Football Daily | Pep Guardiola, APT and a mixed day for Manchester City

11/22/2024 11:32 AM

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!

"I'm not moving, I can assure you," husked Pep Guardiola in the social media drop announcing his contract extension until 2027. The clip focuses on Pep's crow's feet and coal-black eyes, each line possibly marking the efforts required to win the multiple trophies he has brought Manchester City. Still, in bringing the news City fans so craved, it was understated, low-budget even, in these times of people living their best lives on Insta-disgraces with the production values of Kevin Costner's vehicle Waterworld.

The English National Opera, which is decamping from London to Manchester, is promising projects bringing together opera and football. I see opportunities here for an entirely new, star-studded international operatic repertoire, featuring 'Don Carlos Tevez', 'The Marriage of Figo', 'Thuramdot' and, for local City fans, 'Tosca Bobb'. And presumably there'll be a penalty aria – Adrian Irving.

Re. this on the LDV Vans Auto Windscreen trophy (yesterday's News, bits and bobs): 'And the Bristol Street Motors Trophy is being rebranded – mid-competition, no less – to the Vertu Trophy. You'll doubtless be reassured the EFL has provided a pronunciation guide: VUR-CHOO.' Seems like typical Vurchoo-signalling to me – Mark Read.