Hindsight isn't 2020 - The 2019-20 Season Thread [R]

Well done Leo, you were the catalyst for speeding up the departure of this utter shit and the rest of the clowns on the board.

 

Hope Laporta returns

 

So what is likely to happen in the immediate future ??

Any changes??

 

So Xavi in as manager with Puyol and Iniesta as his assistants please ..

 

Next president has plenty of works to do.
Dont expect the result soon.

 

Maybe, but I was worried about a bunch of stupid shit happening in the Jan transfer window if Farto and Co were still there just to balance the books in the short term. But I don't really follow the politics closely so don't know if that was a real possibility.

 

For better or worse, priority of the new president/board will probably be to have Messi sign an extension which I’ve always believed would happen once Barto was gone.

So who would you all like as Barça President?

Xavi is backing Font who appears to be the favorite to win.

Laporta has said if elected he would try to have Pep return. And afaik Pep’s contract at Eastlands expires next summer and he has yet to sign an extension.

Interesting times ahead, more so off the pitch than on it.

 

A few quotes from Bartomeu's resignation speech:

"My thanks to the whole Blaugrana family for all the wonderful work and support over all these years since we arrived in 2010 with Sandro Rosell as our president."
...
"Since 2010, we have won 149 different professional titles: 19 in basketball, 52 in handball, 31 in roller hockey, 27 in futsal and 20 in women’s football."
...
"22 [titles] have been won under this Board in the last ten years."

a few thoughts:

- it's interesting that he combines his own presidency (23 Jan 2014 - 27 Oct 2020) with Rosell's presidency (1 July 2010 - 23 Jan 2014) as being "This Board."

- i assume he does this to make himself look better by padding his trophy stats and taking credit for the most successful period in the club's history.

- when this board took over in 2010, FC Barcelona was at it's absolute peak. this board inherited what was easily the best team in Barca's history, and arguably the best team that had ever played the sport. coached by Pep Guardiola, this was the year that 3 La Masia products finished as the top three in the Balon D'or, Spain would win the World Cup with a team build around La Masia players, and the club was one volcano eruption away from winning a second UCL title in a row.

- on the day that Bartomeu took over as president, 23 January 2014, Barca were top of LaLiga and had just finished top of their UCL group (ahead of Milan, Ajax and Celtic) with Tata Martino in charge.

- on the day that Bartomeu finally resigned, Barca sit in 12th position in LaLiga.

 

You wont see this smile if wasnt Bartemou resigning.

 

ter Stegen ready:
11 weeks of hard work, focus and positive attitude. Thank you for all your support along the way. I’m ready.

11 weeks of hard work, focus and positive attitude. Thank you for all your support along the way. I’m ready. 💪🏻🔋 pic.twitter.com/j4Uxmsz7OP

— Marc ter Stegen (@mterstegen1) November 3, 2020

 

Pique and Roberto are out. End of season???

 

Probably. Though it might have been end of season before their injury too with the way we are playing.

The worst part is that this will probably ignite panic-purchases in January which is never a good thing. Braithwaite and Boateng is a case in point.

I’m just so disappointed in these players. Aside from Koeman the whole team is to blame for lackluster performances of late.

I hope for some big changes come summer.

Offload: Griezmann (given enough chances now, piss off) Busquets (Barca legend but it’s time), Pique (idem dito), Dembele (quite done with glassman), Coutinho (he’s just not worth it, not consistent at all) Braithwaite (panic-purchase, not good enough), and Messi (the GOAT, but his heart is just not in it anymore and surely it affects the team to some degree).

It’s also inevitable that Koeman will leave after this season bar a massive turn-around. Maybe even then.

I hope for Ajax’ current coach ten Hag. He’s done great things at Ajax. Also keeping in mind that he’s had to constantly rebuild the squad each time the big European clubs come around for a shopping spree.

Pep is obviously not an option anymore. The dream scenario would be having Xavi at the helm, but I feel that he still needs some experience in top flight football.

Other than that I don’t want Poch here cause he’s been very disrespectful towards the club in the past. We need someone who truly respects the club’s identity and brand of football.

 

Agree on ten Haag. About time we get a top manager ffs! Ajax have really overachieved during his time there.

Not sure we can afford to lose both Messi and Griezmann. Since we won't get much money for Griezmann, I'd say just keep him if Messi departs.

Kinda sad that Felix went to Atleti around the same time and for around the same price as Griezmann left Atleti for Barca. Of course we were playing the short game but that choice didn't even work out in the short term! Imagine 3-4 years from now - Felix will likely be one of the top forwards in the world while Griezmann will be in MLS or somewhere like that. Let that sink in!

 

If Madrid manage to get both Mbappe and Haaland we’ll be in for a tough time, for some time.

Ansu Fati is the heir presumptive to Messi, but nothing is a certainty. It’s still early days and he could still flop hard.

With that being said, as with Messi, we shouldn’t fall into the same trap of having only one superstar and overly relying on him.

With the way the club’s finances are going it seems we will be powerless bystanders if Madrid does go for the best pair of attacking talents on earth currently.

 

I still want Neymar back ..

I’d also hire the scouts from either Liverpool or Leicester City ..

 

Well look at Liverpool’s recent purchases and Leicester’s also ... then compare to ours ...

 

But that was down to Bartomeu and his board, who are all gone now.
I don’t know if this interim board is allowed to buy any players but I’d rather they wait until the new president is elected, which will hopefully be in December or the first week of January.

 

What are the chances of us suddenly finding some great scouts though ..

I’d have thought that we could easily entice the best people from both of the clubs I mentioned above and then virtually guarantee some fabulous signings ..

 

"Easily entice" in what way?
And what makes you believe those scouts would want to risk leaving their current setup in a league they are quite familiar with for a foreign club that is currently in financial limbo?

Based on this list @Gilmango recently posted I would say the scouting of youths at Barca has been among the best in Europe.
https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/t...-blaugrana-kids.1679045/page-36#post-39100802
With the club in current financial crises it would make more sense to promote the best from La Masia and, when finances become more stable, go from there.
This will take time. How long? Cannot say. Hopefully only 2-3 years but I feel it's a bit foolish to hope for an overnight fix. "Pep Guardiola 2008" was the exception, not the norm. Xavi may not turn out to be the Second Coming.
We (the fans/supporters) will need patience and lots of it.
My opinion, anyway.

 

We are in a right state ... from the top to the bottom of the club and there’s issues with the squad ...

I can’t think there’d be too many people working in the football ‘world’ that would turn down the opportunity of joining FC Barcelona !!

As regards money we have a history of finding money when it’s needed..

I seem to recall us spending money from the upcoming year’s transfer budget on more than one occasion..