- Jack
"Tomorrow, the 10,000 fans want to give him gratitude" - Pep Guardiola pre Everton Press Conference
Ahead of lifting the Premier League title at long last on Sunday, Pep Guardiola spoke to the media to have a chat about Everton, Sergio Aguero, Harold Kane MBE, and plenty more. All of the below quotes were sourced by Manchester Evening News.
So as predicted, the first thing he was asked was about Sergio. Pep had plenty of praise, as usual, for our King.
"First of all I said many times he's incredibly nice, funny humble. He's a legend he is, from Argentina, and in this country, it's so difficult to score goals for many years. I can't imagine how many more goals he would have scored if he was able to be fitter. He was incredibly loved from the backroom staff, he's a very nice person and the quality of the player I can't add anything to the numbers, his performances when he was fit was incredible. Tomorrow, the 10,000 fans want to give him gratitude for what he has done for the club. Titles, numbers, performances."
"Tomorrow, the 10,000 fans want to give him gratitude for what he has done for the club. Titles, numbers, performances."
Now for team news.
"We put the players to win the game. Six days until the final, if there is one player injured, unlucky, always can be injured. Kyle Walker couldn’t play vs Brighton because he had a twist in his ankle playing with his children. Everyone is fit, Sergio trained yesterday and today. Joao cannot play for three games for this action, really nice. The rest is fit."
With the Champions League final on the horizon, Pep spoke of how difficult it is to pick a team heading into the game tomorrow ahead of the final.
"Always is difficult. I have to be straight in my decisions and they will understand."
On Kane, Pep shut down the rumours.
"I don't want to talk about it. It’s a game for Sergio to respect the competition for Everton, and we have a game for the Champions League."
Pep was asked if the youth can step up next season.
"Maybe. I won't say because it can confuse the young players. I am delighted with Enzo Maresca in the EDS, I have a feeling he will be an incredible manager like I had with Mikel Arteta. It depends on how many players we have, how many we sign. There are two or three who will be regularly training with us and involved with the squad."
"There are two or three who will be regularly training with us and involved with the squad."
On DIas' mentality, Pep said:
"It wasn't expected, we knew about his quality. Especially how he is helping the guys. The defender how he helps the problem, the partnership with his partner but also like the wingers. He's always thinking about football, he's so young. I'm sure, maybe I'm wrong, the backroom staff we pick as one of the captains because he always wants to help, to improve, he listens. He has bad moments, enjoys the good moments for his mates. A big congratulations for this award."
More praise for Sergio.
"When he's fit, and he has continuity in training and the games. He's like Romario, in five metres he can be like a lion in the jungle making steps to kill opponents. The biggest quality is his unique sense of goal, his last goal at Palace defines him perfectly."
Foden for the England team?
"Hopefully, we try to help him. It's a normal process, he's growing up to be the team. Soon, hopefully not, but he might decrease. Now is the moment we try to help him, he likes to play 24 hours. His career is going all the time in a good moment. We'll count the bad moments. Now is a moment he has to understand how difficult is this business. I'm sure he's humble, knows what will happen, and will help the guys who wants the best. He'll grow up as a football player."
"Now is the moment we try to help him, he likes to play 24 hours. His career is going all the time in a good moment."
On if Aguero will play tomorrow, Pep said:
"Tomorrow we'll decide. As much he can play he will play. He's been disrupted. He had a partial training session, and tomorrow we'll decide."
Some more on Dias' leadership.
"He's a man of communication on and off the pitch. You feel it. The club doesn't give you a role as a leader, it comes from inside. If it's not real the people realise it. He's not, he's a guy when he says something he believes it and helps the guys, He takes responsibility in the good and bad moments At his age, it comes from his dad and mum, all his mates and manager at Benfica helped him to grow. He's always thinking to improve. The feeling comes every day in training, how they prepare, the way he eats, thinking he can do better. That's why he will have success, in the bad moments he won't be depressed, will accept he's not been good, and can improve. The corrections are for his best, not because he feels like being aggressive or guilty. He's having success in his career."