Sunday 4 December 2016 20:06, UK
Manchester City turned down the chance to sign Pep Guardiola as a player, former City manager Stuart Pearce has revealed.
With City struggling towards the foot of the Premier League during Pearce's tenure, current head coach Guardiola, in the twilight of his playing career, underwent a trial at the club.
However, Pearce revealed the former Barcelona midfielder's footballing philosophy was not suited to City's battle for survival.
Speaking on Goals on Sunday, Pearce recalled: "There was a contrast of styles of football. To be fair, he was fantastic to deal with, both Pep and his agent.
"He had three or four days with us at City and if I'd have known how good he was at managing I'd have given him my job and left!"
Guardiola has since conceded Pearce was right not to offer him a contract, to which Pearce added: "I got one decision right."
Former Manchester City forward Trevor Sinclair joined Pearce on the Goals on Sunday sofa and gave his account of Pep's unsuccessful trial.
"We were struggling at the bottom of the Premier League with Manchester City and a trialist came in, Pep Guardiola," Sinclair said.
"I can't remember him too much but Stuart said he was a nice player on the ball, good technique and he wanted to play tiki-taka football, which he had all his life at Barcelona.
"But because we were at the bottom of the league that was not something we wanted to be doing.
"Stuart advised me that they wanted to bomb the ball to me in the air, win knock-downs and play in the final third, so Pep didn't get a contract because of me!"
Despite opting not to offer Guardiola a contract at City, Pearce said his relationship with the Spaniard was not damaged.
The former England U21 boss revealed Guardiola had lifted the lid on his secret to management when Pearce was invited to Barcelona a couple of years after the City snub.
"I went out to Barcelona when I was working with the U21s a few years later and watched Pep training at Barcelona where he was a fantastic gentleman," he added.
"He gave me a great insight into how to be a good manager, we talked tactics. As we said goodbye and walked away he turned around and said, 'by the way get a Messi in your side'."
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