La Xavineta Continues - The 2023-24 Season Thread

In all honesty, I’m now starting to wonder if Laporta knows what he’s doing at all.

Please make it make sense - you do a press conference to announce Xavi’s continuity and reiterate your complete trust on him and now turn everything upside down, because of some harmless (and completely true) comment Xavi made?

You had plenty of sporting reasons to let Xavi go (it clearly hasn’t been a good season) and you didn’t. But now you change your mind because of some comment - it seems like these decisions are made impulsively and that there isn’t much thought behind them.

Laporta seems to be making too many mistakes in the management of the Xavi project. Starting with the departure of Mateu Alemany, Jordi Cruyff and the arrival of Deco.

I really hope I'm wrong, but I don't see any sense of direction here…

 

Yeah, the financial situation is dire and, if anything, Xavi is probably sugar-coating the situation.

Also, is it just me or is the renovation of the Camp Nou a mystery? I'm hearing now (but from dodgy sources) that the club will have to choose between staying in the Estadi Olimpic for another season or playing at Camp Nou next season, but at only half capacity because of on-going construction.

But either way, that means capacity of ~50k for another season, with many of those tickets being sold at significantly reduced prices because of the lack of appeal to go to a stadium under major construction or to embark to the Estadi Olimpic, which is harder to get to than Camp Nou.

 

This is supposedly from Romano:

Agreed.

On the one hand, Xavi hasn't been a good manager. And yes, club matters should be handled internally.

On the other hand, NONE OF US would have wanted a manager who had only 2 seasons' worth of experience in Qatar, AND his brother as 1st Assistant as manager of this club. I also think that Barca's public relations department [if they have one] does a sh!tty job preparing Xavi/Laporta/players for public statements.

On the other hand, when Pep was here, his 1st Assistant was Tito Vilanova [may he Rest In Peace]. Johan [may he Rest In Peace] was around the club as a sort of Emeritus manager to advise Pep. Xavi has neither an equivalent assistant, NOR an experienced figure to help him figure things out.


I also think Laporta has done a sh!tty job. He promised us Messi, and he didn't deliver. He promised that the financial situation would improve, and that hasn't happened. And now, his fee-fees are hurted by someone telling the truth. I've lost confidence in him.


Laporta also hired a probable illiterate in Deco to be Sporting Director. Not because of WHAT HE KNOWS, but rather, WHO HE KNOWS. Deco's here not because of WHAT he can do, but WITH WHOM he has connections. Deco's work is inferior to Alemany's, in that he brought in Roque, when the side needed an heir to Busi. He brought in Darvich [a young attacking MF], when there are several players ahead of him, AND there is a lack of depth at both FB positions.

Deco's gotta go, IMO.

As noted above, I agree that Xavi should keep internal club matters internal. But, I think that the public relations department has not coached him, nor Laporta, nor the players in terms of how to speak publicly.

Agreed.

But as noted above, he has neither a Cruyff-like figure to advise him, nor an assistant who could carry Vilanova's jock. He's done a suboptimal job, but he's also not been given all the resources to succeed, IMO.

Also agreed. Deco is no executive. He's a glad-handing type that a big club can use when that club has money. He has no business being here, IMO. At least, AT THIS TIME, with THOSE finances. And he should never, ever be given a directorship, because he simply isn't smart enough, based on his body of work hereto fore.


Overall, given the finances, I still think the best move [at THIS time] is to retain Xavi, but to have a "sit-down" about how to speak publicly. I also think that he needs some help, in terms of someone experienced to help him master the fine art of football management.

Over the longer term, I agree with @celito: Fire everyone, and bring in professionals to do professional work.

 

I doubt this.

Off the top of my head, I can't think of another candidate who is:

1. Better than Xavi, AND
2. Familiar with the club, AND
3. Willing to work for lower wages, AND
4. Willing to accept a role, without the resources needed to improve the squad, AND
5. Willing to accept having an incompetent like Deco as his immediate boss.


I can agree with Laporta that keeping your piehole shut is important, and Xavi should have a "talking to" about that. But then, Laporta himself, as well as Xavi and some of the players have said stoopid, idiotic things that a proper PR department could/should help manage.



Its a fvkcing mess. But, its also a fvkcing mess that can be cleaned up, if the club are willing to be humble enough to take steps to do so.

 

What I've seen/read on the interwebs is that spotify Camp Nou will be "partially open," possibly by November. [More likely, in December/January].

I don't consider the renovation, nor the cost of renovation as an "acute symptom" of a currently-poor financial situation. It's longer-term debt that was taken out to improve the club's revenue streams and earning potential.


It's the resolution of the deferred salaries, the resolution of deferred fees on past transfers, and the higher wages still on the books that are the financial issues. And I do agree that Culers should be given the truth about what the situation is, and how the club will proceed. I just don't know that it should be given by a manager before a match.


Its an "open secret," in any case.

 

Oh yeah, this is definitely not the cause of the financial crisis otherwise Madrid would have been in the same situation. But I could see the lack of ticket revenue resulting from the Camp Nou being closed or partially closed prolonging the financial issues.

Just hope the renovations make the stadium as amazing as the new Bernabeu. Again, difficult to get specifics on this. I heard that the first level will have a steeper incline to improve the viewing experience, but I sure hope the improvements go well beyond just that.

 

IMO, Camp Nou was so outdated, that it would be nearly impossible to NOT improve the experience at the SCN.

I think that the way forward is as follows:

1. Be honest with Culers, in terms of where the club is, and what the club needs to do.
2. Sell what players that can be sold,
3. Lean on La Masia to provide for the 1st team,
4. Buy ONLY when La Masia cannot provide a solution, AND for only direct needs, and ONLY at reasonable prices.


In other words, if you needed something to climb a tree to go grab a coconut, ya don't go get a dolphin, ya go get a chimp or monkey. Similarly, if you needed something to dive deep into the ocean, ya don't go get some sort of ape.


As it pertains to football, when perhaps the greatest #6 of the past generation retires, AND your first solution didn't work out, ya don't go buy Darvich. When you're forced to play a CB at right FB, because you don't have one, ya don't go buy Roque. I've hated what Deco has done with the FIRE of 10,000 Arabian suns.

Here's hoping that more intelligent people can do more intelligent things for Barca going forward.

We'll see.

 

I agree with a lot of this:

https://www.barcablaugranes.com/2024/5/17/24158823/joan-laporta-has-failed-barcelona


And I agree with a lot of this, too:

https://www.barcablaugranes.com/2024/5/17/24159008/it-would-be-farcical-to-sack-xavi

From that link:

..."Laporta needed to back Xavi, or sporting director Deco. Or find some common working relationship between them. He’s done neither, and now it’s unclear if the pair are truly capable of having the right relationship to lead the team further.

He needed to either support Xavi in the long term, or accept his resignation and look elsewhere. He’s apparently done neither.

This suggests a lack of a long term vision. A manager cannot work thinking that any random comment will get him fired, or that the president’s promises will get torn up in a matter of weeks.

Even if Laporta does not sack Xavi, it’s hard to imagine how their relationship isn’t damaged in the process. And confidence in Laporta is sinking."

 

I think Laporta is as clueless as Bartomeu. It’s the same circus like the previous board.

 

i didn't want to react until there was some kind of official confirmation or denial from the club. but the longer this drags out, the worse Laporta looks. can't believe he's letting this fester while he hides.

 

Xavi's a Barça lifer. Its the club he loves.

And I dont think its much of a humiliation, for Xavi, at least. I think its more embarrassing for Laporta.

The supporters have come out for Xavi/against Laporta. And TBH, Laporta getting his fee fees hurted over something that everyone already knows is fvkcing stoopid.


What's more, I've read that it would take ~€20MM, just to get Xavi, his brother, and the rest of his staff to fvkc off. €20MM that the club doesn't have, and then even further ?€MMs to find replacements. IMO, its probably more that the club needs Xavi/cant afford to replacement.

 

he's basically a glorified Roberto Di Matteo. even that one good season he's had was with a team he inherited halfway through the season, and he already knew the team and club inside and out. he's nearly 60 and only has two seasons coaching a top club under his belt and has accomplished nothing apart from his one season wonder.

 

This is what happens when an organization is run by incompetent imbeciles.

In American professional sports organizations, it is all but unheard of to have people without masters degrees or higher being given the reins to teams. And this is true in each and every league, pretty much every executive has INCREDIBLY HIGH qualifications, by means of education and/or experience. (The Chicago White Sox are a notable exception, but their sh!tty results reflect their incompetence in leadership.)

However, in Europe, many top teams still cling to the idiotic notion that ex-players have any fvkcing idea how to be executives. Unfortunately, many of those ex-players are so stoopid, they can barely read their own names.


Look at Deco and Bojan: both started playing professionally as teenagers. I doubt EITHER completed high school, let alone advanced degrees at the university level. Whats more, Bojan was so mentally weak that he couldn't handle a life of fame and wealth as a player.


And so? The fact that two imbeciles (Deco and Bojan) like Flick is no surprise. They're dumb. They're incompetent. They're probably virtual illiterates. I mean, if you or I owned a high visibility, multinational operation with billions of $/€ in revenues, would you turn it over to two high school dropouts to run?

I wouldn't. But, here we are. I hope those morons prove us wrong.

 

It seems like Hansi Flick is pretty much a done deal, and Xavi is finding out about this whole thing through the press, the same way we are…

The lack of respect from Laporta is blowing my mind, tbh.

 

I don't think its disrespect, TBH.

I think you had it correct earlier on in this thread: Laporta kinda-sorta doesn't know what he's doing. I also think that instead of having a unified vision of what the sporting project should be [like a TRUE leader], he merely darts from idea to idea, like a 9 year old child with ADD.

Think about it:
1. In 2021, he promised us Messi, but didn't deliver.
2. From 2021-23, he and the board pulled "palancas," and sold off pieces of the club, to WIN NOW. They bought Lewandowski, Raphinha, Ferran, Emerson Royal, and Kounde, all in an effort to WIN NOW.
3. Now, he brings in Deco, who, instead of trying to WIN NOW, he buys luxury players in Roque and Darvich, neither of whom can help WIN NOW.
4. Now, because he got irritated at Xavi for telling the truth in the media, he wants a German coach, and not Klopp; he wants a losing loser who couldn't succeed with Das Mannschaft.


Taken together, I agree with your earlier point. Laporta doesn't look like he knows what he's doing, and neither do Deco/Bojan. Any SANE leader could see that the manager market TODAY is far weaker than what it could be in 6 to 12 months from now [Klopp/Pep/Arteta/Emery.] What's more, the club's finances could be much healthier in 6 to 12 months from now, enabling BOLDER action in the transfer market and in the manager market, than it is NOW.

But like an ADD-afflicted child on a sugar high who wastes his life playing video games, here we are/here Laporta is. I hope it works out, and my views look foolish in a few months from now. We'll see.

 

Well, it’s official now. Xavi has been sacked - very disappointed with Laporta for the way he’s managed this whole thing.

To not even have the decency of allowing Xavi (the club legend who came to try to help at the worst time and who paid money to come…) to say goodbye to the fans at home.

Skeptical about Hansi Flick but supporting him and wishing him the best from now on. We shall see how it goes.

 

⚠️ Sevilla manager Quique Sánchez: “I shouldn’t say this… but how badly Barcelona treats its legends”.

“What a bad streak. It’s probably a bad streak, but what a bad streak. What a bad streak”.

“With Koeman, with Messi, with Xavi now, how bad. I wish clubs treated their… pic.twitter.com/lvyLfzaWtI

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 24, 2024

Couldn’t agree more.

 

Its good that they appointed him early though.

 

Laporta has kicked Messi, Koeman, Xavi all out in worst manner possible.

 

I don't like this move, like, at all.

On the one hand, I think that we can all agree that Xavi is/was an inexperienced manager, who had limitations. Any manager who keeps Cancelo on to hold a lead vs P$G or LPB isn't doing it right. Any manager who b!tches about refs as much isn't doing it right. Any manager who can't modify the lineup when going up a man isn't doing it right. He's not yet a good manager, but so what?

OTOH, any club not named, "Barcelona," or "Real," or "PSG", or "Bayern" would build a fvkcing statue of any manager who went 1st, and then 2nd in the league in their two full seasons as manager. But, I get that the standards are higher here.


That said, some of the reasons why this is a moronic move are [IMO]:

1. Sacking Xavi, his brother, and his staff will cost ~15MM Euros or so. That's ~15MM Euros that could have, I dunno, bought a proper #6, or bought a proper RB or LB. Instead, they decided to set ~15MM Euros on fire. Is Flick, and not being able to sign a player WORTH the ~15MM Euros? I don't think so.


2. The Managerial market this offseason is not very good. But NEXT season? Klopp will be available. Maybe Pep. Maybe Arteta. Maybe Emery. Maybe Lucho. The managers that are on offer this offseason are not very good, IMO.


3. I've read up on Hansi Flick, and he focuses on the physical aspect of football, not the tactical. He wants the players to be "motorbikes," charging about the pitch, rather than taking apart a foe with passing/possession/class/technique. He's also a losing loser who managed to get fired by the German FA. Taken together, he's simply not very good, IMO. He's not Barca quality. He doesn't have Barca DNA, and he doesn't have Barca ideas.

Again, is Flick WORTH the ~15MM Euros, and is he THAT MUCH better than Xavi? IMO, no. Are Pep/Arteta/Klopp/Lucho? FVKC YEAH!


4. The "apparent" reasons for this sacking aren't footballing reasons. Yes, I agree that Xavi should shut his hole about club matters, when speaking in public. But to me, that isn't a reason to fire someone. Its a reason to get all the minds together, and agree to shut your holes about club matters, and to get the PR folks to coach each and every person on HOW TO SPEAK TO THE MEDIA. [This goes for Laporta himself, BTW; him b!tching about the non-goal by Lamal was FVKCING STOOPID.]


5. The fact that Deco/Bojan/LaPorta LIKE Flick means that he must suck out loud. I don't think that Deco can read his own name; I've never seen him speak as an executive. I've never seen him dress like an executive. I don't like his decisions he's taken so far in his time as SD. Bojan, like Deco, left school as a teenager, so I also don't think he's intelligent enough to take proper executive action. And Laporta? He has the attention span of a gnat, and he's bungled more than one thing since returning as president.



I could keep going, but I'd prefer others to chime in as well.



TL/DR: This was a moronic move, made for non-footballing reasons.