Pep Guardiola’s future doubtful at Barcelona - Spanish La Liga
FC Barcelona’s current coach, Pep Guardiola has given hints of leaving the Spanish La Liga champions when his contract terminates in 2012. The Spaniard has revealed that he may not remain at the Blaugrana side at the end of the next season.
The manager has served Barcelona not only as a manager but as a player as well. Having played for Barcelona Football Club as a midfielder, Guardiola retired from his professional career as a footballer in 2006. On 8 May 2008, Barcelona president Joan Laporta
officially confirmed his signing as the team’s new manager,. The contract was finalized on 5 June 2008, with Guardiola replacing Frank Rijkaard.
The former Spain international midfielder has enjoyed a prosperous spell at the Blaugrana side. In his first managerial season, the club triumphed over the treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. For this very reason, Guardiola earned
the honour of winning the UEFA Champions League as the youngest manager ever.
The next season saw Guardiola leading his team into winning the UEFA Super Cup against Shakhtar Donetsk, the Supercopa de España against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Athletic-Club-c38535 Bilbao and the FIFA Club World Cup against Estudiantes side. This ensured a total of six trophies to the
manager’s record in just one year and helped in cementing his reputation as the world's best football manager.
Till now, the 40-year-old has won eight major trophies at Camp Nou. However, the brilliant manager’s future at Barcelona has remained under much speculation since the replacement of Joan Laporta with Sandro Rosell as the club’s new president. Although the
Spaniard has just signed a contract extension with the club in February 2011, but that only ascertains his future in Spain until the 2011-12 campaign.
Rumour has it that Manchester United seem to be interested in him, where he would replace the legend Sir Alex Ferguson. Guardiola has supported the rumour by declaring that he might be bidding farewell to Barcelona in some time.
Talking to the media, the manager said, “I think my time is ending here in Barcelona. I am 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.”
The Santpedor-born also revealed that out of utter respect for Barcelona, he would not speak to any other side while still on a contract with them. But when the time comes, surely the club can approach him.
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