Pellegrini: I’d rather win title and go, than fail and keep job

Manuel Pellegrini: No transfer plans

Manuel Pellegrini: No transfer plans

Manuel Pellegrini admits not even winning trophies will guarantee he stays at Manchester City next season – and says he’d rather leave the club after winning the title this year than stay for five years and win nothing.

The imminently available Pep Guardiola continues to be linked with Pellegrini’s managerial post at the Etihad Stadium and that speculation has only increased now the Bayern Munich boss has revealed he intends to work in England.

Pellegrini, who is contracted until the end of next season, has had to deal with such conjecture throughout his tenure at City and he acknowledges the club can make a change at any time – regardless of his success.

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The 62-year-old said: “I don’t think my position in the future is linked to titles. My way of thinking is that if I have the option to renew here for five years more and don’t win the title, or to win the title and be sacked, I’d prefer to win the title and be sacked. For a manager, your work is to win the title, so the other doesn’t matter.

“I think that if you are the owner of a club, you must have the option to replace the manager if they win the title or if they don’t win the title.”

 

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Even if Guardiola is the man City covet, Pellegrini has the opportunity to make any transition an awkward one as his side remain alive in four competitions.

Domestic knockout action takes precedence in the coming days as City travel to Everton for the first leg of their Capital One Cup semi-final on Wednesday. They follow that with a trip to Norwich in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Everton will actually become familiar opponents this month with a Barclays Premier League clash next Wednesday as well as the second leg of the semi in three weeks’ time.

Pellegrini said: “It’s strange to play against the same team in three Wednesdays in January in different competitions, especially one you play away, then two at home.

“But a game of 180 minutes, it’s a different game. It’s not the same as the Premier League when you must win.”