Pep Guardiola says that he will not sign a long-term contract at Barcelona to ensure he keeps his passion and motivation.
Guardiola has signed a series of one-year contract extensions since he was promoted from Barcelona’s B team in June 2008 to replace Dutchman Frank Rijkaard in charge of the senior team and his current contract expires in June 2012.
“Listen, every day I think that tomorrow I am leaving. When you manage something, you have to always think that tomorrow you could go,” he said in an interview in Catalan sports daily Sport. “I work better if I think I have the freedom to decide my future. There is a risk that you lose your passion for what you do when you sign a long-term contract. It is all about passion.”
Since taking the reigns at Barcelona, Guardiola has won three La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies. Asked about his plans for the future, Guardiola said:
“I have no idea. If they still want me and I feel like it, I will stay. If they don’t want me, they fire me, I will do whatever comes up. In my profession you have to make decisions depending on what is happening. There will be a day when I no longer feel like being with my players, just as they will not feel like being with me, and at that moment I will have to go find others to make those plans for the future.”