Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been named the 2022/23 LMA Manager of the Year after leading his side to their fifth Premier League success in the last six years. It is the third time since he has been in England that the Spaniard has been handed the award.
Guardiola has matched David Moyes’ tally of three LMA Manager Year trophies. He is now behind only Sir Alex Ferguson, who the trophy is named after. The former Manchester United boss won it five times during his managerial career.
The City manager was on a shortlist along with Mikel Arteta (Arsenal), Roberto De Zerbi (Brighton), Eddie Howe (Newcastle), Vincent Kompany (Burnley), and Steven Schumacher (Plymouth), but his fellow managers voted for the Premier League winner.
Guardiola has established himself as a legend at Manchester City, as he is the most successful manager in their history. His latest victory in the Premier League is one of his best, as for large parts of the season, his side trailed Arsenal in the table.
With a strong second half of the season, helped by the hot form of striker Erling Haaland, Manchester City went on a march that eventually left them six points clear of Arsenal in the standings after their final game of the campaign.
The season could get even better for Guardiola and Manchester City as they are in the final of the Champions League where they will take on Inter Milan. On June 2, they are the -550 favorites in the sports betting to lift the trophy at the end of that game.
When he was hired by Manchester City in 2016, one of his assignments was to deliver the premier European trophy to the club. His side reached the final in 2021 but were beaten by rivals Chelsea. This will be his side’s second shot at win winning the Champions League final when they take on the Serie A club.
Success in Three Major Leagues
Guardiola’s latest spell is the third major European league he has had success in. His first role came with Barcelona – he managed a club where he used to be a brilliant player. The Catalonian won La Liga three times, lifted the Champions League twice, while he also landed the FIFA Club World Cup on two occasions during his four years in charge.
After a year out of the sport, Guardiola returned to the hot seat to take up the managerial position at Bayern Munich. He won the Bundesliga in each of the three seasons there. In his opening year in charge, he lifted the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup, while he was successful twice in the DFB-Pokal (German domestic cup).
The former midfielder has now been at Manchester City for seven years. His best season so far came in 2019 when he won the domestic treble, with trophies coming in the Premier League, FA Cup, and EFL Cup. He has nurtured the likes of Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne into some of the best players in the sport.
Records Still to Be Achieved
Guardiola is contracted to be at Manchester City until at least 2025. He signed a two-year extension at the club last November. He may feel he still has so much more to achieve in England in his current role.
22/23 PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!!! 🏆
3️⃣-IN-A-ROW!!! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/hPdh0FZTss
— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 20, 2023
Manchester City will be bidding for their four straight Premier League title next season. Their rivals Manchester United won three consecutive titles between 1998 and 2001, but no club has managed four in a row in the sports league before.
What Next for Guardiola After Manchester City?
When he signed his latest contract extension, Guardiola claimed he was very happy at the club. He believes he has everything he needs at Manchester City to be successful. This is the longest he has been at any club during his managerial career.
Although it looks unlikely that Guardiola will leave the Etihad Stadium any time soon, he has been linked to managing a country one day. Brazil, England, and Spain are all countries that reports suggest are interested in snapping up the City boss in the future.
11 years ago today, Pep Guardiola announced he would step down as Barcelona manager at the end of the 2011/2012 season. pic.twitter.com/x7Rl48xP3s
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) April 27, 2023
As a Barcelona fan, and his association with the club, a return to Catalonia cannot be ruled out either. He achieved so much as the manager between 2008 and 2012. A second spell could be a fitting way for him to end his career.
For now, Guardiola will be fully focused on winning more trophies at Manchester City, including the Champions League in Istanbul in the final game of the 2022/23 campaign.