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.

 

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.

Barça’s Young Defenders’ Quandary.

Another season with a new manager yet the outcome for Barça’s young defenders Martin Montoya and Marc Bartra remains unchanged.  The duo have been rotating their seats with the bench and the stands. With the season now rolling into the insane cycle of two games a week, these young players have to play. The club cannot take for granted that since they came through La Masia, these players will not complain and seek an exit. Such wishful thinking could lead to familiar problems yet again.

Thiago was a perfect example of players exhibiting ambition by seeking a new change in order to gain minutes. Many assumed that Thiago would stay put and accept being a bench player who hardly features since he came through La Masia and thus, was loyal. The club then saw the young phenom pack his bags and head to Bayern Munich. Barça face the same dilemma with their two young defenders Montoya and Bartra. Both have hardly featured this season when they should be.

It’s no surprise that there have been media reports that the young players are upset at their lack of playing time which is why they are reluctant to sign new deals with the club. Some would say that they should be patient and their moment will come. Some attributed that same argument to Thiago and complained that he should have been patient like his peers Xavi and Iniesta. However, those two did not have legends playing ahead of them and actually made more appearances at Thiago’s age than he did.

Bartra has also been rotating from bench and the stands. He is the number one choice if either Pique or Mascherano get hurt. Yet, he has not played since representing Spain this summer. One would expect the club to learn from last season’s mistakes of not giving the young defender more playing time to prevent him from making an appearance in case of an injury to one of the center backs, while in a rusty condition. Based on the situation, I thought Bartra did the best that he could against Bayern seeing as he was not constantly playing. However, if Puyol is to make a healthy return, where would Bartra’s minutes come from?

Yesterday, Montoya was on the bench and Bartra was in the stands collecting rust yet again. The club made the big mistake of not signing center backs this summer and so they need to rotate as much as they can in a season as this where the calendar is congested with far too many games without ample time for rest. This is when you depend on the youth to give the veterans some games to rest and keep everyone healthy.

We will soon see whether Tata will go ahead and implement those moves. If not, then expect these young players to continue to be frustrated and perhaps seek an exit in the winter transfer window. That could spell trouble for the club and could also cast a negative reflection for the young players with Barça B who might contemplate their futures too.

Martino’s Challenging Tasks Ahead.

Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino will be the man on the touchline for Barça’s upcoming season. He comes from Argentina with an impressive resume but without any European coaching experience. That is one of the many challenging tasks that Tata will face when the season kicks off this month.

Another season brings us another new face on Barça’s touchline yelling instructions to the Blaugrana players. Pep, Tito and now Tata will get to experience the hot seat of Barça manager. His experience overseas is not at all shabby. However, there was some concern about whether Tata is the man qualified to direct the side.

His first challenge will be to earn the players’ respect. It seems like he is slowly winning them over but preseason is preseason for a reason; it is not the real deal yet. Will he win them over when the going gets tough? Will he treat all the players equally or will he have his favorites? Respect is a two way street and it has to be earned. However, Tata needs to win these guys over quickly and ensure a good start to the season.

Another challenge for Tata will be strengthening Barça’s defense.  Barça’s Achilles heel these past two seasons has been their careless defending. The sloppy defending and lack of depth has hindered the team for far too long. He has to make sure Puyol is well rested. He has to make sure that Pique plays like a Barça leader, not as a Barça fan. Tata has to sort it out once and for all or else Barça will only continue to make it more difficult for themselves by conceding silly goals. He also has to make sure the club buys him a center back or two. As of this moment, that appears less likely to occur.

Furthermore, Tata will get the chance to rectify a problem that has plagued Barça for the past few seasons. Both Pep and Tito always seemed to watch their players struggle down the stretch with fatigue and injuries that caused them to come up short. Tata will have to ensure that players will be rotated in order to preserve them for that final push as they chase a potential treble. That means making sure Messi does not play every single match and giving Xavi and other key starters a game off here and there.

Additionally, Tata has to ensure the youth players are not ignored. Last season, we saw the likes of Bartra, Thiago, Montoya and Tello get ignored in big games. They were either glued to the bench or up in the stands watching their fellow teammates. Tata has to give valuable minutes to the youth players or else those with Barça B will start contemplating going elsewhere when they see they are shunned from the first team.  We cannot afford losing the likes of Thiago when they see minutes are hard to come by and have big clubs after their services.

Finally, the last challenge will be for him to win. As, Al Davis, the former owners of the NFL Oakland Raiders team, once said, “Just win, baby!” Whatever problems the club is facing, having Barça get off to a good start will beneficial to Tata. . I am always a firm believer that it is not how you start, but it’s how you finish. Last season was the perfect example of Barça starting great only to fizzle down the stretch.  Thus, Tata is tasked with this great responsibility of beginning a new chapter in the history of FC Barcelona. Hopefully his accomplishment will be worthy to fill the upcoming blank pages in Barça’s history books.

 

Rosell’s Biggest Decision Ever.

It has been a difficult period lately for FC Barcelona President Sandro Rosell. Friday’s announcement that Tito Vilanova was going to step down after suffering a relapse with his medical problems was perhaps the most difficult act he had to do during his entire time with the club. Now comes the most challenging and difficult decision for him to make; finding the next FC Barcelona manager.

During the 2011-2012 season, Rosell discovered Pep Guardiola was not going to return to manage FC Barcelona. He handled that situation by appointing Guardiola’s then assistant, Tito Vilanova, to be the next FC Barcelona manager. However, Rosell is now going to see FC Barcelona have their third manager in as many years for the upcoming 2013-2014 season. The media was all over this and their list of candidates shrunk from ten to two but the decision delegated to Rosell will be an enormous task.

Rubén Uría mentioned in his latest column that “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”. The point he was making was that FC Barcelona are witnessing history repeat itself.  Back in the mid 90’s, Barça’s successful manager Johan Cruyff was let go and his successor, Bobby Robson, lasted only one season before Louis van Gaal replaced him. Fast-forward to this decade where the Blaugrana faithful also witnessed Guardiola leave the club after a successful spell only for Tito to last for a season before someone else was hired to manage the club.

If you believe the media stories, the list of choices to be the next Barça manager is down to two names. They are beloved former Barça player, Luis Enrique, and former Newell's Old Boys manager, Gerardo Martinez. Supposedly, a decision will be made as soon as tomorrow and at least before the end of next week. There are positives and negatives if the club hires either one of these candidates.

Luis Enrique, Lucho, was a popular player, former Barça B manager and even a former teammate of Xavi, Puyol, Valdés and Iniesta. He knows the style and the expectations of the club and perhaps will give the B players more opportunities. However, his one year with Roma did not leave a positive lasting impression. Furthermore, will he be able to cope with the pressure of managing FC Barcelona in all competitions especially with his lack of experience coaching in European competitions. My concern is whether he can transition from being a former teammate and friend to being the man in charge.

Gerardo Martinez, also known as Tata, managed Paraguay to the Copa America Final a few years ago and gave Spain a big scare in their World Cup Quarterfinal encounter. He recently stepped down as Argentinean club Newell’s Old Boys manager after guiding them to Torneo Final title and the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores. Although his style with Paraguay leaned on the defensive side, Newell’s Old Boys were more known for their offensive goal scoring style. Another significant factor is that he was a disciple of the one and only Bielsa. However, my friend Alex Hoy expressed his big concern of whether he can control the egos of players at a big club like FC Barcelona. Thus, will he be able to cope with the pressure and handle the egos too?

The big question will be answered soon. Rosell has a big decision to make, perhaps the biggest he has ever had to make as President, and Vice-President, of FC Barcelona. He has only three years left in his term as president so this decision could leave a lasting impact on his legacy. Hopefully history will not repeat itself where the club will descend back to the pits.  Barça’s future is at stake and the entire football world is eagerly awaiting the news of who will be the next FC Barcelona manager. Rosell’s next move is no small task indeed.