Pep Guardiola has indicated that he might leave the club in 2012 after admitting that his time at the Nou Camp will not be a long one.
Pep Guardiola has been a living legend among the Catalan faihfuls since replacing Frank Riijkard in 2008. Since then, he has already lifted eight trophies with the Blaugranas- including six trophies in his first season at helm.
However, his job status at the Nou Camp has been widely speculated ever since Sandro Rosell took charge of the club last year. Although he recently signed a new one year extension to his current deal, Guardiola has been tipped to be Sir Alex Ferguson's replacement at Manchester United.
Nonetheless, Guardiola has now added more oil into the already burning speculations relating him with an exit in 2012 by stating that it is not normal for a club to stick to one manager for a very long time.
"I think my time is ending here in Barcelona,” he said. "I'm fine here, but when you're at a club like this you cannot stay for too long.
“Next year will be my fourth consecutive season as coach of Barcelona. Such a club must have a lot of courage to have a coach for so long, because the players get tired of coaches and vice-versa."
Guardiola is also open to the possibility of coaching in Italy, having played there with Brescia and Roma between 2001 to 2003. However, he also insisted that his respect for Barcelona will not allow him to speak about any other clubs at this moment.
"I'll come if I still want to coach,” he said.
"It takes enthusiasm and more to make such a decision. I have too much respect for Barcelona to speak to other clubs while I have a contract with them.
"But, when the moment comes to go, I will thank the club for the successes and for making me strong. Then it depends how I feel.
"Once I am free then I can speak with clubs, but while I am here I will never permit myself to speak with others. Inter had Benitez - a great coach - and it went like this and that, now Inter have Leonardo, [Massimiliano] Allegri at Milan, I had the luck to meet him in the summer.
"They are big European teams with great players. [Inter president Massimo] Moratti has a great coach."
However, his job status at the Nou Camp has been widely speculated ever since Sandro Rosell took charge of the club last year. Although he recently signed a new one year extension to his current deal, Guardiola has been tipped to be Sir Alex Ferguson's replacement at Manchester United.
Nonetheless, Guardiola has now added more oil into the already burning speculations relating him with an exit in 2012 by stating that it is not normal for a club to stick to one manager for a very long time.
"I think my time is ending here in Barcelona,” he said. "I'm fine here, but when you're at a club like this you cannot stay for too long.
“Next year will be my fourth consecutive season as coach of Barcelona. Such a club must have a lot of courage to have a coach for so long, because the players get tired of coaches and vice-versa."
Guardiola is also open to the possibility of coaching in Italy, having played there with Brescia and Roma between 2001 to 2003. However, he also insisted that his respect for Barcelona will not allow him to speak about any other clubs at this moment.
"I'll come if I still want to coach,” he said.
"It takes enthusiasm and more to make such a decision. I have too much respect for Barcelona to speak to other clubs while I have a contract with them.
"But, when the moment comes to go, I will thank the club for the successes and for making me strong. Then it depends how I feel.
"Once I am free then I can speak with clubs, but while I am here I will never permit myself to speak with others. Inter had Benitez - a great coach - and it went like this and that, now Inter have Leonardo, [Massimiliano] Allegri at Milan, I had the luck to meet him in the summer.
"They are big European teams with great players. [Inter president Massimo] Moratti has a great coach."
