BERLIN: Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola has shrugged off suggestions of a potential conflict of interest after signing with Premier League’s Manchester City for next season, saying he was quite capable of mult-tasking.

Guardiola, who won back-tack German league titles with Bayern and is on course for a third after joining in 2013, agreed a three-year contract with City this week.

Although he is chasing a treble with Bayern this season he will also need to plan for City’s next campaign and the teams could face each other in the Champions League with both through to the last 16.

“I am like a woman,” Guardiola told reporters when asked specifically about the issue of conflict of interest on Friday.

“I can do things simultaneously. I can control both situations.” He said he would talk about the City deal once he was in England.

“I cannot say something every week about it,” said Guardiola, who rejected a contract extension with Bayern last year.

“It is another four months and for me it is not a problem. Newspapers can continue attacking and I will continue doing my job,” he said.

Guardiola was referring to widespread reports alleging internal discontent in the squad about the way he handled his decision to leave Bayern.

The club rejected such reports as well as allegations of weight and discipline problems with midfielder Arturo Vidal during their winter training camp in Qatar.

“He is very strong and has trained very well. I fully trust him,” Guardiola said in support of the Chilean.

The Spaniard can still leave on a high and clinch a treble in his final season at Munich, matching the 2013 campaign under his predecessor Jupp Heynckes.

“Coaches get little respect these days,” he said. “It is everywhere like that. In Madrid, Barcelona, Germany, England,” he said ahead of Bayern’s Bundesliga match against Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. “It does not matter what we say.

“There are respectable papers here that have not asked me a single question on football in these three years.

“But that comes with the job. I do not understand it but I can live with it.”

Bayern are eight points clear at the top of the Bundesliga and on course for a record fourth successive league title.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2016