After 17 years at the top, a tough job is taking a toll on Pep Guardiola | Jonathan Wilson

Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager, has been at the top of the football world for 17 years, and the toll of the job is starting to show. In a recent interview with GQ, Guardiola hinted at the possibility of taking a break from the game, stating that he may stop coaching for a year, two years, or even up to 15 years. This comes as no surprise, as the declines of managers like José Mourinho and Arsène Wenger have shown that nothing lasts forever in the high-pressure world of football management. Guardiola's weariness was evident in the interview, and he admitted that his decision to sign a contract extension until 2027 was partly driven by guilt over the team's dip in form last season. The article suggests that the demands of the job have taken a toll on Guardiola, with Jürgen Klopp also finding himself exhausted after almost 15 seasons in management. As the article concludes, the high-intensity nature of modern football management means that even the most successful managers cannot maintain their success indefinitely.