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Pep Guardiola has confirmed that he will step down as Manchester City’s manager after completing a decade at the helm, and has opened up about what might lie ahead for him in football.

The Spanish tactician has presided over an extraordinary period of dominance at the Etihad Stadium, guiding the club to 20 major trophies in ten years and setting numerous records along the way. However, Guardiola now feels that it is the right moment to take a step back from the game.

Given his stature as one of the most influential figures in modern football, there has naturally been widespread speculation about his next move. Many expect him to take a sabbatical before deciding on his future plans, which remain uncertain for now.

When asked if he could see himself returning to Manchester City in the future, Guardiola responded, “For a while, for a while, for a while, I will not be a manager. That is the only thing. Otherwise, I would be here, still here.”

He added with a smile, “I deserve, honestly, to take a break.”

There has also been talk that Guardiola might eventually consider international management, with some linking him to the England national team job. However, he made it clear that he currently has no fixed plans.

“I don’t have any absolute plan about my future,” he shared when asked about the possibility of managing England. “Except to rest and to recover the time that I missed with my kids, even though they are grown. And many things I have not done that I want to do.”

Guardiola further explained, “I don’t think for one second about anything related to football for the next time. For the next years, I don’t think about it.”

“I need to rest, I need to reflect. I need to see what happened in my 17, 18 years – in my time in Barcelona, in Germany and here. And after we see what happens.”

He concluded, “I don’t have a plan. It’s just to rest and do a lot of things I want to do that I didn’t do in the past. Stupid things that I want to do, and that’s all.”

When it was pointed out that his reply wasn’t a definitive ‘no’, Guardiola responded with a grin, “Yeah.”