Pep Guardiola doesn’t feel the need to remind his Manchester City players of their responsibilities as professional footballers in light of the indecent exposure allegations against Kyle Walker.
Pep Guardiola said: “I spoke with him but I don’t have to remind [him]. We are adults. I’m not a father. I’m a friend of his. I concede after this seven years I know in the past many things happen. He and everyone can count on me with the personal issues. Everyone. So that’s the important thing. I don’t have tell you ‘Oh you have to behave in that way.’ Come on, he’s an adult and that’s all. Of course not just with Kyle, with everyone, I’m there. The club is there. All the time. Everyone has to feel it. When we are here inside I like to feel they can count on us in the good and bad moments.”
Offering a warning to his players, Guardiola said the only place they will ever be ‘safe’ from the risk of somebody filming them is their own homes.
Pep Guardiola said: “They know it. We have a lot of games, that’s why you have to be ready. I never was involved in the private issues in the past, present or future. Everybody knows that the only place I think you are safe is inside, at home – lock the door. The moment you unlock the door you are exposed. It’s completely different from 15 or 20 years ago, then for football players or managers it was completely different. Now we have to adapt. They know it. It’s not only happened recently. The players know it. We have to adapt to the reality. There are cameras and phones everywhere. Everybody knows it. Today we are exposed 24 hours for everything. We’d prefer not to live in that way but it is what it is. Everybody knows it – our job, the media attention. And everybody’s careers and the private life doesn’t exist anymore out of your home. You have to know it.”
The PA news agency understands Walker contests the allegations and reported for training as normal after the two-day break. Walker’s representatives have been approached for comment.
