Guardiola on City's 8-0 Salford win and Kyle walker transfer request
11/01/2025
Etihad stadium, Manchester, UK
11/01/2025
Etihad stadium, Manchester, UK
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Evening guys, same process as ever, we'll set an embargo towards the end for 10.30pm on Sunday evening.
00:17Simon?
00:18Pep, congratulations. There's a suggestion that you invited the Salford players into your dressing room after the game.
00:24What was the reason behind that and what are your thoughts around that game tonight?
00:31It happened in the past, when you play a FA Cup with a sentence or a division, when you go to the changing room to change the shirt and see the players, that's normal.
00:41For you and your team, it's a big win, it gives you some confidence which you've not had. Is that going to help you going into the rest of these games this month?
00:58Well, it's just a game, but we cannot deny that we need victories, it's the third in a row.
01:04Of course, we are away from being close to the top of the league, but of course, some players have recovered, still we have big problems behind in the back four.
01:18The game was everyone making a contribution, starting from our striker, Devine, for everyone.
01:26We scored a lot of goals, a long time didn't happen, but of course, it's just one game.
01:33But it's better, of course, that we need it for our mood and the people are happier.
01:39But now we have really, really tough games away in the next days.
01:43Yeah, keep going.
01:45Simon?
01:46You've suggested in the past that James McAtee just maybe needs a little bit more belief.
01:51What can that hat-trick do for him tonight?
01:55Listen, he's a special talent player.
01:58He's a generation from Morgan Rogers, Paul Palmer, Leon Delap, Jadon Sancho, Romelu Lavia.
02:05He's played with all the players that are already in the Premier League, he's settled really well.
02:10He was a main player there, he was a captain and a City fan.
02:16Listen, I'm not denying how happy I am that he scored a hat-trick, so it's not easy.
02:22But he can play better.
02:24So the first half was not his best and he has to do it better.
02:29But he's an exceptional guy and he has a special talent.
02:33And a guy who, when he plays close to the positions in the goal, has a sense of goal.
02:38He loves to make a run in the last moment.
02:40His work ethic is unbelievable, it's aggressive.
02:43And sometimes, you know, today was not easy.
02:46He's man-marking in the middle, the opening there was close, it's not easy.
02:50But I'm really pleased for him.
02:53He can play in the middle, he can play outside, on both sides.
02:56And I'm really pleased for the game he played.
03:02Like Nico, playing the first time in his life in the left-back.
03:05He can play really, really good, make a good goal.
03:09I think he could play more, he had the conditions to play a whole midfielder.
03:13But I think maybe he doesn't believe it completely.
03:17He's an attacking midfielder and when a player with this quality can play in the pocket,
03:21in the whole midfield, you have more space for his physicality, long balls and his pace.
03:26He's another talent that we trust a lot.
03:29And like Divine, our striker, his movement is unbelievable.
03:34The way he moves in the right tempo, the way he presses,
03:38and the movement of the first goal is like perfectly as a striker.
03:41It looks easy, but how he makes that one counter-movement for the defender,
03:45that's really, really good.
03:47I'm really pleased for many, many positive things.
03:50Good evening, Pep.
03:51A lot of those young players seem to relish that opportunity tonight.
03:54I just wondered how much of a man-management problem they've given you now.
03:58Because they'll want to play in the Premier League now every week, won't they?
04:01And you've got such a big squad with a lot of regulars not playing tonight,
04:05but a lot of those youngsters are going to want to play in the Premier League now.
04:08Listen, I want to tell you something.
04:09The reason why we have problems is we don't have a long squad.
04:13We have 60% of the players injured.
04:16A lot.
04:17Our back four or back five never train in two training sessions all together.
04:21That is a problem that we had this season.
04:23That's why we are trying maybe in this market and the next one, next one, to add some players.
04:28This is a problem that we had.
04:30But now we start.
04:32The players come back.
04:33The mood, of course, the results help us.
04:35But it's just, yeah, one game against Alford.
04:37Guys, don't over-be excited, I would say.
04:41You know that.
04:43I saw the man-marking, the aggressivity that this team, last six games, they won.
04:49And today, it doesn't matter the league.
04:53All the teams in Ligue 1, Champions League, Ligue 2, they have a good manager.
04:59They are well-prepared.
05:00They know exactly what they have to do.
05:02But today, the young players and the new ones, some players didn't play lately much.
05:07They were incredible, committed, aggressive.
05:09And there are so many things that I like.
05:11You know?
05:12In terms of everyone was respectful.
05:16You cannot win that match if you don't respect the opponent.
05:19You are naive.
05:20You think you are better than the other ones.
05:22That doesn't happen.
05:23But normally, what happened in the last month, I would say five weeks.
05:28So, I was pretty sure that we were not relaxed.
05:31We were committed to do the game we played.
05:35Do you mind before the embargo, guys?
05:37No Karl Walker.
05:38Why was he not in the squad?
05:43Well, it's not easy for me to say because I should say him, but he's not here.
05:48So, two days ago, Kyle asked to explore the options to play aboard at the end of his career.
05:55He asked two years ago after travel.
05:58Bayern Munich, I think, wanted him, but the offer was not good enough.
06:01And I asked him, the club asked him how important it is.
06:04We cannot understand the success we had these years without Kyle.
06:08It's impossible.
06:10Having our right back and give us something that we didn't have and have been amazing.
06:16But now, in his mind, he would like to explore already.
06:21To go to another country to play the last years for many reasons.
06:25And for that reason, I prefer to play with other players.
06:31His mind is here.
06:33You've always allowed players when they come to you and ask to move.
06:38He went to the club.
06:40He went to Chiqui.
06:41He didn't speak with me, but of course.
06:44Of course, always.
06:45Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm not.
06:47But still, I'm pretty convinced that there is no one person in our jobs,
06:53whatever job, that doesn't want to be what they are, can perform or can be exactly what they want to be.
07:03I suggest explore.
07:04That doesn't mean it's going to happen, because we never know.
07:08Explore the situation, the position.
07:11And I respect a lot, because I'm more than grateful what he has done this many years with us.
07:18Since he arrived 8 years ago, after the first season here, he started to win, win, win, win, win.
07:23He has been important with the national team for your country.
07:27Important, of course, with our team.
07:30But he said that I want to explore my mind and my heart.
07:35I want to be another, to explore it.
07:38Honestly, I don't know it's going to happen.
07:41That is what I can say.