So it turns out Pep Guardiola nearly left Manchester City about as often as most people change their bedsheets. Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has opened up about just how many times he had to sit Guardiola down and convince him to stay, describing it as happening around 100 times over the course of their relationship. That is quite the number, and it explains a lot about how this whole thing eventually played out.
What makes this interesting is that when Guardiola finally did decide to step down, Khaldoon clearly knew straight away that this time was different. He has spoken about being able to tell the difference between Pep needing a bit of reassurance and Pep genuinely being done. After all, if you have talked someone round that many times, you get pretty good at reading the room.
From a football perspective, this is a fascinating insight into how elite managers operate. The pressure at the very top of the game is relentless, and even someone as decorated and driven as Guardiola clearly had moments where the whole thing felt like too much. That is not a weakness, that is just being human. Managing a club like City, with all the expectations and the scrutiny that comes with it, would test anyone.
Now as a Manchester United fan, there is obviously a part of you that wishes he had quit about six years earlier than he did, because watching City hoover up title after title has been genuinely painful. But even setting that aside, you have to respect what Guardiola built there. The fact he stayed through all those moments of doubt and still delivered what he delivered says something real about the man.
The bigger question now is what comes next for City. Keeping a manager that long, someone who clearly had to be talked into staying repeatedly, means the transition was always going to be a big moment. Whoever follows him has an almost impossible job, and that is not an exaggeration.
Let me know your thoughts.