Pep Guardiola explains Man City motivation and opens up on next move

Pep Guardiola admits he wouldn't still be at Manchester City if he hadn't led the club to the success he has done, as he reaffirmed his stance that he won't immediately join another club when he finally leaves the Etihad.

Guardiola, who is out of contract next summer, is set to embark on his seventh season at City, with an impressive return of four Premier League titles and five other major trophies in that time. With another title defence getting under way at West Ham on Sunday, Guardiola says he remains as motivated as ever — even if that motivation may have changed from taking City to the top of the Premier League to continually improving.

In fact, that annual improvement is one of the main reasons he remains at City for a seventh campaign — longer than he has ever been at any club as coach.

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Asked what motivates him ahead of the new campaign, Guardiola said: "Improve the team and play better. This is the main reason I'm still here.

"I'm sad because we lost the Community Shield but especially because we didn't play as much as we can do. The only thing I'm here is to make the team play better and players individually can play better. When I see the team on the touchline I want to like it. If we lose, sooner or later, the Premier Leagues. Nothing is eternal, not even this team who have done many good things in the last few years.

"We can improve. Otherwise when I feel with the players I have we can't do the next step. The reason is we can do better, this is the only reason, the only one. I'm not leaving here thinking we have to win the Premier League, what happens if we lose, if we don't win the other trophies?

"I know losing tournaments is