Ahead of his side’s upcoming clash against Sparta Prague, Pep Guardiola expressed his unhappiness about two key injuries that Manchester City suffered last season.
Guardiola slammed Gareth Southgate’s decision to start John Stones in England’s friendlies against Brazil and Belgium as well as Kyle Walker; who picked up a knock against Dorival Junior’s side while his countryman was injured within 10 minutes against Domenico Tedesco’s men.
Pep Guardiola’s frustration stemmed from the fact that after the international break, Manchester City were set to lock horns with Real Madrid in a two-legged Champions League quarter-final tie.
Furthermore, Manchester City were also competing for the Premier League with Arsenal and Liverpool.
For both Stones and Walker to have been injured were massive blows for City.
Against Real Madrid, the former started in the first leg while the latter only played in the second leg at the Etihad Stadium.
Simon Jordan slams Pep Guardiola’s “entitlement” after his recent Gareth Southgate complaint
At the time, Gareth Southgate backed his decision to start Stones against Belgium — citing how other big names like Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake, Martin Odegaard and Erling Haaland were starting for their respective nations.
The Catalan tactician will be hoping that none of his English players suffer a similar fate under Thomas Tuchel’s regime.
On talkSPORT, Simon Jordan claimed that Pep Guardiola’s remarks smacked of entitlement.
Jordan said: “I think sometimes, with due respect to subjects like this, I think he has a sense of entitlement and talks for the sake of talking about a subject matter because ultimately, an international manager has the right to call up, a player’s contractual obligation are they’re called up by their countries, they have to go.”
The pundit added: “The conversation that Pep [Guardiola] wants is an application. He wants to influence the outcome the international manager would have. So basically what he’s suggesting is that I don’t expect players to come back from friendlies injured.”
“Which basically means I don’t want you to call them up for friendlies if you possibly help it. That is code for that and that’s what he’s saying.”
Last month as well, Pep Guardiola complained about international duty impacting Ake’s fitness by claiming that every time he departs the Etihad Stadium to play for the Netherlands, he sustains an injury.
Ilkay Gundogan assured Guardiola will make up for Rodri’s absence by finding a solution; another challenge on his hands amidst the fitness issues suffered by Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Ake this season.
Guardiola revealed he was barely able to speak to Southgate about potential Man City injuries
Pep Guardiola also revealed that he was barely able to communicate with former England boss Gareth Southgate about the potential fitness of his Manchester City players as well as other international managers.
Guardiola said via HaytersTV: “Never. Before, when I was a football player, the managers of the national teams called the managers from the clubs. Now, nobody could talk.”
“How they feel, how they are, maybe the physios, they talk but with the managers, never ever. Well, in the beginning, first season or second with Gareth [Southgate], yeah but no.”
When asked if the communication between him and Gareth Southgate regarding potential injuries to his Manchester City players ended since that point, Pep Guardiola replied: “Yeah.”
“Sometimes, Ronald Koeman [Netherlands manager] because he is a friend of mine.”
Pep Guardiola’s stance will likely be echoed by other managers at the club level — whether that is in public or in private.
When it comes to friendlies, a special consideration should be paid to ensure players are kept fit.
The players in question would also be hoping to return to their respective clubs injury-free.
But based on Pep Guardiola’s revelation about the communication between club and international managers, it does not seem like the contact between both parties is becoming any clearer.
