Former Barcelona and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has turned down an offer to become Italy's next national team coach. The Spaniard left Manchester City at the end of last season, bringing the curtain down on a remarkable decade-long spell during which he transformed the club into the dominant force in English football. Italy, meanwhile, have been on the lookout for a new head coach since Gennaro Gattuso stepped down in April after the four-time world champions failed to qualify for a third successive FIFA World Cup.
Pep Guardiola has decided to take a sabbatical from managerial career from now. (REUTERS)
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Despite discussions with the Italian Football Federation, Guardiola chose to stick to his original plan to take a break from management after stepping down as Manchester City boss. He has opted for a sabbatical for the time being, putting any immediate return to coaching on hold.
Guardiola reportedly thanked the Italian Football Federation for its interest but admitted he is not yet ready to return to the dugout after leaving Manchester City.
As quoted by Gazzetta, the 55-year-old stated: "Thank you, I am honoured, but at this moment I don't feel up to it."
Explaining why he rejected the opportunity, Guardiola said he would only consider taking charge if he could commit himself completely to the role.
Guardiola's decision means the Italian Football Federation must continue its search for a new manager, as earlier Carlo Ancelotti also turned down the offer.
Earlier, Paolo Maldini revealed that the federation first approached Carlo Ancelotti before opening talks with Guardiola, saying it was only natural to target the two managers they considered the best in world football.
"We cannot hide the fact that we also spoke to Carlo Ancelotti before talking to Pep. Frankly, it seemed right to start with those we considered the best in the world," Maldini told reporters during a press conference.
Maldini has a big task in hand
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A mainstay of Italy's defence in the 1990s and 2000s, Maldini has been tasked by the new FIGC President, Giovanni Malago, with rebuilding the Azzurri's technical structure.
Leonardo, the former Paris Saint-Germain sporting director who serves as an adviser to Maldini, said Italy's next coach would need to embrace a long-term technical project to overhaul training and player-development methods across both the senior national team and the youth setup.
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Home/Sports/Football/Pep Guardiola turns down offer to become Italy's next coach: ‘If I do it, I do it 100 per cent’
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