Gary Neville branded Manchester City ‘difficult to watch’ 11 months ago and said he was ‘bored’ of watching Pep Guardiola’s side.
Well, he doesn’t have a choice on Saturday night as Salford City — the club he part-owns with Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, David Beckham and other members of Manchester United’s Class of 92 — pitch up at the Etihad to try to knock Guardiola and his stars out of the FA Cup.
Despite his jibe, Guardiola was in no mood to settle old scores on a cold afternoon in Manchester on Friday, instead suggesting the job Neville holds as a pundit is one he could never take on himself.
‘I don’t think I’m going to do that,’ said the City boss, who is aiming to win his third FA Cup. ‘I am so cautious or concerned to not make a comment that could hurt my colleagues.
‘I know how difficult our job is. I don’t want to pretend to be sitting there and know what happened. It’s so unpredictable and many things happen.
‘Always when I hurt someone it’s delivery, when I don’t want it. It’s to defend my club.
‘I always had the feeling of how difficult it is. I was a football player before and now a manager. Our business is so complicated. It’s unpredictable, so difficult. I don’t want to hurt my colleagues.
‘Maybe (becoming a pundit) is going to happen in the future, but honestly I don’t think so.’
So, Guardiola has no problem with the likes of Neville, who rarely bite their tongue — particularly this season with City struggling so much.
‘It’s a job they do, it’s normal,’ added Guardiola. ‘If it’s boring, if they say obvious things, people will not pay attention. But normally I quite agree with what they say. I’m not joking. I quite agree with what the pundits say about the games.
‘It’s not a big problem for me. Managers get paid for many reasons. One of them is to accept what people say in the good and the bad moments.’
Guardiola has no interest in following in Neville’s footsteps with club ownership, either.
‘No. I’m not good on that,’ he said. ‘I’m sometimes a good manager but as a businessman I’m not good so I’m absolutely not interested in that.’
Guardiola is expected to name a much-changed City side tonight but Ruben Dias and John Stones remain unavailable.
Munbcdlty
1
pep going to answer him by destroying his side and then he will never call ma city boring
Munbcdlty
0
that's why city with destroyed that side 6-0 and tell u : this is what I call boring and now look at your side [ko]
Nanaekruy
0
ee
Junior_Coke
0
Don't worry my citizens, ManCity is putting that Club World Cup squad together!!
Litelntz
1
guardiola is and will always be a gentleman in every sense of the word....well now that Neville part owns a team hope they can pick a coach who doesn't coached boring football
taddimnor
2
Why shld pep answer him ? No now nervile managed Valencia along his brother n they almost relegate that team , all they no how to do is talk talk n talk
Blaqpablo
2
Entertaining fighting relegation
Pikeklmtyz
3
Neville: u can't say anything abt pep he yr boss in any doment concernx football
feuailnopt
6
Neville, premier league champions 4 in a row is boring? why did you leave coaching?big mouthing looser.Pep brought beautiful football in England.
feuailnopt
6
Neville,you're a failure in coaching.you don't even know much about it.keep your mouth close.looser
Zezesol400
6
Neville still is a narcissistic,still think everything good belongs 2 man u en still seeing de league as dea asset but things changed a lot far away from there time
Yahabopuy
1
Neville: You can't say watching City is boring when city has put smile in many Clubs faces when losing games
Cityfanchamp23
3
if City was united he would have sing a different song
Nusinptuyz
0
Yes Neville was right and man united was entertaining
rataclmpry
0
Neville is a former man broken player