BERLIN, October 16- Pep Guardiola hopes to one day manage Manchester United, according to a new book written by his close friend and journalist Marti Perarnau.
The biography, titled Pep Confidential, documents Guardiola’s first season in charge of Bayern Munich and reveals much of how the Spaniard became boss at the Allianz Arena.
Perarnau, who was granted total access to the club during their title-winning campaign, posits that Guardiola first admitted his admiration for United in a conversation between him and assistant Manel Estiarte during a Champions League clash against Schalke at Old Trafford in 2011.
“The day after beating Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final, Guardiola and Estiarte travelled to Manchester to watch their next opponent in action,” writes Perarnau.
“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… 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.”
The tell-all publication also reveals that the former Barcelona man turned down both Chelsea and Manchester City before finally deciding on the Bavarians.
“It is October 2012 and in New York, Maria, Marius and Valentina, Pep’s three children, are still struggling to learn English and adjust to life at their new school. The Catalan coach’s phone is ringing off the hook with job offers.
“(Txiki) Begiristain’s Manchester City are still keen, and very insistent. (Roman) Abramovich is deploying all his charm. He wants Pep and is prepared to mould the team to his specifications. The Germans, too, are determined, although their pitch is slightly lower key and to the point.
“It is now that, in one of their FaceTime chats, Guardiola tells his friend and colleague: ‘Prepare yourself Manel. I’ve chosen Bayern’.”