Begiristain will step away from his full-time role at the end of the 2024/25 season, departing his current post after 12 magnificent years following our involvement in this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup.
The manager says the ‘confidence and trust’ between them has been invaluable during an epic spell that has seen the pair collect 18 trophies and create never-to-be-forgotten memories for staff, players and fans alike.
“Part of me is leaving I would say,” said the boss as he addressed the media ahead of Sunday’s game with Wolves.
“Friend of mine and the architect to create one of best teams ever from Barcelona at that time and now here.
“I knew the decision for a long time for family reasons and personal reasons. I know how grateful he is for his experience here.
“Personally he will be missed. He will be missed a lot. For the confidence, the trust and especially in the bad moments because he made me incredibly balanced in my job because I am so energetic and when it is going bad I want to destroy everything and all the time he said ‘see you tomorrow, take a day off’. He helped me a lot in my period in Barcelona and, of course, here.
“But I have the opinion that the club is so solid, incredibly well structured and the club will have to move on.”
Begiristain joined City in 2012, four years before former Barcelona teammate Guardiola, and in tandem they have overseen 18 trophy wins.
The manager admits the pair didn’t expect to be in Manchester so long but sustained success inspired them to continue on this joyous sky blue journey together.
“We didn’t expect it but it happened because we won a lot,” the boss added.
“My chairman adores me but he would have sacked me if the results were not good. It has been long because we have won a lot.
“There are no secrets. If you don’t win, everyone will ask you to be sacked. If you win and have success, everyone will support you. It’s not more complicated than that.”
Guardiola has been the driving force on the field for an unprecedented era of trophy after trophy – the finest in our illustrious history.
But the manager’s first campaign – 2016/17 – saw no prizes added to the honours board and he was quick to praise Begiristain for the support he received during that transitional phase.
“Of course I was so grateful but I was not surprised,” he added.
“One of the reasons I came here was because of the potential future but also because friends like Ferran and Txiki were here.
“At that time I didn’t know my chairman, I didn’t know my owner, I didn’t know the staff, I didn’t know the players. I didn’t know almost anyone. But I knew them.
“I had the hierarchy support me and it was not a surprise. I am so grateful because it could be different.
“But I worked with them, especially with Txiki in Barcelona, and I knew it was going to happen. Always we tried to find a solution and not to blame what was going on.”
