Guardiola on transfers, West Ham and England squad

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Guardiola on transfers, West Ham and England squad - audio issue for first question  30/08/2024  CGA City academy, Manchester, UK

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00:30He has been on the squad as a whole.

00:57He needs one minute.

01:01No more than that to settle.

01:07Everybody knows it.

01:08He's a good player, top-class player, and he knows the mechanics, what we try to do,

01:15what we try to leave altogether.

01:18We knew it and it happened.

01:22In terms of this weekend, it's early days for Julen Lopetegui in charge of West Ham,

01:26but how do you see them evolving as a side?

01:29Are they a different prospect this year around?

01:31New managers, new places, always needs time.

01:35An experienced manager, so being in Real Madrid and our national team from Spain and alongside

01:42another club, Sevilla, it's a demanding place, so having a lot of experience, he's an unbelievable

01:49person.

01:52So West Ham, what they already had, a really, really good squad, and this transfer this

02:01summer brings new, new top players, and especially up front, physicality, especially up front,

02:11they have an incredible weapon, it's a really strong team.

02:17I have to ask, although I think I know the answer, you're expecting a very quiet deadline

02:21day?

02:22Yeah.

02:23I thought so.

02:24What's more of a priority for you at nine o'clock tomorrow morning, preparing for West

02:27Ham or Oasis tickets?

02:29Absolutely West Ham.

02:33Will you be in the queue?

02:34Oasis?

02:35I don't know, if we can go, we'll go, absolutely.

02:41So it's good news, I think, for the world music, so they are back, so it's fantastic

02:48for the 1,000 million fans they have around the world, especially here in England, in

02:52the UK.

02:53So, yeah, really good.

02:55The Ballon d'Or voting opens next week, there's plenty of Manchester City players that perhaps

03:01will be expected to be in the shortlist, but of all outstanding players, perhaps Rodri

03:07and I know you love your midfielders, perhaps just a word on why he is expected to be in

03:13the top three, maybe, if not win it?

03:15I would love to, one player win this award for the players means a lot, so I would love

03:21it.

03:22But I think I said many times, just being in contention or being there means that the

03:26club and individually and collectively have done a good season, but there are a lot of

03:32good teams with good players as well, so hopefully it's happened, but it's not in my hands.

03:37We know the strikers often win, but given Rodri's run of unbeaten games, how important

03:42he was to Manchester City, is it maybe time now that a midfielder wins it this time round?

03:48It would be the light, he deserves it, but I guess maybe another one deserves it too,

03:54so the people vote.

03:56So Rodri has made not just this, but many, many seasons, and the previous season of course

04:00was really, really good with the Premier League and especially in the Euros, winning with

04:06Spain, but there are players who also did a good season.

04:09Pep, obviously the transfer window has been difficult for lots of different clubs for

04:16different reasons.

04:17I know with Julian Alvarez leaving, you spoke a couple of weeks ago about looking for a

04:22player at some point to come in and fill that and maybe challenge Erling up front.

04:27With this window specifically, was it just a case of the fact that the right player wasn't

04:31available?

04:32Was it a case of the club needing more time because the Alvarez deal happened later?

04:36What's the situation with that?

04:37I'm happy with the squad.

04:39So within the spec Julian was leaving, but in the spec I don't know because he had conversations

04:46for a long time ago with other clubs, his agent, so it could happen, but at the end

04:50always you think maybe he's going to stay, but it didn't happen.

04:53And after we saw, but we have, of course you have many, many injuries, it would be a problem,

04:58but hopefully in two, three months it's back, Oscar, and fill that position and Makati can

05:06play in that position, Gundogan can play in that position, Bernardo can play in that

05:09position, different type of players, like Erling of course.

05:13So maybe it's a mistake, I don't know, but I like to work with not a long, long, long

05:18squad.

05:19I don't like to leave a lot of players without playing for a long, long time.

05:22When you have a long squad and no injuries, it's ten months without playing and I don't

05:26like it.

05:27And always I feel when everybody's involved and with the chance to play, the performance

05:32of the team is always better, and that's why I prefer.

05:35I know the group, I know how serious and professional they are, and commitment in every

05:41single game, and we decide to go.

05:43You're right, when we are not pretty, pretty, pretty sure it's better, wait.

05:48In winter we have, just in case happen, we have another chance, so if I'm not convinced

05:54and Chiqui's not convinced, it's better don't take that step.

05:59We saw the England squad announced yesterday, first I guess a word on Rico Lewis and Jack

06:03Grealish getting themselves back in the squad, I mean Rico's had a fantastic pre-season and

06:07fantastic start to the season, you must be delighted to see him recognised by England.

06:11Absolutely, he deserved it for him, I'm so happy for him, yeah, really, really happy.

06:17But Kyle Walker, I suppose one of the big names not to be selected, have you spoken

06:22to him?

06:23No, but when he'll be back, he's best, he will be soon, and always he's an incredible

06:29weapon for the national team to be used, because having specific qualities, that is

06:34really, really beneath, so.

06:36But of course it was late, and after, still arrived with some niggles and problems, and

06:44Rico was playing really good, with the pre-season, the rhythm is higher than then, because it

06:48was in holidays, and that's why he's in the position, but you know, also there are many,

06:56many games in the national team as well, and with his physicality, if his desire is going

07:02there, he has a chance to come back.

07:04He just performed well to play here, and the hope of the national team will be open.

07:08Because Kyle obviously has that seniority, lots of experience, but this season, is Rico

07:12pushing him as close as he ever has done in terms of that place in the team?

07:15It's a different type of play, so what Rico gives to the team, Kyle cannot give us, and

07:21what Kyle gives to us, Rico cannot do it, so.

07:26That is what it's about, it's not a long, long, big squad, but everyone pushes each

07:31other, you know, to win positions, that is the only way.

07:35Hi Pep, about your future, I appreciate it must be tiring to receive those questions

07:41regularly, but just to try to understand your rationale on either deciding to stay or to

07:46go, does it come from within, you think, this decision, or are you waiting to see the body

07:53language of the squad throughout the next months?

07:55I answered this question in the first days, and it's over.

08:12Hi Pep, I'm reading in the last book by Martí Peranau, if I'm pronouncing this correctly,

08:18about the impact that Erling had on the dressing room when he first arrived there two years

08:23ago, that he changed the dressing room atmosphere a little bit.

08:29How is his social role in the group right now, two years later?

08:33A little bit higher, a little bit higher, so he knows the environment, the players,

08:41how we live, but it's normal.

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