It may not be Guardiola, but there will be managerial change at Man City this summer

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Over the past few weeks, since his departure announcement, you cannot move for ex-players and current pundits giving his or her opinion on where Pep Guardiola should choose to ply his craft. The general consensus from ex-players is that he should choose Arsenal. The reporters say Manchester City.

Manuel Pellegrini has faced some very tricky, and often invasive, questions on the topic. Perhaps unsurprisingly he has handled it all with the same grace he has shown throughout his managerial career. He has also been in football long enough to know that this is all part of the game, after all, he was lined up for his current job whilst Roberto Mancini was still in charge.

Despite the league and cup double in his first season in charge, the Chilean has always struggled to completely be accepted by certain members of the City faithful. Some still pine for Mancini’s return but those people surely cannot remember the chaos of his final few months in charge. A divided dressing room and training ground bust ups were not an irregular occurrence. It’s also true that a certain section of the clubs support long for the days of away trips to Macclesfield and therefore it was always going to be difficult for Pellegrini to be truly accepted, as the next manager will also find.

However, should Pellegrini be relived of his duties this summer it should be with immense respect and gratitude. He was the perfect soothing tonic to Mancini’s madness and the well-mannered, articulate gentleman that the Abu Dhabi owners wanted, the calming face for their aggressive expansion project.

The truth is that it was always going to be difficult for Pellegrini to take over after the enigmatic and much loved Italian. It wasn’t quite Moyes after Ferguson but many fans, particularly those who stood on the terraces during the success-starved years, gravitated and continue to cling to the man who changed all that and brought the clubs first Premier League title in such dramatic circumstances.

Mancini and Pellegrini are polar opposites. The Italian was candid and divisive, a reporters dream, Pellegrini calm and concise. Nothing is revealed without calculation and he rarely resorts to pettiness or cheap laughs, Swedish referees aside.

He seems to have known he was handed the job to oversee a slightly embellished transition from Mancini to Guardiola, despite last summers contract extension. It is naïve to think he hasn’t been in the loop on any managerial changes that may occur in the off season, listen to the way he has handled certain Pep related questions for evidence of that.

We may not like it, but this is the way modern football operates and if I’m able to play devils advocate for a minute, a player can sign a pre-agreement six months before the end of their contract, risking unsettling the current incumbent, so why should we bemoan managers for taking care of their futures? City have been a long way from their best for most of the season and it could be argued that, with only a loss to Arsenal in the Premier League, Pellegrini’s authority doesn’t appear to have suffered even after Pep’s announcement.

The lack of young players that have been used by the Chilean is a source of frustration for many City fans. Kelechi Iheanacho is the only player to impact the first team squad on a consistent basis since Pellegrini’s arrival and even with all the Nigerians potential, even he has been used sparingly.

Having said all that though, if Pellegrini has a three-year window for success, why would he care about bringing through the next generation? He will be in win-first, care about the clubs future generation second, mode.

At times his lack of high energy touchline antics has annoyed fans as it makes him seen disconnected, that the team does not respond if he isn’t bursting blood vessels from the technical area. Although perhaps we too often associate passion and shouting fervently at anything that moves in your team’s colours with results a little too much.

A period of transition is just around the corner for City, many of the teams first title winning team are now over 30, and change is coming to this team sooner rather than later. The question for the clubs owners is should you grab the opportunity for change now? Or risk losing one of the worlds premier managers  and stick with Pellegrini? The club could give the next manager yet another war chest and a freedom to rebuild the squad in their image. Many would also argue that even though world-class players occupy or have occupied the dressing room at the Etihad, a truly elite manager is yet to.

Pellegrini has almost always kept his calm demeanour and class during his time in the Premier League. His team has been built on an attacking philosophy and fans at the Etihad have been treated to some scintillating football over the last two and a half years. Maybe he has spent that time keeping the seat warm for Pep, but when he does go it will undoubtedly be with absolute dignity and it should be with the complete and total respect of the City faithful.

Featured image: All rights reserved by chao1989