We don’t care where your club footballing allegiances lie – you simply can’t watch this without smiling.
Pep Guardiola has already been endearing himself to the Manchester City faithful with his animated touchline antics, but his taxi ride with seven-year-old superfan Braydon Bent shows just how great a character the new man in charge at the Etihad is off the pitch, too.
The youngster had been told that he was hopping into the car for a chat with City TV presenter Les Chapman, but was completely flabbergasted to see the Blues boss sat there in the backseat waiting for his arrival. Braydon wasn’t going to let the surprise tongue-tie him, though. What came next was the sort of interview most journalists would give their right arm for.
It’s difficult to pick out a single highlight, but we especially like the part when Braydon asks where they’re going to store all the trophies now the prestigious coach has arrived in Manchester. He doesn’t waste much time before giving Pep a reality check either, warning the Spaniard that he’ll need to get used to a lot of rain; spoken like a true Mancunian.
There’s also a mention of a certain player Guardiola used to manage. “I know Messi’s your friend,” Braydon said. “Do you mind giving him a call to see if he wants to join us and have a fun time?” Unfortunately for City fans watching on, Pep admitted that that particular transfer might be a tricky one to pull off.
Guardiola will be aware that he’s joining a fiercely competitive league where he’s unlikely to have it all his own way, but at least he now knows that, should a run of results go against him, he’s got a personal invitation from Braydon to pop round to his house for tea. How’s that for Northern hospitality.
