Re: If not Martino, whom?

by Art Morte Thu Apr 17, 2014 10:40 am

If Martino leaves after this season and if your transfer ban for the next two windows is upheld, the new manager, whoever he is, is going to find it a little bit difficult, too. That's what I reckon, anyway.

by The Franchise Thu Apr 17, 2014 1:07 pm

Martino or a new guy, it will be difficult without transfers anyway. At least without Martino there is some hope we will play common sense football.

by The Franchise Thu Apr 17, 2014 10:08 pm

Raddy Antic, May 09.

Radomir Antic has slammed the way that Real Madrid are currently being run and the way that the team is playing football this term in a damning analysis of the club.

Los Merengues' former coach is dismayed by what he believes is going on behind-the-scenes and with what he has witnessed on the pitch, despite the side staying in the title race with Barcelona.

Not impressed by the functional displays from Juande Ramos' outfit, Antic is also upset by what he perceives as a culture of 'say nothing and it will be alright off the field'.

"The team is playing football that does correspond to the authority that Real Madrid should have," he said in an interview for Terra.

"They have won ten consecutive matches thanks to inspiration. But if you ask me if they have dominated games, have they done the same things well game after game and been good at set pieces, then I would say no.

"There is no continuity in what the team does. There are ways of playing and ways to lose. I was surprised with the Liverpool matches because the team had no authority in the two games and that is worse than either result.

"It will not effect things because the club has operated from day-to-day while hiding its great faults for a long time.

"People are going to have sit down and analyse what is happening, but nobody wants to do it. Everyone wants to just carry on without looking into it at all.

"There are serious problems, but nobody wants to speak up because they are just saying what others want to hear.

"After losing against Liverpool, [Gonzalo] Higuain spoke in press conference about the league as if nothing had happened. That is how things are."

Antic then stated that the lack of movement and creativity in the side is a problem and he feels that stars like Raul are not being used to the best of their ability.

"I see Raul having to run back and help win balls in midfield, because the two defensive midfielders are not free to connect with the forwards. Things like that have to be looked at," he continued.

"I never see any easy passes from Lass [Lassana Diarra] to link up to the attack. Is this what Madrid needs? I do not like to speak about the past, but when comparing it to other examples one can see.

"Fernando Hierro played in that same position and was able to score 34 goals in one season.

"Lass and Fernando Gago are not different, the two of them play the same and they move with the ball and there are no surprises. They begin and end their moves in the same place without doing anything.

"They do not use the wings to push the full-backs up. I do not see any play where they try to create space when in possession.

"Spain won the European Championships by maintaining possession, by making the ball the priority.

"The right wing is empty. They have bought [Klaas-Jan] Huntelaar and do not give him any crosses. He is given the ball from deep passes by Sergio Ramos and little else. What good is that?

"You have to buy players that can fit into your style. Anyone can score goals. Even so, Huntelaar is scoring goals. That is fortunate and means that nobody has asked any questions.

"Another thing that bothers me is that no Madrid player plays with their first touch and never use the space. The fans should be unhappy.

"Raul all his career has been a key player in scoring from corners at the near post. Tell me a single set piece in the last 15 games where Madrid have taken advantage of Raul's skill there. That is the problem.

"We are speaking about a club as grand as Real Madrid, with everything that they can possibly want. But when talking about the way they play, it is incredible."

Does anyone believe Martino has this kind of in depth knowledge...of anything? I struggle to believe it.

The bold sounds kinda familar too...doesnt it?

Maybe my memories of his knowledge and ability are romanticised..but I feel like we lack this kind of insight and detail and have done, since Pep.

by windkick Fri Apr 18, 2014 12:02 am

first thing first, before manager, we need the board replaced. And Bartomeu sounds ridiculously stubborn about not holding a new election this summer regardless of how bad things are going on with all the scandals and the losses + trophy-less season. Which utterly pisses me off. I hope the people uprise and force these clowns out, because while they are in charge, nothing will change on the pitch regardless of what is done to fool the people to make everyone think something is being done about it. The cancer is on the inside, not on the skin on the outside.

by harhar11 Fri Apr 18, 2014 7:22 pm

The Franchise wrote:No, he wouldnt be able to.

And its not like Xavi by all accounts demanded Martino play different...he apperently said "the team supports what he is doing but he feels like X, Y and Z is being lost".

When a senior players come to you in that way, its only arrogant and stupid not to listen...and on top of that, bench him.

It's not just Xavi, the fans, not all but some, and the media started criticizing Martino for playing a more direct game. Now imagine what will happend if we get Klopp, who will give up possession so that they can counter.

by Donuts Fri Apr 18, 2014 9:28 pm

harhar11 wrote:
It's not just Xavi, the fans, not all but some, and the media started criticizing Martino for playing a more direct game. Now imagine what will happend if we get Klopp, who will give up possession so that they can counter.

it's going to be those same fans, players and media that will ruin the club trying to play a certain way that is not possible anymore with our current players.
we have the players to have such a wonderful counter attacking team, iniesta cesc in midfield alone are great at direct quick balls, same with messi and we have pacey wingers neymar/sanchez/tello/pedro

but the fans have this obsessed mentality that possession football is so important as if we have played that our whole club history when it was only really touched with cruyff and pep.. tito tried to copy it and failed and now tata is trying to cope with it and failing.

by windkick Fri Apr 18, 2014 9:47 pm

How about we replace Zubi instead

by BarrileteCosmico Fri Apr 18, 2014 9:53 pm

windkick wrote:How about we replace Zubi instead

El Mundo Deportivo:

"Zubi will pilot the remodelling"

by The Franchise Sat Apr 19, 2014 12:54 am

Donuts wrote:
harhar11 wrote:
It's not just Xavi, the fans, not all but some, and the media started criticizing Martino for playing a more direct game. Now imagine what will happend if we get Klopp, who will give up possession so that they can counter.

it's going to be those same fans, players and media that will ruin the club trying to play a certain way that is not possible anymore with our current players.
we have the players to have such a wonderful counter attacking team, iniesta cesc in midfield alone are great at direct quick balls, same with messi and we have pacey wingers neymar/sanchez/tello/pedro

but the fans have this obsessed mentality that possession football is so important as if we have played that our whole club history when it was only really touched with cruyff and pep.. tito tried to copy it and failed and now tata is trying to cope with it and failing.

Nonesense.

To be a counter attack team, you have to be able to defend and win balls back...we dont have the players for that at all. Your thinking only one side of the game.

You make no sense at all. We have players who excell and keeping the ball, but lack physical tools....and you want them to give the ball up more, try and win it back and then make lower % passes?

"Only" since Cruyff? You mean...in the 70's? That's kind of significant....remind me again what we won prior to Cruyff? Then compare it to since he came?

You moan about fans ruining the club, thinking about playing this way...when in fact, its short sighted people like you who would be.

Changing, just like every other club...will make us like any other club....struggling for an identity every time a new coach arrives.

by Hapless_Hans Sat Apr 19, 2014 1:32 am

The Franchise wrote:
Changing, just like every other club...will make us like any other club....struggling for an identity every time a new coach arrives.

So you think you're not like other clubs, you think you're better than the rest of us eh?

Aha aha I see.... pride comes before the fall, my friend.

by Donuts Sat Apr 19, 2014 2:07 am

The Franchise wrote:
Donuts wrote:
harhar11 wrote:
It's not just Xavi, the fans, not all but some, and the media started criticizing Martino for playing a more direct game. Now imagine what will happend if we get Klopp, who will give up possession so that they can counter.

it's going to be those same fans, players and media that will ruin the club trying to play a certain way that is not possible anymore with our current players.
we have the players to have such a wonderful counter attacking team, iniesta cesc in midfield alone are great at direct quick balls, same with messi and we have pacey wingers neymar/sanchez/tello/pedro

but the fans have this obsessed mentality that possession football is so important as if we have played that our whole club history when it was only really touched with cruyff and pep.. tito tried to copy it and failed and now tata is trying to cope with it and failing.

Nonesense.

To be a counter attack team, you have to be able to defend and win balls back...we dont have the players for that at all. Your thinking only one side of the game.

You make no sense at all. We have players who excell and keeping the ball, but lack physical tools....and you want them to give the ball up more, try and win it back and then make lower % passes?

"Only" since Cruyff? You mean...in the 70's? That's kind of significant....remind me again what we won prior to Cruyff? Then compare it to since he came?

You moan about fans ruining the club, thinking about playing this way...when in fact, its short sighted people like you who would be.

Changing, just like every other club...will make us like any other club....struggling for an identity every time a new coach arrives.

Change is needed if we do not have the tools to continue, sticking to our "philosophies" if you can even call it ours, has gotten us no where with an aging squad and wrong buys.

possession football is not the only key to winning and we have to change accordingly due to the circumstances of our team, believe it or not xavi will not last forever and we have no replacement and he is key for this type of play.

last i checked in 2006 we won just fine without playing with such philosophies.
and please get out of here with turning into like every other club Barca is no more better then the club next to us, we play different some people like it, others don't
Tiki taka does not equate to success no strategy does, to stay ontop for many years you cannot stick to the same plan that everyone even relegation fodders can start countering it.

by messixaviesta Sat Apr 19, 2014 9:43 am

larisano_is_back wrote:Hi all, especially to those who remember me.

Out of that list put up, it is pretty difficult to find anyone.

I originally had hopes that Martino would do a good job, although, the fact that he wasn't much of a household name and is an outsider after all, meant that he is going to be judged much harder than Tito, for example.

That said; I think in light of all the problems hitting us, this summer might be a great time(Transfer ban or no ban) to hit the reset button somewhat and build again.

It doesn't mean a squad overhaul in a huge way, but some of these guys have certainly lost some motivation in terms of being consistently top notch and giving their all.

As much of a fan of Lionel Messi as I have been and continue to be, it is clear, that he is now hitting that point where, whilst he still has the ability to do the unthinkable, that 'little child' desire isn't there anymore.
I don't quite know the reason why, but I think Messi needs to be reeled in and morphed into more of an AMF player, especially if Neymar is ever going to find his feet properly.
I'd also love if we were to get Luis Suarez before Madrid can,tbh.

Building the team around False 9 Leo Messi, has to be phased out slowly. I have no doubt that he is and has been a better player than C.Ronaldo, and the records speak for themselves, Individual and Teamwise.

This summer, the Barcelona club has to sit and work out a plan for the future, and realise that it is time for some sort of change in direction for the club.
That Bus-Parking stuff is not easy to counter for any team in the world, but the fact that we approach that particular tactic the same way each time it comes against us, is cause for concern such that as a fan, every time, any decent team puts together a good defensive performance, we seem to have very little clue as to how to break it down, no matter which players we have on the field.

Oh, and it is high time, we as fans realise that what Pep's Team brought to us, was a kind of joy, very few fans of any team will ever get to enjoy....sadly, those times are in the past, and we can always look fondly at it. This team just doesn't have the desire and passion that the Pep Team had, unfortunately.

Visca El Barca! Keep Calm and We can Still WIN La Liga Fellow Cules!!!!

Very well written and nice to see you back.

Actually I have also logged in today after a long time. There isn't much to say except greet all those who know me here.

I pretty much agree with everything you have said. There is hardly anything to add except that when a team is chosen by including the biggest names rather than the ones most suited it's a major problem. Cruyff recently commented that at Barca it's the administration and not the coach who has been taking football decisions for the last few years. If that's true then it is lamentable.

BTW I am surprised to see that there are so many fans of WWE and Wrestlemania here. Smile

by The Franchise Sat Apr 19, 2014 10:45 am

Hapless_Hans wrote:
The Franchise wrote:
Changing, just like every other club...will make us like any other club....struggling for an identity every time a new coach arrives.

So you think you're not like other clubs, you think you're better than the rest of us eh?

Aha aha I see.... pride comes before the fall, my friend.

Did I say better?

Why not...different?

by The Franchise Sat Apr 19, 2014 11:01 am

Donuts wrote:
The Franchise wrote:
Donuts wrote:
harhar11 wrote:
It's not just Xavi, the fans, not all but some, and the media started criticizing Martino for playing a more direct game. Now imagine what will happend if we get Klopp, who will give up possession so that they can counter.

it's going to be those same fans, players and media that will ruin the club trying to play a certain way that is not possible anymore with our current players.
we have the players to have such a wonderful counter attacking team, iniesta cesc in midfield alone are great at direct quick balls, same with messi and we have pacey wingers neymar/sanchez/tello/pedro

but the fans have this obsessed mentality that possession football is so important as if we have played that our whole club history when it was only really touched with cruyff and pep.. tito tried to copy it and failed and now tata is trying to cope with it and failing.

Nonesense.

To be a counter attack team, you have to be able to defend and win balls back...we dont have the players for that at all. Your thinking only one side of the game.

You make no sense at all. We have players who excell and keeping the ball, but lack physical tools....and you want them to give the ball up more, try and win it back and then make lower % passes?

"Only" since Cruyff? You mean...in the 70's? That's kind of significant....remind me again what we won prior to Cruyff? Then compare it to since he came?

You moan about fans ruining the club, thinking about playing this way...when in fact, its short sighted people like you who would be.

Changing, just like every other club...will make us like any other club....struggling for an identity every time a new coach arrives.

Change is needed if we do not have the tools to continue, sticking to our "philosophies" if you can even call it ours, has gotten us no where with an aging squad and wrong buys.

possession football is not the only key to winning and we have to change accordingly due to the circumstances of our team, believe it or not xavi will not last forever and we have no replacement and he is key for this type of play.

last i checked in 2006 we won just fine without playing with such philosophies.
and please get out of here with turning into like every other club Barca is no more better then the club next to us, we play different some people like it, others don't
Tiki taka does not equate to success no strategy does, to stay ontop for many years you cannot stick to the same plan that everyone even relegation fodders can start countering it.

We do have the tools though, what are you saying? Look at the make up of the squad.

Change according to what? You sound like your panicking because a couple seasons went by without a great team...so your answer is, this football doesnt work anymore?

Xavi? Xavi has been crucial..but teams have played with many of the founding principles in mind before Xavi and they will do after Xavi. Go take a look at Bayern and show me where Xavi is? They play with many principles we have played with.

2006 was won without Cruyff's philosophy? What are you talking about? Do you even understand the philosophy?

I dont know what Tiki Taka is..but for me, your just reciting lame media spins on things and not thinking for yourself.

You seem to think that Guardiola time till now, we have played under some magical cloud of football which is now finished and that kind of football is finished.

When thats not true at all. Guardiola is the best coach in the game, one of the best ever, he drove in details and nuances never imagined into a style of play which already existed.

The fundemental idea of that football, it is not new...it has been with Barcelona a long long time. Barcelona have not been a counter attacking side since...I dont know...I was seen Barcelona footage from year ago and not once would I call what I saw counter attack.

Go watch Barcelona- Samp in 92 (our first European cup) and you will see a team playing under the principles Barcelona should play with. Even a team that was great, didnt dominate like the Pep era, didnt have Xavi, didnt have many great defenders even...they still played with an identity. Thanks to Cruyff.

And you want to change to some counter attacking rubbish on a whim, just because a couple years went by which werent as good as the previous 4?

No thanks.

Your short sightness is terrible.

The most scary part of your comments are, you seem to think that the last 2 years show that our way of football no longer works. When in the fact, the last 2 years only go to show that it does. Both years we have failed to do many of the fundamental aspects of philosophy and that has been a big factor in why we are not as good.

by free_cat Sat Apr 19, 2014 1:10 pm

The Franchise wrote:
Donuts wrote:
harhar11 wrote:
It's not just Xavi, the fans, not all but some, and the media started criticizing Martino for playing a more direct game. Now imagine what will happend if we get Klopp, who will give up possession so that they can counter.

it's going to be those same fans, players and media that will ruin the club trying to play a certain way that is not possible anymore with our current players.
we have the players to have such a wonderful counter attacking team, iniesta cesc in midfield alone are great at direct quick balls, same with messi and we have pacey wingers neymar/sanchez/tello/pedro

but the fans have this obsessed mentality that possession football is so important as if we have played that our whole club history when it was only really touched with cruyff and pep.. tito tried to copy it and failed and now tata is trying to cope with it and failing.

Nonesense.

To be a counter attack team, you have to be able to defend and win balls back...we dont have the players for that at all. Your thinking only one side of the game.

You make no sense at all. We have players who excell and keeping the ball, but lack physical tools....and you want them to give the ball up more, try and win it back and then make lower % passes?

"Only" since Cruyff? You mean...in the 70's? That's kind of significant....remind me again what we won prior to Cruyff? Then compare it to since he came?

You moan about fans ruining the club, thinking about playing this way...when in fact, its short sighted people like you who would be.

Changing, just like every other club...will make us like any other club....struggling for an identity every time a new coach arrives.

Donuts, do not rewrite history. Tito didn't try to copy anything because he was part of the original team, and secondly he didn't fail. He won the league with record points and goals and reached.semifinals of cup and champions league. If that's failing you must be depressed with your life because surely you have achieved much less in whatever field you work.

by sanchez04 Sat Apr 19, 2014 1:24 pm

Dont overrate Pep guys. He would not do anything better if he was coach now. He left as soon as players grew up and didnt listen to him. He was lucky that he got young fresh and hungry squad. He was lucky to get that Messi-Xavi-Iniesta trio which happens in every 20-30 years

I dont know why people belive that this team will be same again. They are not "school boys" anymore. They will not respect any new comer coach. Pep was lucky that he came before these young players became superstars. And at that time He sold all superstars and only kept school boys who will listen to him

Now dont expect same hungry school boys. They are still great sometimes, but with age and success they lack something that will never be back again. Even physically you get slower when you age. Ronaldinho is a great example.He became "big" and no coach could fix him again

Do what Pep did. Sell all old stars, find new very talented youngster hungry for fame and success. Find new young messi, xavi and iniesta.Not even Neymar, replacments. He was already star when he came to barcelona.

Coach has nothing to do. You call Tata a coward, who can not bench stars. But who benched Messi evey game in first part of season? Tata can do whatever he wants. But he is making too much experiences, trying hard but fails

I dont see coach problem at Barcelona. No coach will fix this team. Only player changes can do it. And it will be hard to find new young messi xavi iniesta replacments. Instead just accept the situation find new defenders and hope for luck. Because the team still was playing great and only lacked some luck and winning spirit in recent games.and some normal defense

by futbol Sat Apr 19, 2014 1:27 pm

Main problem is that the core of this team is still the exact same since 2008. Valdes, Pique, Alves, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi. A few wide players have been changed, the defense has declined immensely, there is no depth, Xavi is 34 ... but the whole center of the field is still the same for 6 years now. At some point it becomes predictable. That point had actually already been reached in Pep's last season but Messi's individual brilliance masked many things. Now that he's also struggling for whatever reasons we're completely trophyless.

For me this should be the core of the team right now:

Neymar Messi -
Iniesta -
Busquets
- - Pique -
MAtS

Upfront neither Pedro nor Alexis do it for me, I'm sorry. In La Liga maybe. But against proper opponents they aren't consistent difference makers. What I'd want to complement Messi and Neymar would be someone with a bit of height and physicality who can do more than "make runs" and "work hard". Ideally someone like Henry but for the right wing. I guess Reus comes closest right now although I'd actually prefer someone like Cavani, a true box presence who could also do something in the air to mix it up when needed.

In midfield we need a proper central midfielder and playmaker. Ideally he'd also provide some physicality. I guess Gündogan would be perfect but he's a crook now so I have no clue.

The entire defense has to be restructured. This includes the fullbacks as well. How Alves gets a free pass on this forum I will never now. Those crosses that even Peter Crouch would never reach coupled with his non-existing defending coupled with his interviews where he needlesly has a go at the fans make him a true douche. I genuinely wonder if Alves is on coke. Laughing

No one can have that sort of personality without being on drugs.

For leftback I'd chose Mathieu and as a centerback I'd like Benatia. If I could choose I'd choose Azpi for rightback although I don't know why Mourinho would let him go. My ideal team then would look like this:

Neymar Messi Reus
Iniesta Gündogan
Busquets
Mathieu Benatia Pique Azpi
MAtS

Another difference maker upfront.

Rejuvenated midfield.

Proper height and steel in defense.

Most promising ballplaying GK talent in the world.

The coach has to be someone who makes them PRESS and WORK HARD again. A young ambitious coach who knows Barca might do the trick: Martinez or de Boer.

THAT'S how you would rebuild a squad. With Zubizarreta however expect Rafinha and Deulofeu to be our saviours next season. This is the same clown who got fired by Athletic Bilbao because he couldn't even scout a handful of players ("Basque only policy") properly. Bartomeu is the idiot who destroyed a treble winning Basketball team and got fired by Laporta. We are managed by utter imbeciles.

by harhar11 Sat Apr 19, 2014 1:37 pm

Donuts wrote:Change is needed if we do not have the tools to continue, sticking to our "philosophies" if you can even call it ours, has gotten us no where with an aging squad and wrong buys.

possession football is not the only key to winning and we have to change accordingly due to the circumstances of our team, believe it or not xavi will not last forever and we have no replacement and he is key for this type of play.

last i checked in 2006 we won just fine without playing with such philosophies.
and please get out of here with turning into like every other club Barca is no more better then the club next to us, we play different some people like it, others don't
Tiki taka does not equate to success no strategy does, to stay ontop for many years you cannot stick to the same plan that everyone even relegation fodders can start countering it.

What?

Our play of style was not identical, but the philosophy was still the same. Infact, it has always been the same since Cruyff's time as a player and especially as a manager..

And true, not everyone likes our style of play, just like not everyone likes Klopps style of play. And the Camp Nou has shown that they do not like Klopps style of play.

by BarrileteCosmico Sat Apr 19, 2014 1:53 pm

Fussball you're not scared away by Gundogan's chronic injury problems? We don't know when he will recover nor what his level of play will be once he's back. Not to mention he just renewed. Allegedly we sent our doctors to check him out, if we had liked what we saw I'm sure he wouldn't have penned a new contract.

by futbol Sat Apr 19, 2014 2:11 pm

BarrileteCosmico wrote:Fussball you're not scared away by Gundogan's chronic injury problems? We don't know when he will recover nor what his level of play will be once he's back. Not to mention he just renewed. Allegedly we sent our doctors to check him out, if we had liked what we saw I'm sure he wouldn't have penned a new contract.

I am. I would wait and see how he does next season and if he recovers well sign him in summer 2015 when he will have 1 year left on his contract. Until then using Fabregas against scrub La Liga teams and saving Xavi for the big games would do the trick if the other signings (especially defense) would also be made.

But none of that will happen anyway. Imbecilezarreta has already said that he's happy with the squad and that Bartra will be great once he's 27. Laughing

by danyjr Sun Apr 20, 2014 2:38 pm

For me the first and foremost thing that needs to go is the management. People need to stop picking on scapegoats and point fingers at who put them in charge in the first place. It is mind boggling how this management still thinks everything is fine and three competitions have been lost in 10 days due to "small details" Laughing

- Apart from the incapable management, Zubizarreta needs to be banished as soon as possible, he has had his chance for 3 seasons and he has flopped hard from his atrocious decision to allow Thiago to leave to signing Song as a CB. The guy is more clueless than the average chump on this forum.

As I've mentioned times and times again, the winning squad of late noughties has been left alone to age and die with no proper reinforcements being added to it since then, with Neymar being probably the only real reinforcement, but for a scandalous €100 million? No thanks. Barcelona need to invest more in youth and risk more, stop signing inflated flavour of the season players and start to scout extensively as opposed to signing players from Football Manager or who's hot on El Mundo. There are plenty of players, even in La Liga, who can improve this squad.

Coach, Martino needs to leave. I stand by my word that he's better than Tito but that is not giving him merit to coach a superteam. He is a traditional coach with no tactical sense and frankly, he loses out on the psychological stuff too, which is very important in modern football (see Ferguson, Mourinho, Guardiola, Rodgers).

Roberto Martínez is Catalan and both his and Rodgers's philosophy fits Barcelona - more importantly Rodgers is a great man manager and motivator. But I have doubts over signing managers from EPL. I feel football in England is played very different to La Liga and while Martínez and Rodgers bring their taste of Spanish football to EPL, compared to La Liga they are still very English in their mindset, behaviour and management.

Hence why I would suggest someone like Valverde. He knows Spanish football inside out, his philosophies are within Barça territory, he has a good eye for talent and he has done well in his short stints at several La Liga clubs. How good he will be in long term remains to be seen.

Ideally, I would like Barcelona to hire someone capable and with future as the coach of the second team whom would take over the first team after a season or two. It is a system that works with the youth policy, considering it was tried and tested with Guardiola and Stramaccioni at Barça and Internazionale respectively. That gives time for the manager to get to know the club and it makes promoting players from the second team easier later on.

Last but not least, I don't want to put the blame on Guardiola, for he's done more than anybody for Barcelona. But I can't help but think he tried to monotone Barcelona with the Cruyffist theory of playing eleven midfielders. Truth be told I think Guardiola owes a lot of his success to the squad that his predecessors built. The physicality that Márquez, Yaya, Abidal and Eto'o brought to Barcelona is often overlooked and these were soon replaced by more technically gifted players (that was the claim back then anyway). I think one thing I learned from this whole era was that you can't ignore physicality, aerial presence and such because they are integral parts of football and you must accept and embrace them. Just like my father always accounts this as the secret behind Brazil's success, having a wide variety of players in balanced Seleção of the past.

I agree with most suggestions futbol offers, save for his choice of GK which will be debated after his catastrophic pro-Pinto movement Proud

I'd also like to mention my boy Rakitić as a Vidal/Gündoğan alternative (albeit with some different characteristics) and I think Alves still has some years left in him. He's been tactically misused and monotoned and sure he can't cross no more to save his life.

by Swanhends Sun Apr 20, 2014 2:49 pm

martinez or xavi would be really interesting options - does xavi have his coaching license though?

by futbol Sun Apr 20, 2014 3:46 pm

danyjr wrote:I agree with most suggestions futbol offers, save for his choice of GK which will be debated after his catastrophic pro-Pinto movement

by futbol Sun Apr 20, 2014 7:29 pm

Klopp has already rejected us (too lazy to translate now but he clearly stated he's still too much in love with Dortmund to just leave right now).

Valverde rejected as well:

"I don't see myself as a candidate to coach Barca next season. Of course I don't. They were interested in me last summer, but now the answer is no. Everyone at Barca got used to winning titles, but at some point that has to end. It's hard to accept defeat. You can't compare this season with other season, every year is different. Now they will focus on keeping the flame lit in the league."

De Boer at this very moment is just losing a Cup final 1-5.

Martinez surrendered possession and played hoofball against Manchester United.

Next season is going to be fun.

by Zealous Mon Apr 21, 2014 5:30 pm

Surely Van Gaal is a candidate?

Spoiler:

by futbol Tue Apr 22, 2014 11:22 am

I actually want Tata to stay now, realizing the alternatives. He didn't do optimal but not that catastrophic either like going behind 0-3 at Camp Nou to Real Madrid or losing 0-7 to Bayern. We might finish 3th in the league despite getting 90+ points (despite all the shenanigans surrounding the club this season). Which is crazy. He can surely improve with 1 year experience and some signings. For all we know Atletico Madrid might also knock out Mourinho and Pep in the CL this season. What then? No shame losing 1-2 to a team like that with Fartra and Pinto in defense.

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If not Martino, whom?

Who do you want to take over Barca if Martino leaves/is sacked?