00:00I hope you're well. Same process as ever, please. We'll set an embargo part way through for 10.30pm this evening.
00:08Hi Pep, good to see you again.
00:10You've come up against a West Ham side that are struggling this season,
00:13but have you had to tell the players not to focus on that and to make sure they are prepared for a tough game?
00:19Yeah, of course. We are prepared.
00:22So, didn't get enough results, but they've drawn lately in Old Trafford, in Brighton away.
00:33We know perfectly how difficult they are.
00:35They lost at the end with Aston Villa, when it looks like almost unstoppable right now.
00:41And that was at the end.
00:44Always they have a top-class player, so full respect.
00:49But at the same time, we are ready.
00:51In 20 meetings against them, you've only lost one game.
00:56That game in the Carabao Cup on penalties.
00:59Does the preparations become difficult at all,
01:03knowing you're coming up against a team that you tend to do well against?
01:06The past is the past.
01:07What we have done in the past, good or bad, is the past.
01:12We won't have to do it again.
01:15And second in the Premier League, going well in the Champions League,
01:19semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
01:21It looks like the players have put the difficulties of last season behind them.
01:25But yourself, you look like you're enjoying it more than ever.
01:28Is that how you're feeling?
01:30Yeah.
01:30But we can do better.
01:33I think we had results, but there are a lot of things that we have to do better.
01:37So, still, we are not in the position, in the way we play, that we should be.
01:42But it helps for the fact that the mentality and the commitment is incredible and that helps us to be there.
01:51And you mentioned the good vibes at the Club World Cup.
01:54Is that something you're still seeing around the squad as well?
01:57I said before, a month ago, even when the result was not good.
02:02So, many things are positive, but in the way we play in things, still, we are not the level that required to compete to win the titles.
02:14But the margin is there to improve it.
02:16That is nice.
02:16Hi, Pat.
02:19Just to check on the injury situation, please.
02:21Are any of the players that have been out recently ready to return tomorrow?
02:25No.
02:25No.
02:26I know that you've indicated it could be a few weeks for Jeremy Docky, but John Stones, Rodri, Oscar Bob, have you any idea when they might be available again?
02:36No.
02:36We'll say have a game tomorrow and after half-five days, before Nottingham, Sunday, maybe a few of them, they will just start to be back.
02:46But for tomorrow, no.
02:52Hi, Pep.
02:54Sometimes we know it can take new signings quite a while to adjust to playing in the Premier League.
02:58So, with that in mind, just how impressed have you been by Ryan Cherky since his arrival?
03:04Well, really good, especially for the age of personality he has.
03:07He's a guy who has played like he was playing in the street.
03:13But I want to push him.
03:16I will not give too much compliments, but I'm really satisfied.
03:21We're really satisfied because his impact in the final third and goals and assists in every game is quite impressed.
03:28And we cannot forget, he's so young and have a right mentality to be better and better and better.
03:34But a few things have to improve.
03:37And just can I ask you about Nico as well?
03:40I think he's started the last 12 games now.
03:42Who?
03:43Nico Gonzalez.
03:44Yeah, we'll have two Nicos.
03:46He's started the last 12 games in a row.
03:48It's coming up to a year since he arrived at the club.
03:50Just how pleased have you been by his development from when he first got here to where he is now?
03:55The position that we are right now, without him, would have not been possible.
03:59Without Kova and especially Rodri, we don't have a proper replacement like in that position.
04:06That's why he recovered well, he's young.
04:08And, yeah, he helped a lot.
04:12But the same like Ryan, I would say on everyone, have a margin to improve and getting better.
04:19Especially with the ball.
04:21And, yeah, we are working on it.
04:24Hi, Pep.
04:26You have earned the right to decide, I think, when you call time on your period here at Manchester City.
04:33You have 18 months on your contract.
04:34I just wonder, have you given any thought to whether you will see out the entirety of that contract
04:40or whether you may indeed choose to leave in the summer?
04:43Where are you in that kind of thought process right now?
04:47Well, the last three or four years, every time in a certain period, ask me about that question.
04:51So, yeah, sooner or later, I don't know, with the 75 or 76, I will quit from Manchester City.
04:57But I understand that question when I have another contract.
05:01But I have, you said perfectly, 18 months.
05:03So, I'm so delighted, happy.
05:06I was excited with the development of the team and being there.
05:10That is all I can say.
05:11But, you know, that question happened every single season at a certain point.
05:16So, I'm okay.
05:18So, when, I said many times, the club and myself, we are incredibly connected.
05:24And in terms of the decision that we have to take, and when it's going to happen, it's going to happen.
05:30So, what considerations do you give within those discussions?
05:35Because, obviously, there are some managers who say, for example, I'm going to leave at the end of this contract in the summer.
05:40And that has an adverse effect on performances and the players.
05:43You have so much history, so much affection for this club.
05:46What considerations do you have to have to bear all of that in mind, alongside your own decisions?
05:51It's because the problem is that there are no discussions.
05:56End of the subject.
05:58There are no discussions.
05:59But they will come at some point.
06:00Yes, yeah.
06:03I will not be eternal here.
06:04But I said, my second season here, my third season, I will not be forever.
06:09Any of us will be forever in this world.
06:12So, but it's not discussions.
06:15So, when it's going to happen, it's going to happen.
06:17Of course, the club must be prepared for everything, for the players, for the CEOs, except the owners.
06:25That they are here.
06:27Except they decide to sell the club.
06:29That is not, I think, it's going to happen.
06:31The rest, you know, the club has to be prepared.
06:36But it's not, you know, in that subject, it's not on the table right now.
06:41The City fans will want me to ask if you plan to be here at the start of next season.
06:46So, do you plan to be here?
06:47I answered that question, the two questions before.
06:51So, I'm here.
06:52So, yes.
06:52So, I'm here.
06:54It's going to happen.
06:55Who knows that?
06:56Who knows?
06:56But even if I have a tennis contract or I have a six-month contract.
07:01So, football, it changes a lot.
07:05So, now I'm focusing with Ham and go a few days with my dad.
07:11And that's all.
07:12So, and come back, Nottingham and Sunderland and Chelsea and Brighton and all the stuff that we have ahead of us.
07:19Have a great Christmas.
07:21Very Christmas to you.
07:25Pep, just on Savino, you've made some comments on his defensive work.
07:30Is this some kind of mentality issue or it's the part of the player that he is?
07:38What is...
07:39Listen, when we handle players, this type of talent players that we have in our disposal,
07:45I have in my disposal.
07:46And the talent players, there are not the biggest attributes.
07:50So, to be, because they run a lot.
07:54But that is to be a lot.
07:57To be five meters open or be a half meter of the open.
08:02You want to touch the open, you have two meters away of the open.
08:05And most of the players that we have, we are not the team like required to be there.
08:11But not Savino for many, many other players.
08:13And that's why we push.
08:15But I think that can be improved.
08:17But the quality of Savino for the one against ones and the pace and the other one,
08:21that cannot be teach, cannot be improved.
08:25It's natural.
08:26But the other one is just to remember that we have to do it.
08:29Because when you do that, we run less and we play better.
08:33And this is what they are trying to insist and insist every single day.
08:37An old way of looking at this kind of issue is,
08:40if I run back, I won't have legs to run when I go ahead.
08:46Sorry?
08:47There is an old way of looking at this.
08:49If I run back, I won't have the legs to run.
08:52Okay.
08:52Go to bed earlier.
08:56More massage, more food, more drinks.
09:00If you cannot go forward, it doesn't matter.
09:02First, go backwards.
09:04And after, we see, go forwards.
09:07No Netflix seasons and sleep early.
09:10We'll set the embargo there for 10.30pm this evening.
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