MANCHESTER -- Pep Guardiola has not ruled out staying at Manchester City longer than his three-year contract.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager insisted that if he is happy at the Etihad, he would remain longer than his current deal.
But he told a news conference ahead of City's Premier League clash with Tottenham on Sunday, that it may not be his choice if the club decide to get rid of him.
"I am so happy here so I'm not just thinking about 'will it just be three years?'" Guardiola said. "When I decided to say goodbye to Barcelona and Bayern Munich I decided in the last year. I said 'okay it's enough.'
"I can stay more time or less. Less I know will happen depends on the results or if the chairman is not happy with me or our job. That [can] always happen.
"But if they are happy with me I can stay that period and I am happy and they are happy, why not longer?
"If I see the perspective to improve the team is not possible or I'm not happy any more -- when that happens I don't want to be a problem with the club. I never try to be a problem for the club."
City won their first 10 games under Guardiola, including his first six Premier League games, which has seen his side open up a four-point lead at the top of the table above second-placed Spurs.
But he says he needs time to fully introduce his game plan at City and that fans won't see the best of his side for another couple of seasons.
"You need more time and in my first year in Barcelona we won six titles in a row, but by my fourth year we were better than my first year," he said.
"In my third year in Munich we were better than my first year, you see the teams and the way we play. I am pretty sure of that and in my second and third year here we will be better than we are now.
"The results are almost perfect now but the performances will improve more over time. Now we won six games in a row and people say we are going to win four titles in the first season. How many clubs have done that in their first season? How many? Zero. It is so difficult.
"We are going to try to win the game but in my last period here the football will be better."