Basketball great Michael Jordan paid tribute to Pep Guardiola as the departing Manchester City manager was given a final sendoff during an open-top bus parade and after-party featuring an on-stage contract announcement by one of the club’s top players on Monday.After the parade through the streets of Manchester, a sell-out crowd of 19,000 inside the Co-op Live arena — near City’s Etihad Stadium — witnessed a video message from Jordan to Guardiola on the big screen.“Hey Pep, this is Michael Jordan,” the six-time NBA champion said. “I just want to congratulate you on an unbelievable career. Enjoy your retirement.“Good luck on the links,” Jordan added, in a nod to Guardiola’s hobby of golf, “and keep them straight. Congratulations.”Guardiola is leaving after a record-breaking decade in charge of City in which he won 17 major trophies.
Former City captain Vincent Kompany — the current Bayern Munich coach — and Noel Gallagher of Britpop band Oasis attended the event in person. It was arranged to celebrate the domestic cup double of the men’s team as well as the club’s Women’s Super League and FA Youth Cup triumphs.
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In the part of the show dedicated to the women’s team, record scorer Khadija “Bunny” Shaw announced on stage she signed a new four-year contract with City, ending speculation linking her with Chelsea.Shaw has already been with City for five years.
