Outgoing Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reference Oasis guitarist/part-time singer Noel Gallagher in his goodbye message, because seriously, how could you not? Guardiola says farewell to Man City tomorrow, with his final game coming at home against Aston Villa. Guardiola will see both a statue made in his likeness and a stand at the Etihad Stadium named in his honor. And while he is expected to return to managing a club eventually, for now he’ll be taking on a lower profile, less stressful role.
Pep will next be working as an Ambassador and Technical Adviser for City Football Group, a holding company that owns not just MCFC but 10 more clubs across the globe. Enzo Maresca is in line to replace him.
Championship Sunday FYIs
Aston Villa at Manchester City
Kickoff: Sunday May 24, 4pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester, UK
Team News for Both Sides: go here
Micah Richards on Vincent Kompany Potentially Succeeding Pep Guardiola Someday: go here
Manchester City News and Notes Part 2: John Stones, Bernardo Silva, Joe Hart: go here
Standings:
Manchester City- clinched second place
Aston Villa- Clinched UEFA Champions League qualification in two ways, by winning the Europa League title and finishing in the top five.
You Gotta Roll With It
Getting back to Gallagher, he’s arguably the club’s most well-known, high profile supporter. Or at least the most visible and present among the club’s celebrity fans. Hence he was name-checked in Guardiola’s farewell statement, which reads:
“When I arrived, my first interview was with Noel Gallagher. I walked out thinking, ‘Okay…Noel is here? This will be fun.’ And what a time we have had together. Don’t ask me the reasons I’m leaving. There is no reason, but deep inside, I know it’s my time. Nothing is eternal, if it was, I would be here. Eternal will be the feeling, the people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City.
“This is a city built from work. From graft. You see it in the colour of the bricks. From people who clocked in early, stayed late. The factories. The Pankhursts. The unions. The music. Simply the Industrial Revolution and how this changed the world. And I think I grew to understand that, and my teams did too.
“We worked. We suffered. We fought. And we did things our own way. Our way. Hard work comes in many forms. Trips to Bournemouth, when we lost the Premier League, and you were there. Trips to Istanbul, when you were there, too.
“Remember, the Manchester Arena attack, when this city showed the world what strength actually looks like? Not anger. Not fear. Just love. Community. Togetherness. A city united.
“Remember, losing my mum during COVID and feeling this club carry me through it. The fans, the staff, the people of Manchester, you gave me strength when I needed it most. Cris, my kids, my whole family, you were there as always. Khaldoon, you were there too.
“Players don’t forget – every single instant, moment, me, my staff, this club, everything. What we have done, we have done it for all of you. And you have been just exceptional. You don’t know it yet, but you are leaving a legacy.
“So as my time comes to an end, be happy. Oasis are back again. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for trusting me. Thank you for pushing me. Thank you for loving me. Tony Walsh said in his unforgettable poem this is the place. I’m sorry, Tony: this is my place.
“Noel…I was right. It has been so f%^#ing fun.
“Love you all.”
Pep leaves City having won the Premier League Manager of the Year award five times.
Elsewhere Nico O’Reilly is proclaimed the winner of the Premier League Young Player of the Season award. In 34 Premier League appearances this season, O’Reilly scored five goals and registered three assists.
O’Reilly beat out the other players on the award short list, which consisted of Rayan Cherki, Matheus Fernandes, Lewis Hall, Michael Kayode, Junior Kroupi, Kobbie Mainoo and Alex Scott.
“I’m very proud to have won this award,” reads a statement attributed to O’Reilly.
“After my first appearances in senior football last season, I knew this year I could have the opportunity to play more and help the team as much as possible if I worked hard.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.