Man City chairman Mubarak gave his annual review interview to the club's official media, stating that he is confident Man City will continue to enjoy success in the future and that the core principles underpinning the club's development will always remain unchanged. He also said that the pursuit of success and the desire to win trophies are now firmly embedded at every level of the club, from senior management throughout the entire club structure, shaping its culture and spirit. The first half of the interview is as follows.
Chairman, welcome. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to accept this interview. For Man City, there is never a dull year and never a dull season. Our starting point should probably be Pep Guardiola. Now that we have said goodbye to him, what are our main feelings about his coaching and departure?
For us, having a coach for 10 years, especially in modern football and modern sports, is extremely rare and absolutely phenomenal. This is extremely rare for the club, for everyone associated with the team, the players, the entire organization, and of course the coach himself, to be able to maintain this level of commitment. So when I look back, I think this is a period that all Man City fans will cherish forever and remember with joy and fond memories.
It's fair to say, isn't it, that he was more than just a coach and an employee; he also became a friend. Can you share any personal anecdotes about your friendship that you would feel comfortable discussing publicly?
Yes, I would say that, for me, he was more than just a coach of the club. He was a friend; we were close friends. We became close friends over the years. I would say, I don't know if he would admit it, but I see myself as his psychiatrist. Over the years, I had to help him, not during the good times, because the good times are always easy, but during the challenging periods, which are always difficult. Over the past 10 years, we inevitably experienced many ups and downs. During the low points, he must have resigned 100 times in these 10 years. Just letting everyone know, for the record. It's like the story of the boy who cried wolf. In Pep's case, when he says "I'm quitting," it doesn't mean he's actually leaving, and it doesn't mean you have to take it too seriously; you have to manage him. He never thought he would stay longer than four or five years. So, in his mind, even by the fourth or fifth year, he was always thinking, okay, how much longer can I stay, how much longer can I stay? And it all had to be done in the right way. I would say that, because of that wolf analogy, I always had a very clear understanding with Pep. Whenever he wanted to give up or felt it was time, I would always persuade him to come back, until I knew the real time had come, that it was the real moment when Pep decided it was time to leave. Sometimes it wasn't real; he actually needed someone to pull him back, and there would always be a moment when it became real.
We reached that point...
We reached that point, we reached that point, and I knew it. That is why I did not try to keep him. In previous years, I always tried to keep him, always pulled him back, because I knew that was the right answer. But this time, I think he knew, and I knew he knew. That is why it was the right thing for him, and it was natural. I tell you, I did not try to keep him at all, because I knew this time he was serious.
It is clear from your answer that he exceeded expectations, yours and everyone else's. But what legacy did he leave for English football?
He changed English football. I say this with the utmost humility, but I believe that when you look at how the Premier League has developed over the past 10 years, how the teams have evolved, and how football is played in this league from 10 years ago to today, his impact on the Sport, on the way football is played, on tactics, and on coaching is undeniable. He has left his mark on this league. I say this with humility, but I believe many football commentators and experts would agree. In football, very few coaches arrive and not only change a team, but also change an entire league, or influence the transformation of an entire league. Very few. And Pep did that here. In my mind, there is no doubt about that.
He received the perfect send-off after the Aston Villa match. Having 60,000 people stay behind to pay tribute to a departing coach made it an emotional night.
Very moving, very moving, and he deserved it. But we have excellent fans, incredible fans. The first opening of that stand, welcoming the highest capacity ever, was one of those moments in life when things just fall into place so naturally; they just happen. Did we plan for Pep to leave this summer? Did we plan for the North Stand to be completed and opened for the last game of the season, and for it to happen to be his last game, with the North Stand being named after Pep that day? I mean, come on. I can tell you, everything was planned perfectly two years ago. But sometimes in life, these things just happen to fall into the right place. When you are sincere enough, when your heart is in the right place, sometimes everything just comes together. I think everything fell into place at the right time, and it was beautiful. Because you had that stand, which is a phenomenal stand, magnificent and perfect. It did happen at that time, in that game, for him, that particular stand was named the Pep Guardiola Stand, so his spirit will always be with us. There were 61,000 people there, full of gratitude, feeling happy, and of course a little sad, but also happy at the same time. I think it was beautiful, truly beautiful. I'm glad things turned out that way.
Let's get straight to the point, then, because you have hired three coaches who have all won the Premier League title, which immediately puts pressure on the next person. Now, there will be Man City fans sitting at home worrying that the club has peaked and that, after winning 20 trophies in 10 years, there may only be one way to go. What do you want to say to those people today?
We are far from our peak. I look at what the club was like in 2008, and then at every stage over the past 18 years. Roberto Mancini brought the club its first Premier League title, and we will never forget those moments. It was a great period, including the first FA Cup in many, many years. Then Manuel Pellegrini came in and did the same thing, delivering another Premier League title and more success. Then Pep came in, and it was about building that winning mentality and DNA throughout the club. Now the club is what we all know it to be. We are used to winning because winning is in our DNA. This is a club designed and built to win, and what Pep gave us was the ability to reach the next level. I think we are very grateful for everything he helped build here.
You cannot take this for granted.
No, of course not. Winning is hard. It is not easy; it requires a lot of effort, a lot of collective effort. Look at how many different eras of teams we have put together over these 18 years, each one special. From the first group of Aguero, Yaya Toure and David Silva, to the next group of De Bruyne, Gündoğan and Bernardo Silva, to this group of Erling Haaland, Sherki, Foden and Khusanov. We continue in every aspect; we keep going. It is different because they are different players, but success will come, because I think we do a very good job of maintaining a winning mentality. So, when you look at our achievements in English football over the past 18 years, I believe Man City is the most successful club in this country. I think that, from top to bottom, Mansour, myself, Ferran (Soriano) and the entire organization, we have a team that is a winning team, and that team will continue. There will be player changes, there will be coach changes, and there will be executive changes. This is part of life, but we will keep moving forward, and we will continue to deliver.