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Seize the day Manuel, ignore Pep circus & show us what you’re made of

Seize the day Manuel, ignore Pep circus & show us what you’re made of. Imagine being sat at your desk, doing your job quite well, if not spectacularly so, while the man everyone wants in your field brashly strolls about as if he owns the place, flirting with all the women, before slapping the Director on the back while letting out a hearty roar as they laugh at the punchline of his latest joke.

Manuel Pellegrini knows that feeling all too well, as it is impossible to ignore the narcissistic figure of Pep Guardiola looming larger by each passing day, boldly claiming he will come to England, has offers, but hasn’t accepted any yet, because HE CAN.

Yet, as often happens with that office hotshot, Pep seems to have taken it too far, with his never-ending desire for drama seemingly not sitting well with potential employers, paving the way for the ice-cool Pellegrini to show the Manchester City hierarchy what he is made of, and seize the moment.

“Maybe it will be two years until I will coach a team in England,” the Spaniard stated, with an embarrassment of a naughty schoolboy. “I am very happy about my experience in Munich. I am working until my last second here.

“After that I will go home and wait to see if it is possible to move to England or not.

“If it’s not, then I won’t.”

A far cry from his earlier forthcoming approach – which he was forced to apologise for after being accused of putting pressure on current Premier League bosses.

Time for ‘This Charming Man’, as the City faithful lovingly call Pellegrini, to show a more ruthless side, in a season where it won’t take a great deal to bring the Premier League trophy back to the Etihad.

Nobody seems to want to take the bull by the horns. Arsenal look like they are clicking into gear, Olivier Giroud has found his scoring boots and Mesut Ozil glides around the pitch creating chances without over exerting himself, but their vulnerability at the heart of their defence was clear for all to see at Anfield on Wednesday.

Leicester are refusing to give in, but a few injuries to key personnel could scupper their chances of an unexpected title tilt, while Tottenham are the only other realistic challenger, and they always find a way to self-implode, don’t they?

What we have seen from Pellegrini and City this season has hardly been inspiring, but with comfortably the best squad in the league, a selection on No 10’s that are the envy of fans up and down the land, and a fit-again Sergio Aguero, they have the tools to engineer an full blown assault on Chelsea’s crown.

Another striker would certainly aid their cause. Pellegrini’s insistence that Kelechi Iheanacho is the man to come in should Aguero pick up another injury and Wilfried Bony continue to look a shadow of the player he once was is quite frankly ill-thought-out.

Sheikh Mansour maybe reluctant to splash the cash with Guardiola waiting in the wings, but with City fighting on four fronts still, he wouldn’t take much persuading with substantial prize money in the offing.

Prolific hitmen are few and far between, but adding a well-known forward of the Gonzalo Higuain ilk (unlikely to be available, I know) could see City cruise to domestic honours, and go further than previously expected in Europe, but Pellegrini has to step up.

“We have another 17 games and the important thing is to try to continue the way we are,” the Chilean said after City’s disappointing 0-0 draw with Everton, hardly suggesting he is up for the fight.

21 shots at goal without finding the net is not good enough, and should be a warning to Pellegrini that if Aguero isn’t firing, then City aren’t the same force. ‘Continuing the way we are’ will definitely see you sacked, Manuel.

It may take you out of your comfort zone, but seize the day, don’t be intimidated by the Guardiola publicity circus, and even if you are replaced in the summer, you can leave the Premier League with your head held high, with clinking medals around your neck.

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