Tuesday 5 July 2016 09:55, UK
Pep Guardiola has revealed he was close to becoming a Manchester City player in 2005 when Stuart Pearce was in charge.
Guardiola, who was presented as City's head coach on Sunday as part of a weekend-long celebration, says his form at the time the offer of a short-term deal came up more than a decade ago was a "disaster".
He was seeking out a move to the Premier League, where he ended up not playing during a sparkling career, after leaving Qatari side Al Ahli.
Instead, Guardiola moved to Mexican club Dorados and only played 10 more games before retiring and becoming one of the world's most successful managers.
And the Spaniard accepts that a move to England that late in his career would almost certainly not have worked out for either party.
In an interview with City fan and Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher on the club's website, Guardiola said: "I have to say something - Stuart Pearce was right. Definitely.
"I came here at 33-34 years old and in that time as a football player I was definitely a disaster. It was so intelligent not to pick me up.
"My dream in that time was to play in the Premier League. He offered me one half year - not a complete season. I had to wonder about family, I can not live without them and in the end we didn't decide [to sign].
"When you analyse in that moment my physical condition I think it was the right decision. Don't pick Pep up."
