Guardiola: Cruyff knew exactly how you were going to feel before you felt it
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has defended his decision to let unhappy players leave the club.
who has won the Premier League in the last two seasons is five points behind
Arsenal, having played a game more.
Premier League champions sold Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, and Oleksandr Zinchenko in the summer and recently Joao Cancelo joined Bayern Munich on loan.
Ahead of the game against Tottenham on Sunday,
Pep Guardiolasaid he believes the club should not keep players who are unhappy with their situations.
"It has happened. We change, everyone changes. It is normal. Most of the time it is the players who decide they want to leave,
" he told Sky Sports.
"The club is always open to do it. There are other clubs where the release clause is the most important. Someone has to pay it or you stay. I completely disagree with that.
"Always, when they are not comfortable working with the manager, the staff, the club, the city, whatever, they have to try to move on.
"Of course, there has to be an offer. But if you come with an offer, I am pretty sure we are going to reach an agreement.
"For example, Gabriel [Jesus], Alex [Oleksandr Zinchenko] and Raheem [Sterling] have gone this season.
"I could not be more grateful for what they have done for me and for this institution, winning 11 trophies in five years. It is just amazing. Believe me, I wish the best for them personally and professionally.
"It is the same with me when I leave. One day they are going to bring in a new manager with his own passion and his own ideas. Everything is going to move on.”
After a 4-2 victory against Tottenham in January, Guardiola questioned his player's desire and hunger. City players responded well to Guardiola’s criticism, and they have won their last two games without conceding.
Guardiola admitted that he also lost his hunger when playing for Barcelona, and said he will use lessons from his mentor Johan Cruyff to keep his team competitive.
He told Sky Sports:
"I won four La Ligas in a row in Spain when I was a football player. In the fifth I was not the same. In the sixth I was not the same. I was not starving enough.
"Caviar. Madrid beat me. The fifth and the sixth. I understand the players. But I am here to do it.
"I realised a little bit later. It is difficult for a player to realise in real time exactly what is happening.
"It is ridiculous how small the margin is between winning and losing. You have to pay attention. I tried to do my best. I never doubt that players do their best.
"But at the same time you think, 'OK, I have done it, I have won.' After, to be on top again, it takes time.
"Johan had many great attributes but one of them was that he knew exactly how you were going to feel before you felt it, before it happened.
"That is why he was a genius. He would tell us, 'Now this will happen.' Fortunately or unfortunately, most of the time it did."
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