The Netherlands is looking at the possibility of hiring Pep Guardiola as their national team head coach when his contract at Manchester City runs out.
The 51-year-old is still tied to the Manchester club until the summer of 2023, having signed a two-year extension to his previous deal in 2021. Pep joined City in 2016, after spending three years at Bayern Munich.
So far in his City career, Guardiola won four Premier League titles, one FA Cup and four League Cups, also leading his team to the Champions League final in 2021. At the weekend, the Catalan manager reached the 500 Premier League point mark, being the fastest to do it in English top-flight history. According to Sunday Mirror, the Dutch football association, KNVB, would like Guardiola to become their next head coach. They will wait to see if he’s available in 2023 before making any steps towards another coach. Guardiola, regarded as the best manager of his generation, admitted in August that he is tempted to become a national team coach when his contract at City ends.
“The next step will be a national team, yes, if there’s a chance,” Guardiola said in Aug. 2021, during an online forum for Brazilian company XP Investimentos.
“I must have a break after seven years (at City), I need to stop to watch, learn from other players and maybe that is the road I will take. And I would like to coach at the Euros, at the Copa America, at the World Cup,” he added.
Nobody comes close to Pep Guardiola 🔠pic.twitter.com/IjN0zO6xjJ
— LiveScore (@livescore) January 18, 2022
Back to Barca?
The bookies don’t see The Netherlands as their favorites to land Guardiola in 2023. In fact, they are not even mentioned among the potential top choices Pep might have.
FC Barcelona is now leading the odds race at +200, with another club, Juventus, just behind at +225. The Spain national team is next at +600, while Paris Saint-Germain comes fourth at +1000. Brazil ends the top five at +1200.
A return at Bayern Munich stands at +2000, with taking over the Argentina national team at +2500, the same as England. Guardiola coaching in Qatar at club level is well placed at +1400, while him becoming the national team manager returns +5000. A big fan of the American lifestyle, Guardiola could end up working in the MLS, the bookies believe. He is at +1000 to take charge at MLS Cup winners New York City FC and at +5000 to work for David Beckham’s Inter Miami.
