Barça Should Be Run Better.

 Barça continues to enjoy success on the pitch and in financial reports but the way the club is run leaves a lot to be desired. Being run as a fiscal business entity is great if it means the club is in safe financial hands but that same treatment should not be used towards its staff and players. Messi’s outburst is a perfect example of the Barça board making themselves their own worst enemies.

There’s been a lot to cheer for as a Barça fan. Yesterday’s memorable come from behind victory is a perfect example. However, it is still difficult to forget what transpired a few days before the match. Messi’s comments a few days ago to a radio station were unexpected but not surprising. Messi came out with a scathing attacking on Barça Vice-President Javier Faus following the latter’s comments in a recent radio interview as well. It’s rare that we get to see Messi display such temperament in person, let alone on the pitch. However, the club only have themselves to blame for getting such a reaction from Messi. 

Mr. Faus’s stated that he saw no reason the club should improve Messi’s contract while also referring to Messi as “this gentleman” were idiotic and a display of lack of respect and affection by the club towards Messi. It’s not usual that the club seems to lack a bit of common sense when it comes to dealing with individuals at the club; be it managers or players or even staff members.

Even if FC Barcelona continues to grow as a business entity that reaches all across the globe, the club still seems to have a long ways to go in how to treat their own better. Everyone knows how the club’s relationship is with Johan Cruyff, one of the main reasons this club is where it is today. Furthermore, Guardiola left the club under a shroud of dark and mysterious clouds. It is a sad tale of affairs when the club seemingly has no relationship with the last 3 managers who won the club their only Champions League titles; Cruyff, Guardiola and Frank Rijkaard. 

Moreover, their treatment of those figures and current players seem to lack some common sense. It’s embarrassing when the club president, Sandro Rosell, offers to welcome Johan Cruyff to the Camp Nou without first paying the 30,000 euros owed to Cruyff’s charity organization. It’s mind boggling when the team discards one of their important medical trainers without getting some feedback from its players. It’s disturbing when, supposedly, a player suggests a candidate for the goal keeper’s coach position and is denied that choice because such candidate used to play for Real Madrid once.

There is a lack of warmth displayed by the club when it comes to handling things. The club appears to be run by businessmen and accountants who seem to neglect that they are also dealing with human beings who have feelings. The club’s decision not to renew Eric Abidal was heart breaking and somewhat revolting. One director promises that Abidal will have a new deal when he returns to action and a few months later, Abidal is being told his services are no longer needed. That surely disappointed fans but breaking your word to a player is downright disrespectful and you don’t need to be a psychologist to see that this could also bother current players who wonder if their futures lies elsewhere.

Messi’s surprising display of fury when Barcelona Vice President Javier Faus made the foolish statements that he saw no reason the club should improve Messi’s contract and referring to Messi as “un senyor (this gentleman)” were pointless and smacked a sense of out of touch. Messi replied that Faus was someone who “knows nothing about football.” Thus, the flame had been lit. 

Fortunately, Messi’s father put all of us Cules’ fears to rest by reassuring us that Messi was not going to leave the club. Sandro Rosell also replied that his door is always open to Messi. This was the last thing Messi needed following outlandish allegations that Messi and his family were connected to drug trafficking and money laundering. We have grown accustomed to such shady reporting from the Spanish capital media. It’s easier to find someone guilty in the court of public opinion than it is in actual court. I am not expecting the club to start threatening lawsuits on behalf of the player but it would also help if the club was not also adding to his distractions from afar.

Messi’s Outrage A Warning To Barça Board.

Messi’s comments a few days ago to a radio station were unexpected but not surprising. Messi personally calling out a Barça director on the air and insulting him showed us a side of Messi that we had never seen before. However, to say this was unforeseeable is a bit naïve. Barça board needs to change their way of handling things and Messi’s outburst was a warning of things to come.

Barcelona VP Javier Faus idiotic statement that he saw no reason the club should improve Messi’s contract and referring to Messi as “un senyor (this gentleman)” were unnecessary and continued the club’s pattern of alienating important Barça figures. It is no surprise that Cruyff and Guardiola are not part of the club’s current regime but they are playing with fire if they want to include Messi in this group.

Messi responded soon afterwards in a manner we had not been accustomed to seeing before. He called Mr. Faus as someone who "knows nothing about football." Of course Messi was not having a great week what with Madrid media trying to drag his family’s name into the mud with bogus stories about ties to drug trafficking. It was an attempt to find Messi guilty in the court of public opinion and Cesc came to his teammate’s rescue by indicating this was all “An Anti-Messi Agenda”. Obviously the club cannot sue the Madrid media on his behalf but the last thing they should be doing is piling on during this difficult time for the magical player.

This board seems to be run by men who treat the club as a business and not as a club. These players are not assets, but actual human beings. The club should not haggle with Iniesta over one million Euros during contract renewals nor should they be discussing in public whether Messi deserves a new contract. Messi has been a godsend for this club and should always treat him as not just the greatest player in club’s history, but also as the greatest player in the history of football.

Barça’s board need to be proactive and not reactive in the way they run this club. Thus, Messi should always get a new deal if Ronaldo or anyone else gets a new contract which pays them more than Messi. So when club president Sandro Rosell says door to his office is always open, he is missing the point. Barça should be the ones going to Messi with a new deal already on paper and not waiting for Messi to come to any office. That way of thinking is dangerous because while the board is waiting for Messi to knock on their door, another club might be knocking on Messi’s door at the same time.

 

Is Barça on the Right Path?

This season ushered in a wind of change with a new manager who has no ties to Barça’s philosophy or had any ties to the Michels-Cruyff Oranje style football. However, one has to wonder if the club is headed in the right direction in all aspects of the club. Change is always good, only for the betterment of the team.

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Barça has always been recognized for having a vision in how the team should play from the first team down to the youth level. It always made it easier for young players to make the transition from the youth setup to the Barça B team to the first team. This vision launched under Johan Cruyff and Guardiola restored it to some extent when he took over as manager too. However, that vision seems to be lost at the moment.

Barça B have struggled under manager Eusebio and quite frankly, have failed to impress as well. Barça B used to be fun to watch under the helm of Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique and also won. However, ever since Eusebio was hired to take over Barça B, results and performances have been disappointing. One Barça acquaintance once told me that the most alarming thing about Barça B under Eusebio has been the lack of progress from players under his coaching. You have to really think hard as to when was the last time you saw a player actually do well under him and not regress.  With the likes of Rafinha and Deulofeu out on loan, it’s hard to fathom who else will go on loan next year?

Barça’s recent defeat to Ajax also made me wonder if the B players were better off playing for someone like Frank de Boer over at Ajax than for Eusebio. Eusebio’s style is not exactly one that is faithful to the first team style that we have been accustomed to seeing. However, that Ajax loss also made me wonder how good is it for this club to play Tata Martino’s style of football when the younger players are taught to play a different style of football. So not only do we have the youth playing an odd system under Eusebio, they are going to be exposed to yet another system if they ever get promoted to the first team to play for Tata Martino.

Barça’s vision seemed simple and plausible in the past. Everyone played the same system so they would not have a tough time adjusting when they get promoted. Now, it’s a whirlwind of exposure for the young players. They are taught one style at a very young age, and then are introduced to an uncertain and unpopular style when they make it to Barça B and exposed to yet another different style if Tata Martino is still around with the first team.

Even the basketball team seems a shadow of itself. It once went from a powerhouse in Spain and Europe to just an average side. The team dropped the ball in taking care of the basketball team who are still sponsor-less this season. There is a reason why this club has been successful for the past decade. They had a vision which applied to all levels at the club. However, that vision seems to be lost in the midst of Camp Nou renovations talk, sponsorship deals talk, bad press against the president and slow movement in resigning players.  It seems this club is more interested in the Bottom Line than it is with the direction of the team.

If Barça want to remain one of the powerhouses in Europe, let alone the world, then they need to go back to the basics. In order to do that, they need to go back to having a clear philosophy and vision of how Barça should be playing. You can change managers and players, but you should never change the vision and philosophy of what is Barça.

 

No Club For Old Men?

Barça suffer two consecutive defeats in a week and suddenly Barça are in a crisis. It’s too soon for me to scream out the sky is falling but there have been signs of fan displeasure regarding Barça’s style of play. Tata Martino has made some changes but perhaps the one change he should consider is initiating a youth movement. In other words, time to give less minutes to Puyol and Xavi.

Sport mentioned yesterday that Puyol was still not 100% fitfor their Copa match even after he hadknee drained a few days ago. Meanwhile, Barça’s new system has made Xavi a shadow of his former self. Xavi’s performance and assists have decreased the past few seasons and it’s no coincidence that is when his Achilles problems began to plague him. Clearly these guys are not the same players from a few years ago. 

Sandro Rosell’s presidency has ushered in a new era for FC Barcelona where it could be deemed as a ruthless business approach. Nevertheless, their off the pitch ruthlessness has not correlated with their on the pitch structure of the football club. They seem reluctant to get away from the past. Perfect example, last season’s epic performance against Milan featured the same lineup that won the Champions League Final at Wembley with the minor exception of Alba starting in place of Eric Abidal.

Is it time for Barça to start focusing on the younger players and put the likes of Xavi and Puyol on the bench on a permanent basis. Puyol is 35 and his body can be the Catalan version of the image of the classic game “Operation” while Xavi is 33 and seems more interested in passing the ball sideways nowadays. As much as I love those legends, perhaps Barça needs to look to the future and not be stuck in the past. 

Barça already lost one phenom, Thiago, because someone like Xavi played in 60 games last season while the young player could hardly feature. Barça has a rough in the diamond in Marc Bartra who has performed well when called upon which merited him a call up to the Spanish national team. However, he has to play second fiddle to Puyol and Mascherano, who happens to be 29. Meanwhile, his fellow colleague, Montoya, is also finding it a tough go to get minutes while he plays second fiddle to Dani Alves and Adriano. Dani Alves is 30 and Adriano is 29.

Players with determination and ambition also want minutes. So Barça have to ask themselves, can they afford to lose more younger players and lose a piece of their future? Or will they still clutch to the past by playing players who might not be up to the task anymore? Now, unlike Rosell, I’m not a heartless guy. I would love to have both players stick around till they retire when they hit 40, albeit with different roles. Perhaps Puyol can start the occasional game here and there, at center back only, whereas Xavi should also start the occasional odd game but more importantly, I can see how useful he would be in games where Barça would require his presence to protect a lead by allowing them to stay in control in the final 15-20 minutes of a match.

Other teams are getting younger and Barça need to realize that it’s just not the style of play that they have been far too deeply reliant on, but it’s their reliance on the old guard as well. Barça have to move with the times and keep the squad young and fresh and not lose their young players to other teams. It’s not an easy decision but Barça need to start looking ahead or else they might find themselves stuck in the past.

Honeymoon over for Tata Martino.

Tata Martino endured his worst week as Barça manager following disappointing away defeats to Ajax Amsterdam and Athletic Bilbao. His honeymoon period is over and Tata will now brace himself for the firestorm of criticism that awaits him from the Barcelona based media as questions will linger about the team’s style.

This was Barça’s worst week ever in quite a while. Sure, we’re accustomed to seeing the Blaugrana lose here and there over the years, but the performances against Ajax and Athletic were ones you hope you never see Barça display again. Tata Martino had enjoyed a great start to his coaching career with the Blaugrana but that’s about to change with the media ready to pounce on him.

The media have not been too impressed with Tata this season mainly because of his preference for the team to be more direct. The team was winning, so the criticism seemed petty from a bunch of spoiled fans who are members of the media. However, those knives are being sharpened following these two defeats and Tata will have to be ready to face the music.

I have always been a firm believer that Barça must always adapt and not just fall into the same routine when it comes to their style of football. Tata’s arrival seemed to do just that with their smart cautious performance in El Clásico as the perfect example. His coaching allowed Barça to get the victory at his own style. However, these most recent losses did raise some issues.

Style of play will be one hot issue with everyone this week. The team’s sudden transformation from “Tika-Taka” to “Long Ball” is not winning over the fans and one has to worry if it is also not winning over the players. Xavi already voiced his concerns with Tata following Barça’s victory over Rayo where they had less possession than their opponents. What we saw against Athletic was a rather pathetic display by a team that can do better without resorting to chasing down long balls.

Another hot issue will be the re-occurring lack of no “Plan B” argument when the going gets tough. In both matches, Barça struggled to break down their opponents with their lone goal coming from a penalty. It seemed as if we were back to reliving the final days of Tito Vilanova where substitutions should have been made earlier along with the players looking lost and lethargic. Tata’s substitutions did not pan out and Barça seemed to resemble a team in search of an identity. Overall, we expected these problems to be sorted by now, not brought back to our attention.

Furthermore, one has to wonder if the club has the right personnel or need to sign more players in the upcoming winter transfer period. Sure, the club was missing a few key players but perhaps the depth is not there. If Tata’s style is not suited for the players, then perhaps they should sign some players in the upcoming transfer window that suit this style. Of course, he can always revert to the Barça style and make slight tweaks here and there. A complete transformation is not what many had in mind when Tata was hired to coach this squad and perhaps he should just focus on keeping the same style, with minor adjustments like he did in El Clásico along with squad rotations.

Fortunately for Tata, the upcoming schedule will be friendly with an upcoming Copa del Rey match against Cartagena on Friday and then the final Champions League group stage match against Celtic at the Camp Nou the follow week. Hopefully he can give some players some rest to recharge and minutes for others in need to gain some form and confidence. There’s still a lot of football left to be played and it’s very premature to panic. However, with Atlético and Real Madrid also in the hunt for the league title, Tata needs to settle on a system that works best for his team.

 

The Criticism of Tata Martino is Premature.

FC Barcelona’s manager Tata Martino is off to a great start after 20 matches in charge. His era kicked off by capturing the Supercopa and Barça are currently league leaders while enjoying being group leaders in the UEFA Champions League. Yet, there exists a minority of disenfranchised Barça fans who are not happy with the work done by Tata. Even though his system is different, it is still premature to criticize the manager.

There’s no need to go over the accomplishments of Pep Guardiola during his time as Barça’s manager. There’s also no need to re-examine Johan Cruyff’s ‘Dream Team’ era either. Both were memorable and high successful. Thus, to say Tata Martino had some gigantic shoes to fill was an understatement. Fortunately, he has been wise enough to just merely tinker with the system and not completely overhaul it.

Nevertheless, fans and even members of the Catalan media have been voicing their displeasure over the current style of football being represented by Barça. I am a firm believer that you can never please everyone in life since no matter how good you’re doing; someone will always be around the corner to criticize. Fortunately, Tata has proven that he is thick skinned in handling this problem from the get go.

The man is in charge and until he leaves or is fired, he is going to be the guy we need to throw our support behind him. I have criticized him in the past for ignoring the younger player such as Bartra and Montoya but I refuse to criticize him for the team’s performance. He has come in and has given this team what was exactly needed; a minor tinkering.

My mother used to tell me when I was younger that “repetition teaches the donkey.” In other words, if you keep repeating something, you will figure it out. Obviously Barça excelled under Pep after a couple of early mishaps and ruled the world along with capturing the admiration of many. However, the same can be said about Barça’s opponents finally figuring out how to slow them down over the past few years. What Tata brings is a change in the system to finally catch the opponents off guard.

 The most recent Clásico presented us with a more caution but more clever Barça side. The end result was a 2-1 victory and they are currently unbeaten league leaders. Nostalgia is great but you cannot expect to obtain the same results when you keep repeating the style after so many years. You either change with the times or you find yourself playing catchup. He knows that and admitted that it’s not enough to just win when it comes to Barça but he has done a superb job thus far.

Unfortunately, Barça’s own friendly media can be very unfriendly towards its manager; just ask Louis van Gaal.  Let’s wait till the season is close to an end before we start sharpening the pitch forks and light the torches, shall we. Thus, it is premature to criticize Tata Martino when the team is doing well and to some extent playing well with respect to the injuries and congested fixtures this squad has faced.  So far, the season is going well and other players have stepped it up along with younger players finally getting some minutes. We still have a long ways to go and the least we can do is back the mister while he does what was expected of him to do in the first place; win.

Messi’s Health Must Be Barça’s Priority.

Monday’s news that Messi’s torn hamstring injury will cause him to be out of action between six to eight weeks was disappointing news for us Cules. However, this news was not a surprise either. Messi and Barça have ignored the warning signs of not giving Messi some rest and following this latest setback, it’s time that they ensured Messi is well rested and make it a priority to watch over Messi’s health and protect him from wear and tear and from himself.

Over the years, Messi has dazzled us with wonderful goals and performances in countless matches. Yet, while watching with all those goals, I couldn’t help but think that sooner or later, Messi’s dedication to play in every match would come back to haunt him. Back in December, I mentioned my concerns about Messi playing in so many games to satisfy his obsession in breaking goal-scoring records. Although it was a great achievement, Messi was putting his body at risk by not taking a proper breather here and there.

Well, fast forward a few months later and we saw a tired and hurt Messi try to suck it up and help his team when he was not 100% healthy and ultimately paid the price. This season hasn’t been any better for the legendary player who has already suffered prior three other injuries this season.  It did not help that instead of taking the summer off to recover, Messi opted to play in travel and play numerous friendlies.

Messi cannot continue playing at this pace without suffering any injuries along the way. Both Messi and Barça must understand that Messi is not getting any younger and has played in an enormous amount of matches. Watching Messi play on his tired legs is like watching a car driving on tires with low air pressure where the end result is the same; a crash. Messi now has 6-8 weeks to recover and hopefully he does not rush back nor will the club try to rush him back this time. The club needs to make sure Juanjo Brau is back to watching Messi as he did in the past and cut down on his minutes via rotations.

 

No love for El Cholo and Tito?

On October 29, 2013, FIFA released the names of the candidates for the FIFA World Coach of the Year. Upon further review however, there was a head scratcher or two when the names were released. Where was the love for Diego Simeone and Tito Vilanova? Surely they deserved to be on the shortlist over some of their counterparts.

Per FIFA’s official website, the candidates for World Coach of the Year award were Carlo Ancelotti, Rafael Benítez, Antonio Conte, Vicente Del Bosque, Sir Alex Ferguson, Jupp Heynckes, Jürgen Klopp, José Mourinho, Luiz Felipe Scolari, and Arsène Wenger. I was a bit disappointed not to see Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone or Barça’s former manager, Tito Vilanova on the list ahead of some of these other names on the list.

Tito Vilanova managed Barca to the Spanish league title by capturing 100 points and finished 15 points clear of Real Madrid who were managed by none other than José Mourinho. Both managers got their teams to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League before being eliminated by German clubs. Yet Mourinho ended up on the shortlist while Tito did not. Mourinho ended up leaving Real Madrid after failing to win a major trophy while Tito had to step down for health reasons. Yet Mourinho ended up on the shortlist while Tito did not.  For the sake of playing Devil’s Advocate, I’ll give Mourinho his due that his side did not lose to FC Barcelona in the league and Copa del Rey. However, was his season better than Vilanova’s?

Furthermore, how can someone like Diego Simeone be ignored from this list? He has completely turned Atlético Madrid around and made them from laughing stock “Pathetico” to a respected side that are currently second in the league and are off to an excellent start in the Champions League where they have won their first four group stage matches. Simeone continues to build from his side’s third place finish from last season which also saw them defeat Mourinho’s Real Madrid in Copa del Rey final. Since then, they have defeated Real Madrid in their first league encounter, with Ancelotti under the helm, and battled Barça to two draws in the Supercopa that saw them lose out the trophy on away goals rule.

Yet, Mourinho once again is on the shortlist while El Cholo is not. It is very disappointing and appalling that both Simeone and Vilanova did not make the shortlist. These men had a great season and won more than Mourinho. Better yet, can someone explain to me how Wenger made it to this list because I can’t recall what Arsenal won last season.

Will He Stay Or Will He Go? Casillas’s Predicament.

Casillas’s future with Madrid seems to be in doubt. With the World Cup just 7 months away, Casillas is supposedly contemplating leaving his beloved club in order. This past weekend saw Casillas observe El Clásico from the bench as his counterpart Victor Valdés put in another strong performance to perhaps gain the upper hand for the goal keeper position in Spain’s starting eleven.

Alexis’s splendid goal against Diego Lopez this past weekend had Cules celebrating with awe while at the same time, neutrals and perhaps Madridistas were wondering if Alexis would have scored that goal if Casillas was in goal. Nevertheless, that’s in the past now and the future lies ahead. However, will Casillas be part of Madrid’s future or will he pursue an exit from the only club he has ever played for in order to get more playing minutes?

As a Culé, I have no problem admitting that Casillas is one of the few players of the arch enemy that I admired. Sure, he had that momentary lapse where he drank from Mourinho’s own special blend of Kool-Aid, but he has always been a classy individual for the most part. That’s why I am puzzled by the way the club has been treating their captain and icon. If they are not pleased in his role with the fall out of Mourinho, then making his life miserable is only harming their club and their country.

Mundo Deportivo recently posted a story that some Barça players approached Casillas in the Camp Nou tunnel prior to kickoff and told him to join the Blaugrana. Obviously this was done in a lighthearted manner however it’s not that far-fetched that they perhaps some were also delivering a subtle recruiting pitch to the distraught keeper. His familiarity with the players throughout the years on international duty would make him the perfect choice to replace Valdés.

 Nevertheless, Casillas will never join FC Barcelona. I cannot see him pulling the treacherous act of switching sides like Luis Enrique and Figo did. Luis Enrique came through the Gijon academy while Figo only was loyal to himself and never had a problem signing deals with other clubs. Casillas though is a Madridista, through and through. He came through the Castilla ranks since he was a child and has dedicated over 20 years with his club. 

Unfortunately, those years of service seem not to mean much for the Real Madrid hierarchy who are satisfied by letting their icon appear sporadically in UEFA Champions League matches and upcoming Copa del Rey matches. Even his fellow Spanish teammate and another counterpart, Pepe Reina believes Casillas is getting a raw deal, if you believe the lip readers. Casillas though is handling this like a gentleman. Although his club has wronged him, the fans still love him and I believe Casillas cares too much to break their hearts and join the Blaugrana.

As much as it seems that it would be a good fit, it will never happen. Casillas needs to leave Madrid, even on loan if possible, to improve his chances of remaining Spain’s number one goalkeeper. I don’t see it happening if he plays second fiddle to Diego Lopez in the Spanish league while starting in limited number of matches in other competitions. Del Bosque will have a difficult decision to make when it comes to selecting his starting goalkeeper when Spain attempts to defend their World Cup trophy. Casillas nonetheless has to think about his short-term and long-term future with his club. Neither of which see him wearing Blaugrana colors.

La Roja’s Exploitation Must Stop.

 Without a doubt, we have been fortunate to watch a team such as Spain these past six years. They have been wowing the world with their performances and results in Spain and in other countries. However, the Spanish Football Federation is turned their national team into a cash cow by taking advantage of their team’s success by turning them into a touring road show. It’s time for La Roja’s exploitation must stop.

Ever since Spain won the 2010 World Cup, the Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF) has been scheduling games for Spain all over the world. Spain have played friendlies in Mexico, Argentina, Portugal, Switzerland, Puerto Rico, Panama, Qatar, USA, and Ecuador. Sometimes, these friendlies take place during the summer and sometimes they take place while the Spanish League is in session.

 The RFEF recently announced that Spain would be participating in two friendlies next month. Once again, the RFEF is blatantly disregarding the well being of their players by cashing in on these unnecessary friendlies. Next month sees them play Russia in Dubai and in South Africa to face the 2010 World Cup hosts. Currently, the country’s players are representing their clubs both domestically and in European competitions in a congested fixture list because of the upcoming World Cup. Wouldn’t it be considerate of the RFEF to give these players a break? 

 Now FIFA is not blameless in all of this. They too have yet to figure out how to prepare a proper calendar without it interfering with club football. However, FIFA does not mandate countries to play in every international break. These matches in November are for upcoming World Cup qualifying playoffs, so basically this break serves as friendlies scheduling for Spain. However, the RFEF could have opted to not schedule any friendlies and just given their players a break for some much needed down time.

This most recent Clásico showed us how fatigued some players looked. Why pile on their wear and tear and not afford them some rest. I am surprised the big two, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, have not made a big fuss about these friendlies and the distances their players have traveled as the RFEF keeps globetrotting them at every available opportunity. These players have to prepare for the league, Spanish cup and UEFA Champions League. They did their job and qualified for the World Cup so shouldn’t they deserve a break?

Del Bosque could always rest the usual players and opt to call up the young players or fringe players instead, to see who make the cut. Yet, there probably is a clause that requires the presence of the stars in these distant countries. Nevertheless, the time has come for the big clubs, or the players through FIFPRO, to put their foot down and ask for an end to this exhausting traveling. 

 Clearly these players are not up for it as evident with some of the drubbings they received in Argentina and Portugal. However, if no one speaks up, then the RFEF will continue to schedule these cash grabbing events and exploit the cash cow that is La Roja? Is it worth it when the team’s performance might suffer and ultimately cost them a shot at a successive World Cup crown? It’s high time someone put their foot down and end this globetrotting money making bonanza.

Barça’s pursuit for the successor of Valdés.

With each passing month, it becomes more evident that the likelihood of Victor Valdes remaining with Barça becomes more bleak. It took the club a long time to settle on a true starting keeper after they discarded Zubizarreta following the 1994-1995 European Cup Final. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that the club’s fortune improved when they decided on Valdés being the man in goal for the long-term. The club will now have to seek a suitable replacement for Valdés and the list of candidates is impressive but dubious.

It is ironic that the man tasked with the responsibility of finding the next Barça keeper is one of the club’s own legendary keepers, Zubizarreta. Fortunately, the search for a keeper will not be that difficult. The choices available range from old and seasoned to up and coming young talents, however, what will be difficult is making sure the right one is chosen. We went through the likes of Victor Baia, Ruud Hesp, Bonano, Enke, Rustu and even Pepe Reina, who is also a potential candidate as well, before the club settled on Valdés.

The current list of candidates consists of Borussia Monchengladbach’s youngster, Ter Stegen, Manchester United’s David De Gea, former Blaugrana keeper Pepe Reina who is currently on loan with Napoli, and Atletico Madrid’s Courtois who is on loan from Chelsea. Prying some of these keepers will be very difficult and will not be cheap.

I have a tough time believe De Gea is going to be sold by Manchester United unless he has some poor performances the rest of the season. If that is the case, why should Barça then sign him then? As for Pepe Reina, it seems that many Cules are not in favor of seeing the former keeper back with the team. Sure, he is familiar with the players because of the Spanish national team connection. However, my issue is that Barça need a younger keeper who can provide a decade of service if possible and Reina has only a few years left in him.

This basically leaves us with two choices. Ter Stegen and Courtois. Ter Stegen is a young keeper whom the club supposedly has already made an agreement to obtain his services for next season. He seems to be destined to be one of the keepers for the German World Cup roster. However, one has to wonder if he is the right choice for the club. It’s not easy being Barça’s keeper; just ask Valdés and what he had to endure over the years. Does playing for BMG prepare him for the late night kickoffs at the Camp Nou and those intense matches in Europe and against Real Madrid? Maybe the gamble in signing him would pay off but can Barça afford to chance it? He would be worth signing to be an understudy although Barça B Masip also seems suited for that role if Pinto is not brought back to be Barça’s backup keeper.

That leaves us with the ever so impressive Courtois. He was signed by Chelsea when he was a teenager and was sent on loan to Atletico Madrid. The young keeper has been sensational ever since he joined Atletico Madrid. He has helped his side add another Europa League title and played a vital part in ending their long winless streak against their derby rivals, Real Madrid. That victory came in last season’s Copa del Rey Final which was played in Real Madrid’s own turf. Courtois played phenomenally well, and had some luck to assist him too, as Atletico Madrid triumphed and added another Copa del Rey to their trophy case.

Furthermore, the young phenom has performed well in the Champions League. Courtois has also helped guide Belgium back to the World Cup for the first time since 2002. There’s no doubt that his experience at the World Cup will only make him stronger. His resume makes him the perfect candidate for Barça to sign as their long-term keeper. The only stumbling block will be his price tag. He is still is a Chelsea player and with Mourinho there, it is highly unlikely that he will sell the young Belgian keeper to the club without asking for a king’s ransom, if he decides to sell at all.

Zubizarreta has a tall order ahead of him. Replacing Valdés is not an easy task and this upcoming summer will be a difficult one for him and Rosell if he chooses to get involved. The right man has to be chosen because the club has a team built to win for now and a wrong choice will be a setback for their title ambitions. Clock is ticking and hopefully Barça makes the right choice in the end.

First Clásico For Big Two Managers.

For the first time in a decade, we are about to witness El Clásico featuring managers in their first ever El Clásico. Gerardo “Tata” Martino and his side will host Carlo Ancelotti this weekend in what will be their first ever encounter as managers of the big two clubs in Spain. As both men prepare their teams for this upcoming clash of arch rivals, one manager seems to have his team playing the way he wants to play while another is juggling between finding the right system and lineup of his liking.

For the first time in a decade, we are about to witness El Clásico featuring managers in their first ever El Clásico. Gerardo “Tata” Martino and his side will host Carlo Ancelotti this weekend in what will be their first ever encounter as managers of the big two clubs in Spain. As both men prepare their teams for this upcoming clash of arch rivals, one manager seems to have his team playing the way he wants to play while another is juggling between finding the right system and lineup of his liking.

Even though both clubs have went through managers over the past few years, this upcoming Clásico will feature for the first time in a decade new managers for both clubs. Although 2008-2009 season saw Pep Guardiola face Juande Ramos, Ramos was hired  with only a few days to prepare for El Clasico. You have to go back to first year of the Frank Rijkaard era when he tried to match wits against Real Madrid’s new manager, Carlos Queiroz. Both managers had a proper summer to prepare their teams. By the time El Clasico rolled around, Rijkaard and the Blaugrana were struggling to find any form while Queiroz and his Galacticos were sitting atop of the league table with a ten point lead over Barça. That December night in Barcelona saw Real Madrid finally win a league game at the Camp Nou for the first time since 1983. 

The second half of that season though would not only see Barça exact revenge by winning at the Santiago Bernabéu, but would reduce the 10 point gap to just 4 points before eventually surpassing them in the standings. At the time, Real Madrid were battling Valencia for the league title which Valencia would end up winning. Real Madrid’s season spiraled out of control after losing to Barça by losing all of their remaining fixtures and finish fourth while Barça ended the season in second place.

While Queiroz had the great start, the late season collapse saw him get fired while Rijkaard would remain with the club and guide them to consecutive league titles and the club’s second ever Champions League title. Quite a contrast when you look back at the awful December night for Blaugrana fans who were wondering if this team was ever going to return to its days of prominence. 

Which brings us to this weekend’s upcoming El Clásico. Tata Martino is off to a record breaking start for a new Barça manager, while his adversary Carlo Ancelotti, is off to a somewhat rocky start and has failed to impress in the Spanish league during this early part of the season. Martino’s only issues have been injuries to key players who are now cleared, with the exception of Jordi Alba, to return to action. Meanwhile, Ancelotti will have to try to figure out who to start and who to bench, especially Gareth Bale, and figure out the right system. It’s not easy when the club directors are involved in the lineups that has Casillas on the bench and Bale rushed into action instead of being brought along slowly after not having a proper preseason to stay in shape this past summer. 

 Not much is different about this upcoming Clásico clash and that December night in the Camp Nou ten years ago.  Only the roles have been reversed with the Blaugrana atop of the standings and adjusting well to a new manager and playing the role of the hunted. Meanwhile, Los Blancos are still trying to figure it out and play the hunter as they try to keep pace with the league leaders. We will see if history will repeats itself this weekend and the remainder of the season too. Nothing will be decided this weekend since the domestic league is always decided in the final five matches. We have a lot of games left and it will be interesting to see how this season plays out the rest of the way.

History does not favor Del Bosque and La Roja

Spain punched their ticket to the 2014 World Cup a few days ago where they will get to play against the best of the world for the World Cup. This also means that Vicente Del Bosque will also get the rare chance to manage his team to a second consecutive World Cup crown. However, the odds are against Del Bosque as he faces an onerous challenge to do where others have failed before him.

Del Bosque and Spain have a tall task ahead of them. The last team to repeat as World Cup champions were Brazil back in 1958 and 1962. A few teams have appeared in consecutive finals but failed to win both times. Argentina back in 1986 and 1990 along with Brazil 1994 and 1998 come to mind. Both teams failed to repeat with Argentina under the helm of the same manager while Brazil had a different manager in their second final.

Carlos Bilardo was the man who helped guide Argentina to their second World Cup title back in 1986 against Germany. He did not step down following that glorious moment for himself and his country, and four years later, his team made it to the World Cup final where they faced Germany yet again. In what was one of the most forgettable finals ever, Germany defeated Argentina to dash Argentina’s hopes of repeating as champions.

Brazil won their fourth World Cup crown back in 1994 and were back in the final four years later in 1998. Carlos Alberto Parreira was the man who steered Brazil to success in 1994 but would coach Saudi Arabia for the 1998 edition. Instead, it was Mário Zagallo, who actually was part of the 1958 and 1962 Brazil teams, that steered his side to the World Cup final before falling to the hosts, France. Parreira did get another shot at winning it with Brazil in 2006 but that team came up short.

More recently, Marcello Lippi attempted to guide the Italian national team to a second consecutive World Cup final, following their World Cup triumph in 2006. However, Lippi and Italy would also fail in repeating as champions as they could not even advance from the group stages. All three countries saw their attempts at repeating come up just short or crash and burn, and Del Bosque can afford to learn from those three managerial counterparts.

If there is anything you can criticize Del Bosque for, it could be on his reliance on the old guard. Many thought he should have dropped Fernando Torres after World Cup 2010 but there he was scoring in another European final two years later and participating in last summer’s Confederations Cup as well. Many believed that Del Bosque should have used the Confederations Cup to test his younger players and not subject his veterans to another busy summer.  Surely that was the downfall of Lippi when his faith in the old guard, while disregarding young talent, did not pan out four years after winning their  World Cup.

Thus, Del Bosque will have to think hard about which players he will take to Brazil this summer. Does he stick with David Villa and Torres, or move on and put his hopes on the likes of Negredo and Michu? Will he use Cesc more often than Xavi and will he start César Azpilicueta over Arbeloa? It is a fine line between depending on veterans and over relying on them. Many believe Parreira made a grave mistake after he opted to go with the veterans in World Cup 2006 and not with the young players that participated and won the Confederations Cup the previous summer.

Furthermore, Del Bosque also has to be worried about fatigue and compliance. For some of his men, this will be their second World Cup, and sixth tournament if you count Confederations Cups as major tournaments. That is a lot of wear and tear on those players who have been representing club and country in over 70 matches a year. Will they have the energy to compete for another World Cup title?

Better yet, are they still hungry for another World Cup crown? Bilardo’s Argentina  were lively and threatening in 1986 but appeared bloated and lethargic four years later. We saw recently how Real Madrid came out flat after winning the league title under Mourinho while Barça fans still recall how their team under Rijkaard became complacent after winning the Champions League. The feeling of working hard and finally achieving the goal you have long strived for is rather unique and irreplaceable. It is also much more difficult to duplicate that motivation after you had already tasted success. Can Del Bosque take some comfort that the sting from Spain’s 3-0 loss to Brazil in the Confederation Cup Final could provide him with players hell bent on revenge?

The World Cup is 236 days away. That’s plenty of time for Del Bosque to decide on what path will he take. Will he avoid making the same mistakes that other managers have made in the past and select younger players who have not featured for Spain and are hungry to duplicate the same success that their idols have attained? Many envy to be in the position of Del Bosque however, I see it as a daunting position to be given the task that many have failed to overcome. History is against him but perhaps Del Bosque can learn from where others have failed and perhaps make Spain can surprise us once again.

Rosell Should Not Ignore Warning Shot.

The most recent attempt by Barça socios to bring a “motion to censure” against FC Barcelona president Sandro Rosell ended before it could start. Although Barça have been performing well for the Blaugrana faithful to enjoy, there are many who are also growing weary of Sandro Rosell’s presidency.

2016 will be when Barça has its next presidential elections. Sandro Rosell has till then to add to his legacy as Barça president. His legacy as a successful president with regards to triumphs by his teams is well documented. His legacy as a popular president with his leadership is another thing altogether. Rosell has made mistakes during his presidency that it was not a surprise that a “motion to censure” was actually brought forward.

Fortunately for Rosell, the motion died when those who brought it forward realized that they needed signatures from 15% of the socios and not 5%. Rosell had recently proposed increasing that number but he was bailed out by a change in the law from a few years ago that made it mandatory for clubs to request such as a high number of signatures.

I am not an admirer of Sandro Rosell so I was glad that this motion was brought forward. No, I am not advocating that he should be dethroned and be forced to step down immediately. Instead, I was hoping that this motion would actually put him on the hot seat and make him re-examine some of the decisions that he has made in the past and deter him from repeating those mistakes in the future.

One of the main faults of Rosell has been his selfish pursue of using the presidency to exact petty revenge against former Barça president Joan Laporta. I mentioned that in my column last week that some allege this agenda by continuing to go after Laporta and making sure Johan Cruyff did not have a role to play in this team is what drove Pep Guardiola out of the club.  It is quite sad that this club currently has a cold relationship with Cruyff, Frank Rijkaard and Guardiola who are responsible for the four Champions League titles.

Obviously some Barça fans are not too thrilled with Rosell being investigated for allegedly receiving kickbacks and his handling of such allegations with responses that were not well thought out in advance. There are many who are dismayed by how he has decided to place the Qatar Foundation logo on the shirt and furthermore, not make it the most expensive deal in the world. There’s also the reaction of how they have poorly handled some of their own players’ departures such as Abidal, David Villa and Thiago.

So Rosell managed to avoid being put on the hot seat and face a real test of whether or not he is still popular as he once was back in 2010. One can only hope that this not makes him feel more invincible but instead, makes him see the error of his ways. Rosell has created a big wedge among the Blaugrana faithful and it’s time he makes amends for some of the mistakes he has already made and bridges the gap.

Llorente? Why Not?

Not too long ago, rumors that Barça were interested in Fernando Llorente were circulating by the Catalan press because Llorente was not featuring much for Juventus. In the past, this rumor would have been shot down by many but today? Perhaps it is a rumor to give it some thought.

Llorente on FC Barcelona's radar? That was the case not too long ago based on the usual transfer gossip we see in the media. I’m from the old school Culé mentality that believes FC Barcelona should have a forward who has height and the ability to score headers much like Julio Salinas did for Johan Cruyff and Patrick Kluivert did for the numerous Barça managers that he played for and even Henrik Larsson did  for us under Rijkaard. Those were players who used their height to their advantage and also could set up their teammates with scoring chances thanks to their passing.  Simply put, these guys were not just there to use their heads for goals but to also create scoring chances for others.

Unfortunately, we have not seen those types of players signed by the club for a while. Now I know, I know, Barça did sign Ibrahimovic. That is true; however, Ibra was more interested in scoring aerial karate kicks types of goals instead of using his head. He could have been that extra threat that Kluivert excelled in whenever he bothered to show up. Nonetheless, Ibra and his ego resulted in his downfall and speedy exit from the Blaugrana.

I have also heard the usual argument from fellow Cules that our club’s style is not built for those types of players. I disagree. I am a firm believer that you can get any player to adjust to your team as long as they have the right talent and attitude and can also keep their ego in check. I have always wanted the club to sign someone like Miroslav Klose or Fernando Llorente.  Furthermore, this club is playing a different style of football that we are used to seeing so perhaps the Llorente option should be revisited in the future if he is available.

I still remember seeing his performance as a substitute in Spain’s World Cup match against Portugal. The 6 foot 3 forward stepped onto the pitch and definitely changed the game. His presence created problems for the center backs and allowed his teammates to enjoy some breathing room on the pitch , which was non-existent prior to his introduction to the game. He is what Barça could use against teams that park the bus as we saw against Celtic recently.

In all likelihood, this transfer will never happen, not even on loan. But with Tata Martino’s arrival, it definitely is not a farfetched idea to sign someone who has experience playing with these guys on the international level. Unfortunately, this will only continue to torment me like the club’s lack of interest in signing Klose as this decade’s version of Henrik Larsson. But it would be nice if the club put some thought behind it.

In Rosell We Trust?

Sandro Rosell’s era as FC Barcelona president has seen the club enjoy success on the pitch with domestic and international titles. However, Rosell has not been enjoying the same success off the pitch. His presidency has been clouded with controversial decisions that have finally reached a limit with certain club members. It seems that for some members, the time has come for Rosell to face the music with a censure motion to be served upon Rosell and three of FC Barcelona Vice-Presidents tomorrow.

Just to set the record straight, I have never been a fan of Sandro Rosell. I despised him the minute he stepped down as FC Barcelona Vice-President and published a tell all book to sully then President Joan Laporta and reveal dirt about the club such as their flirtation with firing Frank Rijkaard during his first season and replace him with Luiz Felipe Scolari and Rijkaard not wanting Ronaldinho to be signed. I wouldn't expect that from someone who loves the club. He sure didn’t look flattering in that BBC documentary “The Inside Story” where he came off a bit drunk with power along with acting as if he was the president at times while also coming off as a whiner  exhibiting the victim mentality that Barça fans were associated with in the past when he was complaining about referees robbing Barça. I never understood his comment that clubs run by president in a dictatorial manner was a successful approach since he complained that Laporta was doing the same thing after Rosell stepped down.

I was planning on writing this blog as part of the third and final chapter of my summer trilogy following “In La Masia We Trust?” and “In Tito We Trust?”. However, Tito’s unfortunate news of his cancer returning made me put off lambasting Rosell until now. In Rosell we trust? Based on the reaction of Blaugrana faithful inside the Camp Nou and on the social media, I guess not. Rosell promised a lot of things with transparency being one of the main promises. However, his presidency so far has been clouded with many deals that have not been transparent.

As much as the club has been successful on the pitch during Rosell’s presidency, his term has been very controversial. Some of the decisions that he made range from changing the rules in becoming a member, “Socio”, of the club to the Qatar Foundation sponsorship deal forced upon the club without members voting on it first. Some also blame him for Pep Guardiola walking away from the club while others complain that he has used his presidency for applying petty revenge against Laporta. The idea to allow a Madrid based media company to handle Barça TV turned out to be a bad idea when a video leaked Xavi’s off the record comments about Real Madrid which embarrased the player.

Furthermore, the club under his era has seen some awful decisions when it comes to players such as selling David Villa for peanuts while reneging on a promise to bring back Abidal and allowing him to leave which meant the club lost a positive and rallying influence in the clubhouse. By the way, Abidal has looked great for Monaco thus far. The Thiago fiasco that saw him join Bayern Munich because the lack of minutes for the young player resulted in his buyout clause to significantly decrease was also poorly handled. The way the youth setup is being run by bringing back Eusebio and not buying a centerback the past two seasons.

For a president, his actions have resulted in a lot of foot in mouth moments such as when he said the club would reduce spending by no longer allowing color printing and his poor responses to that poor excuse of an interview with TV3 when he was questioned about receiving payments from Brazilian friendlies. He also has enraged some of the fans with his decision to replace the Camp Nou with a new stadium proposal, lying about his ties with the Boixos Nois, allegedly contemplating suing a Socio for his tweets about his presidency, making excuses about Thiago’s buyout clause being misreported by the media, his lack of action against the media whenever Pep and the players were attacked but not when he was, lack of transparency about the Neymar transfer payments, and the list goes on and on.

Well, it seems that many have had enough of Sandro Rosell and his shady ways of running this club. The group “Go Barça” which consists of FC Barcelona Socios will bring a censure motion to against Rosell and Vice Presidents Jordi Cardoner, Josep María Bartomeu, Javier Faus, and Carles Vilarrubí. The people at Total Barça have a great story describing the reasons behind this action from “Go Barça”. It seems that the final straw was Rosell’s interview about the Brazilian friendlies payments controversy. So this action will be presented tomorrow which requires obtaining signatures from of 5% of the Socios which amounts to about 7,000 Socios. Of course, Rosell had already proposed changes to that measure by raising that percentage to 15%. It seems like he saw the writing on the wall but won’t have a chance to implement in time.

So brace yourselves fans; this is going to get ugly. Laporta-Cruyff fans versus Rosell fans and the mud-slinging and accusations will be tossed left and right. Pity that this could tarnish a great start by the club but sometimes the fans cannot accept or tolerate a presidency that is run on broken promises and lack of transparency. Rosell should know, he was allegedly one of the behind the scenes players in Laporta’s Censure Motion. Like the old saying goes, “What goes around, comes around” and it is Rosell’s turn to sit on the hot seat and see who jumps ship.