Barça in store for an interesting 2015.

FC Barcelona suffered another black eye under this current regime when the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed Barça’s appeal of the FIFA transfer ban. Barça now need to figure out how to move on from this and not dwell on it.

FC Barcelona were once on top of the world. However, thanks to the current regime that only knows how to keep tripping over their own feet, FC Barcelona are regressing from contenders to competitors. I already stated this board should have resigned after losing their case against former Barça president Joan Laporta. The list of their shortcomings since the election of Sandro Rosell and his resignation to be replaced by current president Josep Maria Bartomeu could fill a history book.

I previously addressed how Barça got into this mess of being banned from signing new players.  Both Barça and the RFEF were found to have “violated several provisions concerning the international transfer and first registration of non-Spanish minors with the club, as well as other relevant regulations with regard to the registration and participation of certain players in national competitions. The investigations concerned several minor players who were registered and participated in competitions with the club over various periods between 2009 and 2013.”

After the Court of Arbitration dismissed Barça’s appeal, Barça’s president, in typical fashion, expressed anger at this decision and claimed injustice. Quite frankly, the board have themselves to blame. They resembled potheads complaining that Marijuana should be legal and thus should not be punished for getting caught with it. The rules were broken and Barça has to pay. Other clubs are under investigation over this violation too but they probably learned not what to do thanks to the inept board. Mind you, I still find it ironic that FIFA is worried about youth players as much as they cared for those kids who lost their dads in Qatar stadium accident deaths.

Barça’s initial response to the transfer ban was to display a banner with the message “La Masia No Se Toca” which meant, La Masia is not to be touched. Well guess what, La Masia is the club’s only recourse now. They cannot sign players for one calendar year, so Barça B will be the source of players to be called on to reinforce the team.  There are diamonds in the rough such as Adama, Sergi Samper, and Grimaldo who could be called up now and next season for sure.

However, something this damaging should cause some heads to roll. As much as many of the Blaugrana faithful want the board to step down and call for early elections; it will not happen. Thus, the board will probably look at the sporting director, Zubizarreta, to be the scapegoat/fall guy for this mess and fire him. What is interesting is that current Barça president Bartomeu was first vice-president, responsible for the Athletic Area of the Club. Thus, this happened under his watch but of course he will not take the fall for this.

So this leaves us with an inept board running Barça backwards and dependent on their Barça B team, run by disliked Eusebio, which is hovering above the relegation zone, to provide players for the first team next season that will be coached by Luis Enrique; if he is still coaching them next season. So, Happy New Year and brace yourselves, Barça are in store for an interesting 2015. 

-@IBES16

Stomaching Losses: Close Loss v Blowout Loss?

So Florida State's run for a second consecutive NCAA Football title were obliterated yesterday in Pasadena. Oregon Ducks showed and destroyed a FSU team that paid the price for remaining sloppy with the football. The final score was 59-20 and that will sting for a long time. The blowout loss made me recall a conversation I previously heard on a sports radio show regarding which is worse; Blowout losses versus Close losses.

As a fan, you experience your team winning and losing. For some reason, I seem to recall the losses better than my team's victories. Hopefully there are only a few others who dwell on losses as I do. Some losses that come to mind are my Buccaneers losing to the Rams in the 1999-2000 NFC Championship Game 11-6; Holland losing to Spain 1-0 in the 2010 World Cup Final, and FC Barcelona losing those two Copa del Rey finals to Real Madrid in recent memory. Fortunately, I have enjoyed seeing my teams in different sports win titles so I will not grow old to be a bitter man like most Boston Red Sox fans were before 2004.

Nevertheless, yesterday's FSU loss to Oregon was difficult. However, if I have to decide which type of loss I would rather witness my team suffer; then I would choose a close loss over a blowout loss. 

A close loss makes it seem that the team played hard and either didn't get the ball or puck to bounce their way. A blowout loss makes it seem that the team did not even bother to show up. Case in point, Barça were eliminated by Manchester United in the 2007-2008 UEFA Champions League Semi-Finals, by Manchester United on a 1-0 aggregate score while in the 2012-2013 edition, Barça were eliminated at the same stage to Bayern Munich by an aggregate score of 7-0. Without a doubt, the 7-0 will haunt me for a long time. It was not a matter of what if this shot went in or if the referee had not missed a call. Barça were second best by a mile and I'd rather not relive that type of result in the future again.

In conclusion, I prefer my teams to win but if they do suffer a loss, then count me in as one of those who prefer his team losses a close one.

A Guide to Washing Jerseys.

  

As a longtime Barça fan, I have collected a few or 30 Barçajerseys over the years. Many always ask me how I keep them in good shape. It is not that difficult to preserve the quality of your jersey; it just requires following some simple steps. Thus, here are my tips on how to keep your jersey looking good for a long time.

Tip #1 – Use of the Jersey

The most obvious step in preserving a jersey is examining how it is worn. The best advice is not to wear the jersey and play or exercise in it. It’s one thing to wear it when you’re out with friends or at a game. Just wear a cotton t-shirt underneath and have fun. However, if you are going to wear it and play with your friends at the park, then good luck! All that exposure to sun, grass or dirt from the ground, the sweat, possibly tugging and other wear and tear will not help preserve it, especially if the jersey has a numbering and lettering on the back of it. So tip #1, it is better not workout or play with the jersey.

Tip #2 – Detergent

Now, after wearing the jersey and you want to clean it to get rid of the smell of food or cigarettes, or some simple stain, you will have to wash it. Now, hand washing is the best way but it’s not everybody’s cup of tea. I prefer using the washing machine to clean my jerseys over washing them with my hands. Now, both methods require the use of soap. It is Very Important to make sure the detergent you will use DOES NOT CONTAIN BLEACH. If it does, then kiss that jersey goodbye. So please, read the label on the detergent. For the record, I use Tide Plus Febreeze, since it cleans and also leaves a nice smell to the jersey.

Tip #3 – Cycle

Now, once you have your detergent handy, it’s time to choose the right cycle for the washing machine. It is best to go with Delicate/Gentle Wash Cycle. Since Regular wash cycle will is the longest cycle, it could lead to wear and tear of the jersey with repeated use. Thus, Delicate/Gentle Wash Cycle is the one I would recommend for cleaning your jersey.

This cycle consists of a slower wash, spin and rinse cycle. Don’t be misled by the mention of slower wash. It will last less than ten minutes before it is done. Overall, it will provide less wear and tear on your jerseys which is perfect for the longevity of the jersey. Now, the type of detergent will play a part in the cleanliness of the jersey. I usually let the water run first and slowly fill the bottom of the washing machine and then I add the detergent and watch it get soapy before I throw in the jersey.

Tip # 4 – Water Temperature

Cold water! Always Cold water! Using hot or warm water on jerseys will damage it. So just use cold water.  Most, if not all jerseys, are made of polyester, so to avoid making them shrink or dissolve their colors; stick with cold water.

Tip #5 – Inside Out

Before you throw the jerseys inside the washing machine, make sure to flip the jersey inside out.  It helps protects the jersey. No one sees what’s inside the jersey, so if any problems do occur…..well, it will not be noticeable since it is inside the jersey. Flipping the jersey inside out also protects the letters and numbers from wear and tear along with the jersey itself from wearing out.

Tip #6 – Drying

Now, the Delicate/Gentle Wash Cycle is not a long cycle so it won’t be long before you move on to the next step; drying the jerseys. Do Not Use The Dryer. The best way for the shirts to dry is to air dry them. The Delicate/Gentle Wash Cycle will ensure the jersey will be wet but not dripping wet so it needs to be hanged to air dry. If you have clotheslines in your backyard, you can air dry the jersey that way. Personally, I never was a fan of outdoor air drying. I grew up in Florida and the combination of the sun and humidity bothered me. I tried it once and although the jersey was dry, the sun made the jersey feel a bit crispy and the humidity gave the jersey a funky smell.

Instead, I try to air dry the jersey indoors. Once the jersey is out of the washing machine, flip the jersey back to its normal form and then use a hanger to hang it. I usually hang the jersey on the metal bar of the shower or on the door casing and after 6-10 hours, the dry jersey should be hanging in the closet for future use.

 

If you leave a wet and crumpled jersey inside the washing machine for a long period of time after it has been washed, then expect it to stink later on, and you will have to rewash it. So it is best to get the jersey out of the washing machine while it’s wet and have it up and hanging. Also, some jerseys with plastic letters and numbers sometimes bubble up or wrinkle if left crumpled up when wet, so it’s best to hang the shirt once it has been washed in hopes of not damaging the lettering and numbering.

There you have it; My system for washing jerseys. I cannot guarantee you that mistakes might not happen, so exercise caution and pay attention to what you are washing. I try to wash the jerseys alone without T-shirts and other clothes just to be on the safe side. I would recommend you wash some jerseys you don’t like for a test run first before washing your favorite jerseys. 

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

Merci Henry!

Former Barça player, Thierry Henry, is calling it a career after 20 years as a professional footballer. His three seasons with the club saw him score 49 goals and win 7 titles. Merci Henry for those three memorable seasons!

The 37 year old Henry announced on his Facebook page today his retirement from professional football.  

After 20 years in the game I have decided to retire from professional football. It has been an incredible journey and I would like to thank all the fans, team mates and individuals involved with AS Monaco, Juventus, Arsenal FC, FC Barcelona, the New York Red Bulls and of course the French National Team that have made my time in the game so special. 

It is now time for a different career path and I am pleased to say that I will be returning to London and joining Sky Sports. I will hopefully share some of the insights, observations and experiences I have learnt over the years with you guys. 

I have had some amazing memories (mostly good!) and a wonderful experience.

I hope you have enjoyed watching as much as I have enjoyed taking part.

See you on the other side...

Henry’s career spanned 20 years where he played for Monaco, Juventus, Arsenal, FC Barcelona, and NY Red Bulls. He came over from Arsenal to Barça in Frank Rijkaard’s last season as Barça manager. The following season, under Pep Guardiola, Barça won the treble where Henry was part of the attacking trio consisting of Messi, Henry and Eto’o. 2009 Henry also was part of the same team that won all 6 cups in one calendar year. Overall, Henry lifted the UEFA Champions League, two Spanish League titles, the Copa del Rey, the Supercopa, UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA World Club Cup.

Henry featured in 121 matches and scores 49 times with his most memorable performance against Real Madrid in the 2-6 victory where he scored a brace during the treble season. In my opinion, he is a Barça legend and will forever be remembered for contributing to the team treble and six cups Barça team. Merci Henry!

Fond Memories of Henry’s Time at Barça.

Titi Henry bids farewell to the world of football. As a former Barça player, his time with the club will be fondly remembered as one of those class players who helped shape the club into becoming one of the greatest of sides of all time.

When FC Barcelona signed Thierry Henry, his unveiling at the Camp Nou attracted the masses. After a bumpy first season, which would be Frank Rijkaard’s final season as Barça manager, Henry would help Barça become a force under Pep Guardiola. During Guardiola’s first season, the treble winning 2008-2009 side, Henry was one of the key players as he notched 26 goals in 42 games. The most memorable performance was the brace he scored in the Spanish capital against Real Madrid in that legendary 2-6 win that sealed the league title.

The following season, Henry slowed down, perhaps the toll of so many matches with Barça. His final season with the club saw Eto’o exit the team and Ibrahimovic come instead. The emergence of Bojan and Pedro while Henry struggled to regain his scoring touch, 4 goals in 32 games, along with interest from MLS, resulted in Henry leaving the club at the end of the 2009-2010 season. Nevertheless, he was part of the Barça side that won the treble and the sextuple in one calendar year and be considered one of the greatest sides of all time. Barça won the Copa del Rey, the Spanish league title, UEFA Champions League, Supercopa, UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

Henry was a unique player who displayed grace with the ball and displayed a superb scoring touch. He left an Arsenal side where he was considered “The Man” and left his ego in check to be one of the guys.  His chemistry with Messi and Eto’o and the rest of the players saw the front three score 72 goals in the 2008-2009 Spanish league. Not all players get to ride off into the sunset, but he left the club with another league title and the admiration of the Blaugrana faithful.  Henry’s playing days are over but his performances for Barça will never be forgotten. Merci Henry.

@IBES16

The Malaise of Having Zubizarreta as Barça’s Sporting Director.

It’s no secret that the current FC Barcelona board is not highly popular among the FC Barcelona fans at this moment. Out of all the directors and members of this administration, Zubizarreta stands out as one of the most disliked figureheads at this club. Zubizaretta’s tenure as Sporting Director at this club will go down as one who has been ridiculed on social media for his inept handling of his position. The thought he will remain with this club till 2016 is stomach-turning for some and one can only hope he does resign soon.

Zubizarreta, or Zubi, is a legendary Barça goalkeeper who was in goal when Barça captured their first ever Champions League title in 1992. Sadly, he was also in goal for the 1994 Champions League Final when Barça were embarrassed 4-0 by Milan. That was his final match for the Blaugrana, in which he committed a comical error that killed any chance of Barça making a comeback. Since that gaffe, Zubi has been more known for his mistakes for Spain, World Cup 1998, and for his mistakes as Barça’s Sporting Director.

Zubizarreta inherited the position of Sporting Director from the outgoing Txiki Begiristain following the 2010 Barça elections. Simply put, Zubi inherited a diamond mine with Pep in charge and the team were on top of the world as one, if not, one of the best teams in the world. Prior to becoming Barça’s Sporting Director, Zubi had the similar position with Athletic Bilbao. Of course, the requirement of Basque only players handcuffed Zubi in his ability to wheel and deal. Sadly, his ability to wheel and deal with Barça leaves much to desire whereas Txiki has enjoyed some success in a similar position with Manchester City since joining them in 2012. Meanwhile, Zubi’s diamond mine has become full of coal.

Zubi’s disheveled appearance (put a tie on!) makes one wonder if he is a director at the club or a Western Humanities professor on a sabbatical. His failure to dress for the part does not come close to his failure in performing his duties.  In the past, whenever there was a Barça transfer rumor, the running gag has been that Zubi is taking a nap and missed out on finalizing the deal. The man falls asleep once on a plane and it comes back to haunt him. Of course, images of him falling asleep at the Amsterdam airport while the plane was delayed just gave us more fodder to enjoy. His way of handling the media leave much to desire. Just recently, he was asked about the upcoming clash against PSG, and he replied he has not watched much of the French league this season. One of those “insert foot in mouth” moments from a man who has experience hoofing the ball down the pitch.

Nevertheless, the overall performance of Zubi as Sporting Director has been a big failure. Under his watch, FC Barcelona have seen the likes of Sergi and Oscar Garcia leave the club as coaches in the youth setup and coach elsewhere while Eusebio is still underwhelming at Barça B. Some would say most players under Eusebio have regressed and not improved, with unfavorable lineups and tactics. Speaking of the youth, the FIFA transfer ban occurred because Barça did not follow the rules in signing these some young players. Again, this was under Zubi’s watch.

Nonetheless, Zubi offered to be the fall guy and resign following the transfer ban. The club disagreed, which would prove to be a grand mistake by the club. Zubi had shown he is not up for the job thanks to his numerous mistakes when it comes to signing and watching over players. Under his watch, the young starlet, Thiago, did not play enough minutes to trigger the big buy-out clause and Bayern swooped in for his signature at a fraction of his buy-out clause. Meanwhile, the club failed to sign the likes of Ozil, Isco, Kroos, and most recently young player Asensio while opting instead to sign Cesc and Alex Song.

Barça’s fall from the best club in the world in 2011 to their current status of good enough to be in the top eight of Europe is not surprising. Mistakes have been made since Guardiola left the club and allowed it to be run by the board and Zubi. A perfect example of gross negligence by the club was the recent comments by Bojan Krkic Sr., who had worked for the club as a scout, in which he indicated that the club could have signed Thibaut Courtois and Raphael Varane in the past. However, the club opted to allow those players to be signed by Chelsea and Real Madrid instead. There is nothing like watching good talent slip through Zubi’s fingers to the opposition.

This past summer was going to be one of the biggest summers in club history. Barça knew they were facing a transfer ban and had to splash the cash to strengthen the team. One would think that they would do their best to have a strong team for now and for the future in case the transfer ban was upheld. Although Barça signed Claudio Bravo, ter Stegen, Rakitic and Luis Suarez, it was a surprise that the club ended up signing Mathieu, Vermaelen and Douglas as defensive reinforcements. For the past few seasons, Zubi neglected to sign proper defenders so it was not that big of a surprise to see these players signed after all.

Mathieu is a good signing for depth reasons but Vermaelen and Douglas are a different story. During the summer, the club was trying to offload Dani Alves but his suitors balked at his wage demands. Signing Douglas did not make sense seeing as he was not highly rated in Brazil and Montoya seemed to be the right back of the future. Fast forward to today, and it is rumored Dani Alves will not be given a new deal and thus will leave the club at the end of the season while Montoya will be heading off to another team in the winter transfer window because of lack minutes that no one knows for sure why. The idea that Douglas, who has failed to impress in his few outings, is the only bona fide right back for next season is another example of Zubi not doing his job.

The fiasco that is the Vermaelen transfer should be enough to give Zubi his marching orders. I was never a fan of the Vermaelen signing due to his history of injuries. We only got to see Vermaelen in one friendly with Barça B against Indonesia’s U19 team back in September. He was indisposed the rest of the time as he trained individually because of physical discomfort before succumbing to surgery this month that will rule him out for four to six months. What makes this infuriating is the alleged knowledge by Zubi that Vermaelen was not fit to be signed. There were reports during Vermaelen’s medical examination that club doctors informed the club that Vermaelen needed to be operated on. However, Zubi decided to ignore medical advice and finalize the transfer anyways for a player who will not be counted on this season.

All I want for Christmas is for the current FC Barcelona board to resign and bring forward early elections. Zubi being fired now would be a Christmas stocking stuffer for me. However, this board and Zubi will remain with the club for 2016, which is like finding coal inside your Christmas stockings. It is the equivalent of getting socks as a Christmas gift and unfortunately, that is what we are left with thanks to this inept board.