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola says he will take a break from football when he eventually leaves the Premier League side.

Speaking to GQ Hype Magazine, Guardiola looked back on his side’s struggles last season, as City finished a distant third in the Premier League and failed to reach the last 16 of the Champions League, and also discussed the strain his job takes both physically and mentally.

“I know that after this spell with City I’m going to stop, that’s for sure, it’s decided, more than decided,” said the 54-year-old, whose current contract expires in 2027.

“I don’t know how long I’ll stop for, one year, two years, three years, five, ten, fifteen, I don’t know. But I’m going to stop after this spell with City, because I need to stop and focus on myself, on my body,” insisted Guardiola, who took a similar decision to have a year out of football after leaving FC Barcelona in 2012.

Guardiola said he had “learned to slow down a bit” with the passing of time, but pointed out that in his job he felt responsibility to “many people who trust you, who love you: the players, the president, the sporting director.”

He also pointed out that the job of football coach meant that conflict was bound to arise on a regular basis.

“I have 23 players and I choose 11 every three days. The others feel like I don’t love them, and it’s the opposite. How can there not be conflicts? Impossible,” he explained.

In the interview, the 54-year-old Guardiola also declared that he will not return to his former club, Barcelona, which he coached from 2008 to 2012, ending his tenure with 14 trophies in four years. After his time at Barcelona came to an end, Guardiola took a year’s sabbatical in New York City before joining German club Bayern Munich. He managed Bayern from 2013 to 2016 before taking over Manchester City in 2016.

–IANS

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