PEP GUARDIOLA claims he is on a mission to improve his touchline behaviour in a bid to avoid another ban.
The Manchester City boss was forced to watch Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Wolves from the stands after picking up three yellow cards this season.
The Premier League have reduced their threshold for a ban from four cautions in a bid to deter abuse against the officials.
So if Guardiola gets another three yellow cards, he will be banned for two matches from the touchline.
He said: “It’s a new rule. They explained to us that sometimes, we do not speak to them correctly. They are the bosses. We have to accept it. I have to adapt to them.
“If I saw a few things I didn’t like I would say it. Now, I have to control it.
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“It’s not a big issue. It’s not a problem.
“They made the rules. When I was a player at Barcelona I was the least physical player ever but maybe I was one of the most booked players in Barcelona.
“It was because I talked and talked and talked. Now, as a manager, it is the same.”
Guardiola, whose team delivered a poor performance at Wolves, admitted he did not like to be sat in the stands next to City director of football Txiki Begiristain and Manel Estiarte, head of player support.
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Guardiola said: “I like to be with the players and have the smell of the grass. Txiki and Manel were so nice but I prefer to be down there.
“Next time it is a two-game ban. I was the first to be banned so that’s a new record.”
As for the loss at Wolves, City’s first of the season in the League, he said: “We have to do more. They beat us in the one v ones and that’s not good and we have to do it properly.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
