Oranje World Cup Exit Continues Tradition of What Ifs.

Another World Cup has come to an end, and once again, it ends in disappointment for the Oranje. There is no moral victory when it comes to the World Cup. It’s either win or bust, and for the Oranje, it was another tournament that ended in disappointment and left many wondering with what ifs.

• By Ibrahim Ayyub
• Follow Ibrahim on Twitter

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of our Football-Oranje followers. On behalf of everyone from Football-Oranje.com, we wish you a joyous holiday season!

The 2022 World Cup came and went, and once again, the Oranje came up empty-handed. There is no moral victory when it comes to the World Cup. It’s either win or bust, and for the Oranje, it was another tournament that ended in disappointment and what-ifs. That has been something that has plagued them after every World Cup exit.

Heads up, boys. 🧡#NothingLikeOranje pic.twitter.com/dn0YYkyzat

— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) December 10, 2022

What if the Oranje weren’t distracted by calling their significant others to debunk false German stories about them the night before the 1974 World Cup Final?

What if the Oranje had Johan Cruyff with them for the 1978 World Cup?

What if Johan Cruyff, and not Leo Beenhakker, coached the Oranje at the 1990 World Cup? What if Frank Rijkaard kept his cool against Germany, and Marco van Basten was fit during that summer?

What if Johan Cruyff, and not Dick Advocaat, coached the Oranje at the 1994 World Cup? What if Ruud Gullit decided not to retire from the Oranje right before the World Cup? What if the referee had blown the whistle on the foul that Brazil’s Branco committed on Marc Overmars seconds before he was felled by Wim Jonk, before scoring from the ensuing free kick?

What if the referee had awarded a penalty to the Oranje in the 1998 World Cup Semi-Final against Brazil after Pierre van Hooijdonk had his shirt pulled by Brazil’s Junior Baiano? What if Phillip Cocu was the last penalty taker instead one of the first five in a penalty shootout?

What if Holland versus Portugal during the 2006 World Cup Round of 16 clash didn’t turn into an audition for Cobra Kai?

What if Arjen Robben had chipped the ball over Iker Casillas and Bert van Marwijk opted not to go defensive against Spain in the 2010 World Cup Final?

What if Louis van Gaal didn’t get it wrong against Argentina by setting his team up to defend in the 2014 World Cup Semi-Final against a tired Argentina before falling to them in a penalty shoot-out?

After the 2022 World Cup, what if Louis van Gaal didn’t get it wrong against Argentina yet again with his lineups and approach? Why did he opt to start with Memphis and Steven Bergwijn instead of Wout Weghorst or Luuk de Jong who are 6′ 6″ and 6’2” against the Argentina backline whose tallest player was Cristian Romero (6’1)? It was no surprise that Weghorst scored a header against the 5′ 9″ Lisandro Martinez. Why did he opt to have the team sit back and defend in extra time, when the momentum had completely shifted after Weghorst scored that last gasp equalize? The pressure was always on Argentina, so the Oranje had the upper hand. Yet, the Oranje sat back and defended and were lucky not to concede during those extra thirty minutes.

When the referee blew the final whistle, I dreaded the upcoming penalty shootout. A brief word about the referee Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz. I have never been a fan of his and look forward to the day he hangs up his whistle for good. He is more interested in being the center of attention and will ignore the most obvious bookable offenses. However, he shows no hesitation to book you if you dare to open your mouth and say something he will not like. The fact he didn’t send off Leandro Paredes after his reckless challenge and for subsequently blasting the ball at the Dutch bench is not surprising. Yet, all that time he spent trying to defuse tension, resulted in ten minutes of stoppage time that helped the Oranje grab the equalizer.

If van Gaal was planning for penalties, then why didn’t he call up Jasper Cillessen? Surely, if you’re going to face Argentina in the World Cup, then why not call up someone who trained with Messi for years? It’s well known that Cillessen isn’t great at stopping penalties, but wouldn’t you prefer he be the one giving Andries Noppert advice on facing Messi instead of Frenkie de Jong? Speaking of penalties, seeing Virgil van Dijk step up and take the first penalty was admirable. Leaders lead by example but seeing him step up to take a penalty brought back bad memories of Frank de Boer, Jaap Stam, and Paul Bosvelt taking penalties for the Oranje. I prefer not to see defenders take penalties for the Oranje unless their name is Ronald Koeman.

Speaking of Ronald Koeman, he returns to the bench that he vacated a few years ago. Hopefully, the transition from van Gaal to Koeman is a smooth one. We are already had to go through with what if Dennis Bergkamp hadn’t retired and Louis van Gaal didn’t get it wrong during the 2002 World Cup Qualifiers? Also, what if the KNVB didn’t try to go back in time with the hiring of Guus Hiddink and Dick Advocaat during the disastrous 2018 World Cup Qualifiers? Here’s hoping the Oranje will qualify for the 2026 World Cup and maybe, just maybe, we won’t be left asking what if anymore.

Happy Holidays, fans! 🎄🎅🧡#NothingLikeOranje pic.twitter.com/h7bZds4jm8

— OnsOranje (@OnsOranje) December 24, 2022

Once Upon A Time When Barça Wore White.

What if I told you, that Barça players used to wear white kits in the past up till Cruyff’s playing days. It may be old news for Barça historians and fans from that era, but this discovery caught me, and other longtime and new fan, off guard. The Blaugrana's faithful are unaware of their club's history of wearing white.

Not too long ago, I came across a video of Johan Cruyff leading the Blaugrana onto the pitch in an away match against Aston Villa in the UEFA Cup Quarter-Final back in 1978. However, what caught my eye was seeing Cruyff and the rest of the team donning white shirts. At first, I thought that perhaps those were warm-up shirts but low and behold, Barça kicked off the game while still wearing those white shirts while I was still in a state of disbelief. That image intrigued me and caused me to look deeper into Barça’s use of white in their kits.

 

FC Barcelona began wearing white from the early 1900s when the club's founder, Joan Gamper was the club’s president. The team wore the Blaugrana shirt with white shorts and also had a white away kit. The team would go on to wear white in different variations up to the 70's. Furthermore, when Barça was founded, the club used the coat of arms of the city of Barcelona on their shirt as a badge before Joan Gamper decided to give the club its own special crest in 1910. The final time the club wore white was in 1979. Since then, that color has not been used in its entirety and even minor use of it on the shirt has been controversial among the Blaugrana faithful. In the early 90’s, there was controversy  after Barça switched from Meyba to Kappa as the kit maker because Kappa's home shirts had white collars with white stripes on the sides while also displaying their Kappa logo in white.

Now a major factor that must be taken into consideration is that it wasn’t until the 50s before the rivalry between Barça and Real Madrid became fiery following the Di Stéfano signing controversy. Therefore, displaying the white color did not carry the vitriol that it would today. It was considered an easy color choice to use against teams that wore dark colored shirts. Moreover, white shirts were also helpful for the television viewers watching a football match on their black and white television sets which helped the viewers differentiate between the two teams. Until 1913, Barça used to wear the Blaugrana shirt with white shorts. Afterwards, the club began wearing black shorts before switching to the traditional navy blue shorts in 1920 while occasionally using red shorts. Although the white shirt was designed to be the away kit, there had been occasions where Barça wore it at home. During the 1946-47 season, they wore the white shirt against Levante at home at their old ground, Les Corts, because it was customary back then for the home team to wear their away shirt if there was a clash of kits with the visiting team.

 

There were other instances of the Blaugrana sporadically wearing the white shirt.  During the summer of 1952, Barça played with a white shirt and blue shorts in the final of the second edition of the Copa Latina. That final was played against Nice, which took place in France in 1952 in which the Blaugrana won 1-0.

A few more occasions where the team wore white at home afterwards, but only in European competitions. During the first edition of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (before becoming the UEFA Cup and now known as the Europa League),  Barça played with the white shirt against FC Copenhagen at their home, Les Corts on Christmas Day in 1955. The reason behind Barça playing with the white shirt on that day was because it was meant to represent the city of Barcelona. Moreover, the white shirt did not have the Barça crest, but instead, displayed the coat of arms of the city of Barcelona. Barça also played in white against Birmingham City, in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1957, while also displaying the coat of arms of the city of Barcelona on their shirt.

 

The Blaugrana also donned the white shirt in the Champions League, back when it was called the European Cup. During the 1959-1960 season, Barça wore the white shirt at the San Siro against Milan, on November 4, 1959 (enjoy this brief footage) . The white shirt also made an appearance against Hannover 96 during 1965-66 season in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, and again in the San Siro, but this time against Inter during the 1969-1970 season in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. The white shirt also made an appearance in the now defunct UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in Romania against Steaua Bucharest during the 1971-1972 season.


 

The rest of the 70’s would see the club don the white shirts in UEFA Cup matches. The white shirt were restricted to a few away matches in Hungary and England. The Blaugrana donned the white shirt away to Vasas in Hungary during the 1975-1976 season. Similarly, Barca wore white in England against Aston Villa and Ipswich Town during the 1978-179 season.  FC Barcelona’s away loss to Ipswich Town on on March 7, 1979 would mark the final time the white shirt would be worn by the Blaugrana.

 
Final appearance of the white shirt

Furthermore, the use of white on kits was not just limited to the fooball team. Wearing white was also common for Barça’s basketball team with white shorts being a part of the team kit. The 70’s, were also the last time the basketball team wore white shorts with their Blaugrana tops.



Nonetheless, that video of Cruyff leading the team onto the pitch with his captain’s armband on top of a white shirt is an image that will never be repeated in the history of this club. As rare as that sight is, the shirts themselves are also a rarity. Back in 2012, one of the white shirts worn against Aston Villa, belonging to former player Paco Fortes, was put up for auction and was expected to fetch over €18,000. However, I could not find any information on how much that shirt went for.



Times may have changed but the idea of FC Barcelona wearing white again is not likely to happen anytime soon. Backlash and ridicule will be expected if the club ever decides to use a white shirt, even if done as a tribute. That in itself, is ironic since nowadays, we see the color white on the front of the shirt for the sponsors and no one bats an eye. For now, the white shirt belongs in the past.

Special thanks to Ángel Iturriaga for his input and Míguel Ángel's blog post well detailed blog about this subject. Also visit www.webdelcule.com for their great content and photos from past and present teams.

Time for a Barça Overhaul!

For the second year in a row, Barça crash out of the Champions League’s Quarter-Finals. The team has a few weeks of football left to try to win a domestic double. However, an overhaul is in order for next season.

If there’s ever a line from a movie that is synonymous with FC Barcelona, it has to be the line uttered in The Dark Knight. “You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” This applies to both managers and players. We have seen managers such as Cruyff, Rijkaard, Guardiola, and now Luis Enrique be admired only to be turned on by the fans. The same applies with players who were once worshipped but then left the club through the back door. At this moment, Luis Enrique is becoming the villain as the club fails to impress on the pitch.

Today’s scoreless draw against Juventus was Luis Enrique’s final European match as a Barça manager and it ended with a thud. Just a few years ago, he witnessed his team score three goals against Juventus in the Champions League Final. Sadly, his side failed to score over two legs against Juventus this season. Both teams had the same two managers but the performance and results were such a contrast from back then and now.

The manager and the board assembled this team full of expensive signings and what do they have to show for it? All these new signings and only Umtiti has shined. La Masia neglected for expensive signings who have failed to deliver. The short term goal of success over a long term plan of sticking with tradition that got them success has not paid off.

Many Barça haters claim anyone can coach this team to success. Well, for the third time in four seasons, and the last two seasons, Barça are out of the Champions League at the Quarter-Finals stage. Perhaps those who did not appreciate Pep Guardiola can now respect the difficult task of making it to four straight Semi-Finals, and two finals in three years.

Luis Enrique’s baffling decision to start 33 year old smoker Jérémy Mathieu to keep pace with the speedy Juan Cuadrado in the first leg doomed Barça. Mathieu was abysmal just a few days earlier against Malaga and was taken off at halftime. Nonetheless, Lucho started Mathieu against Juventus in Turin and again had to take him off at halftime for Paco Alcácer. The damage was done and it was going to be tough to muster a comeback against this Juventus side.

Lucho’s decision to bring on Mascherano for Sergi Roberto with twelve minutes to go was deflating. The side needed three goals and instead of bringing on Denis Suarez or even the young kid Alena, Lucho brought on a defensive midfielder. At least the team kept a clean sheet. With El Clásico just a few days away, Barça have their backs against the wall in a must win game. Anything else will make their quest for another league title futile.

Juventus were the better side who were also better coached and will now face either Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid or the surprising Monaco in the Semi-Finals. Luck however is not on their side since the last four sides who eliminated Barça at this stage of the competition never went on to win the competition; Paris Saint-Germaine (1994-1995); Juventus (2002-2003); and Atlético (2013-2014 & 2015-2016).

Barça will have an interesting summer ahead of them. The team is in need of an overhaul with more players being sold along with the signing of players needed in certain positions. The idea of assistant coach Juan Carlos Unzué or current Athletic manager Ernesto Valverde are a band aid option at best that fails to generate any enthusiasm. We need a manager from the Cruyff school, such as Oscar Garcia, who will pay attention to the youth and take the club back to the “Total Football” style that has been abandoned for this predictable direct, and also dull, football approach we have witnessed the last two seasons.

Failure to hire the right manager will tarnish Sandro Rosell and Josep Bartomeu’s legacy as the men who inherited one of the greatest football teams of all time, if not the greatest, and allowed it to regress under their watch. Under their watch, they squandered a great squad and allowed Real Madrid to become kings of Europe in football and also in basketball. The idea of success now over a viable long term plan has failed and the right decisions need to be made this summer. The basketball team is already in shambles and we cannot afford to waste the talents of Messi, Iniesta, Pique, Luis Suarez and Neymar by not surrounding them with better players and a better manager.

The Aftermath From El Clásico.

A week has passed since Barça crushed Real Madrid 0-4 at the Santiago Bernabéu. The lasting effect from that outcome has rejuvenated Barça while Madrid are still in a state of unpleasantness.

Barça’s domination of Real Madrid in their own Santiago Bernabéu was one for the ages for Blaugrana fans, and one that will haunt Madrid fans for a long time. El Clásico is usually a hard fought battle between two arch enemies regardless of form and league position in the standings. Yet, Barça’s 0-4 win seemed pedestrian without any bad blood. It was one sided from the opening whistle to the final whistle.

Barça have had a few great victories of such magnitude against Real Madrid in the Bernabéu in the last few decades. There is the 0-5 “Manita” in Cruyff’s first Clásico in the 70’s, perhaps the 2-3 win during the 97-98 season, the Ronaldinho inspired 0-3 performance and the legendary 2-6 win during the 2008-2009 season that felt like a separate trophy in itself during the treble season and now, the 0-4 victory will go down as another successful triumph on enemy ground.

Following that victory, Barça routed Roma 6-1 and Real Sociedad 4-0 in successive matches this week. Confidence is at an all-time high and praise was being bestowed on many of the players, including the magnificent trident of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez. All the players performed well and made their manager, Luis Enrique, very proud. The only sour note was Barça not getting the fifth goal to add another “Manita” to the history pages of this rivalry. Nonetheless, for me, this felt like a “Manita” even though only four goals were scored, the fact that this took place in the Santiago Bernabéu can be considered as the fifth goal.

Meanwhile, this loss just magnified the issues that continue to plague Real Madrid this season. Is this a team built to win or a team built to make money? Does the manager have the final say on who plays or the president? It was surprising to see Casemiro on the bench and not in the starting eleven and the end result was Iniesta running rampant and earning applause from the Madrid fans after he was substituted in the second half. While everyone is praising the harmony between Barça manager and players, the opposite was being discussed about the state of discord facing Real Madrid. Is Ronaldo unhappy and planning on leaving? Is Benzema’s mind distracted because of his involvement of a sex tape blackmail scandal? Do players like Rafa Benítez? Can Ronaldo and Bale co-exist? Is Rafa going to get sacked?

Madrid’s drama increased when their four goal lead against Shakhtar Donetsk was reduced to one as the Ukrainian side scored three unanswered goals to lose 3-4. They also looked sluggish during their 2-0 away win to Eibar. All is not well in Madrid while Barça and their fans are in a state of Euphoria. However, last season showed us that it’s not how you start, but how you finish. Madrid won the first clash last season and were on top of the world before their season burned into the ground with a trophyless season. What’s to say history won’t repeat itself and see Barça finish empty handed down the stretch?

Nevertheless, one feels that Barça can weather the storm if the wheels start coming off based on their style that they have learned over the years coupled with the new tweaks from Luis Enrique. The manager and the players have been on the same page since that infamous Sociedad loss back in January. The same cannot be said about Real Madrid. If the wheels start coming off, expect more drama from the Madrid press and discord between the players, the manager and the club president. There is a great expression we use in the US that applies to Madrid; “Winning is a great deodorant.” A few wins and perhaps everything will be fine in Madrid and this loss will be forgotten. But the attitude right now is that Barça got their mojo and Madrid is in search of an identity before they can get their mojo.

The Fate of Barça’s Future?

Back in April, FC Barcelona  displayed a huge banner in the Camp Nou prior to a league match kickoff that read “La Masia No Se Toca” which meant, La Masia is not to be touched. However, those words may have fallen on deaf ears under this regime. With the Montoya fiasco, following the Thiago fiasco, one has to wonder if the La Masia players wonder if their future lies elsewhere.

It’s been a difficult time for Barça fans what with the transfer ban and the way the club has been run by this current administration. It equally has to be tough for the Barça B players who are supposed to learn their craft from an dreadful manager such as Eusebio. The Blaugrana faithful used to take pride in watching players from the academy get called up. However, it seems that this club is more interested in picking players outside the club over those from within. So it is ironic that FC Barcelona’s response to FIFA transfer ban with the huge “La Masia No Se Toca” banner when they seem to be neglecting it as well.

The perfect example is the current situation with Martin Montoya. For the past few years, quite a few considered the young fullback as the heir apparent for Dani Alves. That belief was enhanced when Luis Enrique was brought on as the new first team manager. Montoya was a starter under Luis Enrique during their time together at Barça B. However, for reasons no one quite knows why, Barça decided to sign a nobody, Douglas, who has failed to show he is Barça material. Nevertheless, Montoya was put on the back burner and now he wants out in the winter transfer window.

Barça fans already had to go through Thiago leaving the club for Bayern and now Montoya is next to follow as another promising player who must play elsewhere. With the transfer ban still in effect, how can Barça afford to lose Montoya when Dani Alves is rumored to be leaving the club when his contract runs out at the end of the season. Douglas has been a nightmare of a signing where he struggled against S.D. Huesca.

Far more concerning for me is what will other players think about their chances with the first team? Deulofeu is out on loan again for the second year running and Adama is still working his magic with Barça B. You also the same situation with midfielders Denis Suarez and Sergi Samper. Denis is also on loan with Sevilla, with Deulofeu, while Samper is shining for the Barça B team. Barça did capture a diamond in the rough with Alen Halilović’s signing so the future looks bright for Barça.

However, it does not seem likely that these young players command starting minutes away anytime soon. Tello knew that and that is why he is playing on loan for Porto. Barça spent over 150 million euros this summer to strengthen the team and by the looks of things, they might need to spend some more next season if the transfer ban is lifted. Where does that leave the kids?

It’s easy for everyone to say that the kids need to be patient before their time comes. Montoya has been with the club for 15 years and he has had enough of sitting in the stands. I don’t blame players who are ambitious and want to play. Thiago did what he thought was the best for him, and if not for the injuries, he would he excelling with Bayern as he had when he was fit, and no one would fault him for making the move there.  Jonathan Dos Santos remained patient and loyal but no one wanted to play him and in the end, the club just wanted him gone.

My biggest concern is what are the Barça B players and the younger players thinking after what has transpired with Montoya. Do they think their future lies elsewhere? Just the other day, Eusebio lashed out on hisplayers following a loss and said they were interested in showcasing their talent for the winter transfer window. Well, to be frank, can you blame them?

Barça are currently a different system than the one Cruyff and Pep had installed. The same system that the youth players are supposed to be learning. So you have Luis Enrique playing a different style of football and you have Eusebio with his own style for Barça B. There is no clear cohesion from what the youth players are taught as they climb through the ranks. Barça hardly resemble the side that won the Champions League a few years ago while Barça B are hovering above the drop zone in the second division.

The idea of Barça B getting relegated would just be another step in the wrong direction for the club. People can say the players should be loyal. Sorry, but we have seen that both, clubs and players, are not loyal to one another. Figo was the Barça captain and he left for Real Madrid while Barça kindly showed Abidal the door. So spare me the loyalty speech.

In the end, the future of Barça’s future is not one to be messed with. This administration has made a mess of things during their time in charge and the way this Montoya situation has played out is alarming. If La Masia players see how the situations of Thiago, Jonathan Dos Santos and Montoya played out, how can we be sure that they are not thinking of an exit plan in the back of their minds. Better yet, can you blame them? You’d probably be weighing your options too if you were in their shoes since everything seems going backwards with Barça nowadays.

-@IBES16

Messi Is Mortal After All.

It was disappointing to see Messi come up just short in his quest for the World Cup trophy. He helped carry his team all the way to the Final but in the end; his pursuit of matching Maradona’s World Cup feats was sadly similar to Maradona’s 1990 World Cup and not 1986. Messi will now have a few weeks to recuperate and get ready for the upcoming season and hope he has the support from the fans and the board as Barça begins a new chapter in their history.

Not often many athletes can reach the status of immortality. Michael Jordan did it when he helped lead the Bulls to the NBA title to be considered one of the legends along with Magic and Bird. Messi had been one of the many Argentinians to be considered as the “Next Maradona” but was the only one to actually be a genuine contender for that title through his performances. The only thing missing of course was a World Cup title on his resume. Sunday could have been his coronation into immortality status along with Pele and Maradona.

However, it was not to be. Nevertheless, being associated with the likes of Johan Cruyff, Di Stefano, Eusebio, Puskas, Van Basten, and Raul is not bad company either. For years, we heard that Messi could not be compared with the likes of Pele and Maradona until he won the big one. Unfortunately, Messi’s performance was not good enough, along with his supporting cast for that matter, to beat Germany in the final.

Yet, it is ludicrous to believe that Messi cannot be considered one of the greatest of all-time because he did not win the World Cup. People make it seem that it was Pele and Maradona and 10 other men that won those titles. Pele had Garrincha and other superb players by his side.  Maradona had Jorge Valdano, Burruchaga and Ruggeri in 1986 and then Canniggia in 1990 on the national team among others. They are all-time greats but to say that those two players won it on their own is farfetched to say the least. It was a team effort and that’s why people need to cut Messi some slack. Messi did not have the talent, healthy or injured, that those two players had. Messi only had Mascherano that was dependable throughout the World Cup. Messi bossed the attack and Mascherano bossed the back.

This whole World Cup, everyone expected Messi to mimic Maradona and lead Argentina to glory. He sure did play that role early on in the group stages but his role changed in the knockout stages. He went from being Messi/Maradona and then played the roles of other World Cup winners. When Di Maria suffered an injury against Belgium, Messi became Zidane and Pirlo on the pitch and bossed the midfield and pulled the strings for Argentina while being hounded by two to three players at a time. It’s no surprise that he looked slow and sluggish against Germany. He looked human when he missed that golden scoring chance early in the second half. He has been carrying the team, and the expectations of his country and the world, on his shoulders with Mascherano but in the end, it seemed to be too heavy for his back and legs to pull off one last golden moment.

Messi will now have some time off to regroup before he rejoins Barça for another season and chapter in the history books. He’s been through a lot with the injuries, the loss of teammates, managers and the death of a manager he knew for many years. It is with the upmost importance that the club be on his side and support the man and also protect him. Messi has never been the same since his injury against PSG back in 2012-2013 season and the club needs to ensure he is getting the right treatment and reunite him with Juanjo Brau to be his personal trainer again. The club also needs to protect him when the Madrid media attack him and by all means, not allow a repeat of club directors to insult him either. This is not just a team but a family where they should have everybody’s back.

Hopefully we are not seeing the beginning the end of Messi, but rather, just watching a minor blip in his career. He has given so much for the club and for football and we should have his back. Of course, Messi also needs to realize that he is not 22 anymore and cannot play every day. We saw how Raul played himself to the ground and Messi is close to doing the same to himself. He is only 27 but the mileage on those legs is probably those who of one who is 32. However, that’s going to be easier said than done what with Copa America taking place next summer, followed by Copa América Centenario in the summer of 2016 and perhaps Confederations Cup in 2017 (if Argentina win the Copa America) and then the World Cup again in 2018.

Messi will not retire from playing for Argentina now but he has to start avoiding playing in meaningless matches such as international friendlies for Argentina across the globe, early rounds of the Copa del Rey, Champions League group stage where qualification and first place has been reached. He also should not play a full 90 minutes in games where the outcome has been decided by a four goal margin after 60 minutes. We are witnessing one of the greatest of all times who may play himself into early retirement if he keeps playing at this pace.

We do not know what the future will hold for Messi. However, it is time to stand by Messi in these difficult moments. If anybody has given us Barça fans so much glory and happiness in our long history, that no one else, not our beloved Kubala, Cruyff, and Pep could during their playing days. We will always be grateful and remember him for his legacy, for the trophies, and for being an overall good human being. If his best playing days are behind him, then so be it. In the end, we will still enjoy the magic for years to come even if he is not at his best and hope for more success.

Rosell’s Tarnished Legacy As Barça President.

Thursday was clearly a mixed day for Cules across the world following Sandro Rosell’s resignation. Some were glad to see the man step down after ruling the club in an unpopular manner while others were upset that it had come to this. Rosell’s era at the club was full of success clouded with controversy. Only time will tell how Cules will remember Sandro Rosell but for now, his legacy is pretty much tarnished.

Rosell stepped down after it was revealed that a Spanish court judge agreed to hear a lawsuit brought by Barça club member, Jordi Cases, regarding misappropriation of funds concerning Neymar’s signing. Rosell mentioned threats were made at him, regarding his dealings before and during the club along with personal threats made towards him and his family. As much as I disliked the guy, there is no excuse or justification to threaten the man or his family. It was cowardly and I hope whoever were behind it are apprehended and punished.

The writing was on the wall for some time for Rosell with regards to the discontent amongst the fans in how he was running the club. Rosell’s era saw him make unpopular decisions ranging from restricting club membership to sponsorship deals with Qataris, to alleged ties to the Boixos Nois, proposal of building a new Camp Nou, and pursuing the previous administration in court while stripping club icon Johan Cruyff of his honorary role with the club (and failing to timely pay Cruyff’s foundation) which probably is the reason why successful and popular manager Pep Guardiola left the club.   As I previously mentioned, it is quite disappointing that this club currently has a cold relationship with Cruyff, Frank Rijkaard and Guardiola who are responsible for the club’s four Champions League titles. 

The other negative lasting impact would be the club’s treatment of its players during his time. Abidal was let go rather with many feeling unceremoniously by breaking their word while David Villa was offloaded at a cut rate price. Many also thought the club neglected Thiago and the matter could have been avoided regarding his lack of minutes which triggered a low buyout clause while some believe Victor Valdés will be leaving the club because of this administration. However, themost embarrassing episode occurred recently when one of the Club’s Vice Presidents, Javier Faus, stated that he saw no reason the club should improve Messi’s contract while also referring to Messi as “this gentleman”. Obviously that was an idiotic and a display of lack of respect and affection by the club towards Messi.

Obviously it was not all doom and gloom under Rosell’s helm. The club is also well represented in the social media and the most important element is the success on the pitch. Also, the club’s financial stability seemed to improve albeit some have their doubts as to how bad they inherited financial mess left by the previous regime. The seed of mistrust started from there coupled with reports he was under investigation in Brazil for his ties with former Brazilian Football Confederation president Ricardo Teixeira, his ties with Viagogo which is the only company allowed to resell Barça tickets, allegations of impropriety in the Neymar transfer along with embarrassing sound bites such as no longer making color copies as a way to cut spending all paint a poor image of the president. Rosell promised us transparency as club president and yet nothing was ever transparent when he was in charge.

I could go on and on about Rosell and his presidency but one club member decided that he was done whining and decided to do something about it. Jordi Cases refused to accept how the club was being run and brought legal action against Rosell. There were rumors that the club was going to bring legal action against Cosas but in the end, Rosell bowed out. His legacy will always be a tarnished one full of success and controversy. 

The club’s new president is Josep Maria Bartomeu now and it appears he will be around till 2016. He appeared more composed than his predecessor when he addressed the media and even hinted that ties with Cruyff could be improved. However, the idea that he is allowed to remain president till 2016 does not sit well with me.  After all, it was Rosell who decried Cruyff’s appointment as honorary president without a referendum by the club members. Yet again, Rosell’s final act smacks of hypocrisy. 

The club members decide who should be the president, not the outgoing president. Elections must be held this summer in the same pattern as when former Barça presidents Josep Lluís Núñez and Joan Gaspart both stepped down from the presidency. Barça is a club that belongs to the people. They voted on who should be the president and they should be the ones to decide on who should be the  next president.

Rosell’s Departure Mean New Elections Must Be Held This Summer.

FC Barcelona saw its president Sandro Rosell step down and was replaced by Vice-President Josep Maria Bartomeu. For some, the end of Rosell’s era was welcomed after watching him rule the club in an unpopular fashion. Overall, Rosell’s time as club president had its share of ups and down but the era at the club was full of success shrouded in controversy. However, his final act in appointing Bartomeu his successor is not one for him to make, but one for the club members to make, and as a result, elections need to be brought forward this summer for the election of a new Barça president.

I was one of the many who never was a fan of Sandro Rosell and I am not surprised that the heat finally got to him. I previously mentioned back in September that “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.”Well he did in fact jump ship.

Rosell mentioned his final address as club president that he had endured threats directed at him professionally and personally; aimed at himself and his family. That is deplorable and is never ever tolerable and I hope the culprits are found and punished to the extreme letter of the law. Former president Laporta also encountered threats, and even attacks, from the Boixos Nois too during his reign. There are democratic means of protesting objection, and violence or threats of violence is never acceptable nor tolerable.

Nevertheless, Rosell’s era seemed to upset fans and club members which made the club seem distant and out of touch at times. Rosell’s presidency had its share of controversial moments.  I mentioned back in September some of those decisions such changing the rules in becoming a member, “Socio”, the Qatar Foundation sponsorship deal forced upon the club without members voting on it first, outsourcing Barça TV to Madrid based company that turned out to be a bad idea when a video leaked Xavi’s off the record comments about Real Madrid which embarrassed the player.

Another issue of content was Rosell’s interest in exacting petty revenge against Laport and Cruyff, the two men who he never got along with and resulted in him  stepping down as Vice-President after the conclusion of the 2004-2005 season. His beef with Cruyff was an embarrassing moment for the club after the fallout for refusing to acknowledge the honorary president title bestowed upon by Laporta and that the club had neglected to make payments to Cruyff’s foundation that was finally paid this season. Some attribute these factors as part of the reason why the club’s most successful manager, Pep Guardiola, decided to walk away from the club.

There is also the disappointing treatment of its players during his time. Both Abidal and basketball player Pete Mickeal were let go after being told that they would be welcome back after conquering their serious medical problems. Furthermore, David Villa was sold for a low transfer while they dropped the ball with up and coming star Thiago. Rumors have it that the club’s greatest goalkeeper of all time, Victor Valdés, is also leaving because of differences with the club. However, Vice President Javier Faus’s recent comments that he did not believe Messi’s contract should be improved was indeed an embarrassing black eye and painted a poor picture of the club.

For all Rosell’s flaws, the club still continued to be successful on the pitch and did make strides with regards to social media. Furthermore, Rosell did bring financial stability to this club and its coffers but there are doubts since some dispute how badly the club was in debt by the time the time he took over. It wouldn’t surprise me if the next regime also investigates this regime’s finances in the future. Some also wonder if the club’s positive finances is more because the club gutted other sports sections of the club such as the basketball team which is one of the biggest clubs in Spain and Europe but remain sponsor less on their kits.

In the end, Rosell was his own worst enemy with many unpopular decisions and controversy such as being under investigation in Brazil thanks to his ties with Ricardo Teixeira, the former Brazilian Football Confederation president; his ties with Viagogo company which is a company allowed to resell Barça tickets; not allowing free admittance to children in El Clasico this year; his ties with the hooligans Boixos Nois, the ones who attacked Laporta, after the Grada joven project in one of the stands of the Camp Nou fell through amidst police objections, and allegations of impropriety in the Neymar transfer. He also had a knack of not presenting himself well when addressing the media with embarrassing comments such as the elimination of color copies to save money and indicating that the club was struggling to pay wages just painted a poor image of the president.

Rosell promised us transparency as club president and yet nothing was ever transparent when he was in charge. However, his era has ended, or so it seems. Josep Maria Bartomeu is now the acting president and it seems that Rosell’s project will continue to be carried out till the term ends in 2016. I met Mr. Bartomeu once during the dinner hosted by the Penya a few years and he was very friendly and courteous. He sure did receive a lot of praise for his demeanor and style in talking to the media the following day after Rosell’s farewell speech. However, action speaks louder than words and he has the rest of the season to audition for this position.

I said audition because this new president Bartomeu should not be allowed to run the club till 2016. Sandro Rosell was elected by the members as the club’s president. The members should be the ones to choose who should be the next president or Bartomeu will forever be considered a puppet for Rosell and will never be taken seriously. If he believes he is worthy of being Rosell’s successor, then he should run for the position himself in the summer. When former presidents Josep Lluís Núñez and Joan Gaspart resigned, their successor only lasted till the end the season before elections took part. That same protocol should apply here. Lest we forget that, it was Rosell who opposed Joan Laporta’s appointment of Cruyff as honorary club president without the club members voting on it. The club belongs to the members and they should choose who should run it.

Thus, Mr. Bartomeu has till the end of the season to win over voters. He has the upper hand against any would be potential candidate. His actions from here till the end of the season will paint a picture of what type of president he will. However, the members should be the ones who decide who should be Rosell’s successor, not Rosell. Elections have to take place this summer.