Guardiola a friend as well as a boss, says Walker

Kyle Walker has hailed the personable approach taken by Pep Guardiola, describing the Manchester City manager as a friend as well as a boss.

England right-back Walker joined City from Tottenham in the close-season and will end his debut campaign at the Etihad Stadium with Premier League and EFL Cup winners’ medals.

Walker has enjoyed a fine season and earned a place in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year on Wednesday, and the 27-year-old says his form can be attributed to the atmosphere created at City by Guardiola.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, he said: “If you didn’t believe you was doing something wrong, or you could do this differently, he’d be quite open to you knocking on his door and having a coffee, he always says ‘come and have a coffee with me, we’ll get the computer and we’ll go through it’. So, that’s how it’s quite open, he’s very approachable. 

“He texted me the other day because I beat him in the long drive competition in golf. Something like that I’ve never really had before [with a manager], where I’ve got a connection with someone that we can just exchange text messages. 

Back together – the Champions of England #mancity pic.twitter.com/5mZtw9Tu1Y

— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 18, 2018

“It’s nothing like ‘oh, he’s a teacher’s pet’ or anything. It’s just like he’s a friend. He’s the manager, but he is a friend as well.

“I’m getting old now, I’m 28 this year, I’ve got three kids. I like to think I’m a grown-up but it’s just nice you can have a civil conversation with your boss, you’re both on the same page and you’ve had a text not about football, just about golf.”