Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola insists his door is always open for Erik ten Hag after he was sacked by Manchester United.
The Red Devils parted company with the Dutchman on Monday after a two-and-a-half-year spell in charge, with Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim lined up to replace him.
Ten Hag became the fifth permanent managed to be sacked by United in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson eraGetty
United are currently 14th in the Premier League table, 12 points behind leaders City after just nine matches.
However, Ten Hag did get one over on Guardiola during his time in charge.
United stunned the Premier League champions by beating them 2-1 in the FA Cup final in May.
But despite this, Guardiola was full of sympathy for his counterpart when asked about United’s decision on Tuesday.
“Ten Hag can come to see us any time, seriously,” Guardiola said.
“We are always open but I think he knows exactly what we do and it’s not going to happen but I know his agent a little bit, there is a relationship and it’s no problem for us.
“Managers don’t need advice because they know exactly what they have to do. The reality in every team is exactly what they have to do. But the reality is every club is different, players are different. To copy and paste this one for this one doesn’t work.”
Guardiola continued: “Always, I feel sorry for managers [when they are sacked], you know? He’s lost his position, so I’m so sorry for him.
“I have an incredible relationship [with him]. I think he represented Manchester United at the highest level in terms of behaviour, of course.
“Our job as managers is one of the few jobs – in all the jobs in the world – where people are expecting to be sacked. People are expecting you don’t have a job.
Guardiola insists he had a good relationship with Ten Hag despite the Manchester rivalryRichard Pelham / The Sun
“I don’t see architects or doctors or teachers or anything… the people deciding [their futures don’t say], ‘get out.’ It’s only us. It’s our job, we have to accept it.”
Guardiola was also asked about Ten Hag’s impending replacement Amorim, having faced his Sporting Lisbon side in the Champions League knockout stages in 2022.
City thumped the Portuguese side 5-0 away from home, before a 0-0 draw in the second-leg at the Etihad.
“All I can talk about is the experience of playing twice against Ruben’s Sporting Lisbon team, one or two seasons ago, and the pressure was really, really good,” Guardiola said.
“I spoke with Matheus Nunes, and he was his player, and he speaks highly about him. And this season he is unbeaten and winning all the games in the Portuguese League and the Champions League, (they have) the same points as us.
“So a high manager. I have the feeling that Man United, what I hear, that they are thinking about him. It’s because he’s a good manager. Man United don’t appoint managers who aren’t at that level, so we cannot say they are not able to lead Man United.”
