Former Manchester City midfielder Dietmar Hamann thinks the team are past their best under Pep Guardiola and believes the Spaniard is lucky to still be manager.
City were well off the pace in the defence of their Premier League title last season, while what was viewed by many as a golden chance for possible Champions League success was ended by Lyon in the quarter finals.
Guardiola has enjoyed huge domestic success during his four years in charge at the Etihad, winning six major trophies, but City continue to disappoint in Europe, failing to make it past the last eight under Guardiola.
This season, City have already dropped seven points in their opening five Premier League games, although they have won both of their matches so far in the Champions League.
Guardiola’s contract expires at the end of the season and the 49-year-old is yet to commit his future either way, but Hamann, who played for City between 2006 and 2009, believes he could be near the end of his “cycle” at the club.
“Historically, he was at (Bayern) Munich for three years and he improved the team, but the players were happy when he left because he was so demanding,” Hamann told talkSPORT.
“I think a manager like Guardiola can’t be at a club for more than four or five years
“He’s done that at Man City and if you see the players they bring in, there is no continuity and I don’t see them improving enough with the money they’ve spent.
“I think they’ve peaked under Guardiola, I don’t see them winning the Premier League or the Champions League in the next few years.
“If you look at their record in the Champions League, any other manager would’ve been in big bother. Obviously he’s got some Barcelona history in the boardroom and maybe that’s why he’s still there.
“He didn’t reach a final with Bayern Munich, hasn’t with Man City, and if you look at the teams who did, they don’t have the same funds.
“It’s simply not good enough. If you look at the teams who beat them, I just wonder what has to happen for them to make a change.
“We don’t like managers getting sacked, but I think any other manager would be in big bother.”
