Former Manchester City manager Stuart Pearce has told Sky Sports he rejected the opportunity to sign Pep Guardiola as a player.
Guardiola, coming towards the end of his career as a player in 2005, had a trial with a City side who were then battling for survival in the Premier League.
However, Pearce -- who managed the club between 2005 and 2007 -- told Sky's Goals on Sunday show the then Barcelona midfielder would not have been the right player for City's situation.
"There was a contrast of styles of football," he said. "He had three or four days with us at City, and if I'd have known how good he was at managing I'd have given him my job and left."
Former City forward Trevor Sinclair said he did not remember too much about Guardiola's trial spell but added: "Stuart said he was a nice player on the ball, good technique and he wanted to play tiki-taka football.
"But because we were at the bottom of the league, that was not something we wanted to be doing."
Several years later, Pearce visited Guardiola after he had become Barcelona manager.
The former England international, who was then working with the country's under-21 team, said: "He gave me a great insight into how to be a good manager.
"As we said goodbye and walked away, he turned around and said: 'By the way, get a Messi in your side.'"