Pep: I Would Like To Coach United

Pep Guardiola has revealed
that he would like to manage
Manchester United at some
point during his career.

The Bayern Munich coach
has earned a reputuation as one of the best in football
after winning 14 trophies - including three Primera
Division titles and the Champions League twice -
during a four-year spell with Barcelona.

The 43-year-old left Camp Nou in 2008 for a one-
year sabbatical, during which time he was linked as a
possible successor to Sir Alex Ferguson at Old
Trafford.

In the book Pep Confidental written by journalist Marti
Perarnau, a close friend to Guardiola, the coach
recalled watching United beat Schalke in the
Champions League.

Perarnau writes: "[Guardiola] was impressed [by
Bayern's training facilities, Sabener Strasse] and told
[assistant] Manuel Estiarte privately: 'I like this. I
could see myself coaching here one day.'

"Pep had said something very similar a few months
before, at Manchester United. The day after beating
Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final,
Guardiola and Estiarte travelled to Manchester to
watch their next opponents in action.

"It was May 4, 2011, and the pair sat together in the
stands of Old Trafford watching Sir Alex Ferguson's
team beat Schalke 4-1. Once again Pep had turned to
his friend and said: 'I like this atmosphere. I could see
myself coaching here one day.'

"Guardiola has always felt a deep admiration, almost
veneration, for the legendary teams and players of
Europe."