Alen Halilović

[BBZ8800]

I think this shows at least that he's professional and has mental strength.

I don't think that Samper is a poor professional and diva like Halilovic.
The comparison was more:
= a forum has a huge faith in them
= while majority of coaches don't and big teams dropped their interest
=> so we should probably lower our hopes and trust to coaches, scouts and waned interest from top teams.

So, Samper is better currently than Halilovic because he is actually playing and earned his spot.
But still, that is miles from Barca's level or from an interest from Wenger and similar.

My point was: there are a lot of hints that big clubs/top coaches/top scouts mostly gave up on Halilovic and Samper and don't consider them of Barca's level anymore.

There is always a possibility that a player will suddenly improve a lot, but imo, there is like 80-90% chances that Samper is done for Barca's level and that at best he can turn into some squad level of a player like Rafinha.
That's not bad, but a few years ago a lot of people bought a hype that he is the next Xavi (me too)...
And there is a huge gap between Xavi, the best Cm in the world, and Rafinha, 5th or 6th Cm pick at currently quite meh Barca's midfield.

 

[xXKonan]

A new MD article on Alen from Fernando Polo and Edu Polo.

Halilovic called Robert


The Croatian has played only one game as a starter in Hamburg and has asked for help for Barca to return to the league

The situation Alen Halilovic in Hamburg is not expected by the young Croatian footballer when he opted for the German adventure, to the point that even has contacted the club to see if the Catalan club it can 'rescue'. Halilovic recently called Robert Fernandez to admit the error of their choice and whether the club could help him to change air in the winter.

The Croatian is having very little protagonism in a Hamburg that now occupies the third place by queue in the Bundesliga and that has only achieved to date three victories. Halilovic has started only once in 16 league matches and is barely 138 minutes spread in six games. Not even in the two Cup matches that have played the Croatian has had the opportunity to become holder.

Besides his little football adaptation, Halilovic not just be adapted and satisfied with the German life, so it is willing to return to the Spanish Liga. Zoran Stojadinovic , former player of Mallorca, Depor and Figueres, among others, currently working as a representative of players, is offering the player to various teams in the league and name Halilovic has recently been associated with clubs such as Betis, Espanyol or The Sporting, in which already played ceded last season.

After the experience in Gijon, where his performance was remarkable but irregular, the idea of Barca was that Halilovic continue playing in the Spanish league, because they believe that is the ideal platform to enhance its growth as a player. But the player wanted to bet on the Bundesliga and was determined to leave for Hamburg, despite the advice of the technical secretary that it was better to stay in the Spanish League.

Now he has admitted his mistake and called to Robert for help. It is worth remembering that Barça transferred it for five million euros and during two seasons it can be repurchased for 10, apart from retaining a right of scoring in case of a future transfer

http://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/fc-barcelona/20161227/412929667150/halilovic-robert.html

Crappy Translation so sorry about it.

 

[God Serena]

I don't think that Samper is a poor professional and diva like Halilovic.
The comparison was more:
= a forum has a huge faith in them
= while majority of coaches don't and big teams dropped their interest
=> so we should probably lower our hopes and trust to coaches, scouts and waned interest from top teams.

So, Samper is better currently than Halilovic because he is actually playing and earned his spot.
But still, that is miles from Barca's level or from an interest from Wenger and similar.

My point was: there are a lot of hints that big clubs/top coaches/top scouts mostly gave up on Halilovic and Samper and don't consider them of Barca's level anymore.

There is always a possibility that a player will suddenly improve a lot, but imo, there is like 80-90% chances that Samper is done for Barca's level and that at best he can turn into some squad level of a player like Rafinha.
That's not bad, but a few years ago a lot of people bought a hype that he is the next Xavi (me too)...
And there is a huge gap between Xavi, the best Cm in the world, and Rafinha, 5th or 6th Cm pick at currently quite meh Barca's midfield.

I'd say Samper has a lot more potential than just being our next Rafinha. I've always maintained that at best he'd be a good backup for Busquets (Which we haven't had since Keita left really) and I still believe that is something achievable. Him being able to play at Granada is great and if we're lucky he'll be closer to Sergi Roberto level at CDM than anything, which is what our midfield really needs at present.

 

[navidjaan]

Some guys in here are genuine jokes, always trying to be as pessimistic as possible.

Who says Rafinha is a lost cause when Lucho (who is VERY demanding of youth) always seems to show faith in him?
Who dropped interest in Samper when Granada and Valencia were the only reported teams looking for him in the summer?
Is interest 6 years ago from Wenger => first team chances at Barça? Logic, check.
Who's fault is it that you are stupid enough to compare anybody to Xavi? Especially a DM who has never been a force in attack.
Who the hell ever compared Rafinha with Xavi?
Why are we comparing young kids with legends nobody will ever be able to overdo?
Why not compare them to those they will actually compete against for spots on the team?

Rafinha vs Denis, Gomes, Rakitic and Arda.
Samper vs Busquets, Gomes, Mascherano and Roberto.

Halilovic is a lost cause and had difficulties since his days in Zagreb. Anybody who actually compared him with Messi because he's small and cuts inside with his left should be embarrassed

Fact of the matter is:
- Rafinha has the faith of the coach, still gets plenty of minutes in different positions, and has shown that he can comeback on the best team on earth after being out for almost an entire season.
- Samper is playing much better at Granada after they changed to a system he's familiar to. And it's not his fault that he was practically forced to stay in Segunda B for an entire year to help his team promote, which they eventually didn't, basically losing out on an entire year of proper development, when he could've been getting a reasonable amount of minutes on the first team (not less than what Roberto got in 13-14) or been loaned out in La Liga when options were probably better than Granada and Valencia.

Also, Òscar García is probably coming to La Liga. Let him have Samper for a year and just lay back and enjoy his development.

 

[BBZ8800]

Some guys in here are genuine jokes, always trying to be as pessimistic as possible.

A lot of guys here called me with a much harsher names than you now, 2-3 years ago, regarding Halil.

If you want to remember how it was only 2 years ago, just go back and read 3-4 pages of this topic, and you'll laugh a lot probably.
You see, not only "some" thought that he is the next Messi.
http://www.barcaforum.com/showthread.php/9950-Alen-Halilovi%C4%87/page37

About Samper, I remember 5-6-7 years ago, while I wasn't reading this forum that Sergi Samper was the only guy about whom I have read hype on some Spanish papers.
I remember reading a few times, that if anyone will make it=that he will surely make it. He is our next Xavi.

For years (when he was younger) he was classed as the most promising La Masia midfielder since Xavi and Iniesta.
Back from 2012:
http://talksport.com/magazine/features/120628/manchester-city-do-arsenal-and-steal-next-xavi-barcelona-talksport-talen-175272

My point is: nobody is trying to "steal" him anymore.
There is a reason for that...

 

[Messi983]

But still, that is miles from Barca's level or from an interest from Wenger and similar.

If Wenger's interest is your way of judging players quality and potential then I'll just say that Wenger was still interested in Samper this summer. And Pep too. So it's not like he's forgotten from other big clubs like you are trying to say.

http://www.sport-english.com/en/new...y-and-arsenal-interested-sergi-samper-5344720

Also, Òscar García is probably coming to La Liga. Let him have Samper for a year and just lay back and enjoy his development.

If you are thinking about Malaga the latest I've read is that it's very unlikely he'll become their new coach. It's a shame because I really think they would be a great fit for him and he'd like to work with their youngsters like Sandro, Juanpi, Fornals, Ontiveros, En-Nesyri, Ricca, Villanueva (although he's already a bit older as he'll be 24 in a few months). We should keep an eye on all of them to see how they'll develop and they also have good cantera with players like Kuki Zalazar who we were already rumoured to be interested last summer.

But yes, hopefully Oscar will come to La Liga. If not now then in summer. And I'd also loan Samper and maybe some of our other youngsters to whichever La Liga team not named RM or Espanyol (I doubt he'd want to coach them anyway) he'll coach.

 

[navidjaan]

A lot of guys here called me with a much harsher names than you now, 2-3 years ago, regarding Halil.

My comment you quotes was not about Halilovic. If you read further down, I think Halilovic is a lost cause. I was even cautioned about him before he joined by Dinamo Zagreb fans, and I saw it for myself when I followed him at Barça B, and then it was even further confirmed when Abelardo publicly criticized his working ethic in training at Gijon. HSV is a culmination.

http://www.sport-english.com/en/new...y-and-arsenal-interested-sergi-samper-5344720

No, no, you got it wrong. Nobody is trying to steal him anymore

If you are thinking about Malaga the latest I've read is that it's very unlikely he'll become their new coach. It's a shame because I really think they would be a great fit for him and he'd like to work with their youngsters like Sandro, Juanpi, Fornals, Ontiveros, En-Nesyri, Ricca, Villanueva (although he's already a bit older as he'll be 24 in a few months).

Well, they are continuing with their assistant until the summer, so they'll probably go for Òscar then.

But yes, hopefully Oscar will come to La Liga. If not now then in summer. And I'd also loan Samper and maybe some of our other youngsters to whichever La Liga team not named RM or Espanyol (I doubt he'd want to coach them anyway) he'll coach.

Yup.

 

[navidjaan]

Btw, sorry for sounding a bit rude, BBZ8800. Just pissed me off how you easily discarded Rafinha and Samper, especially Rafinha

 

[BBZ8800]

Just pissed me off how you easily discarded Rafinha and Samper, especially Rafinha

I am maybe spoiled, so I am impressed only about La Masia players who will turn into starters and key players.

Players who will turn into Munir, Rafinha and Roberto aren't that impressive to me.
Those are good and valuable squad players, but not players who will actually bring us CL trophies (while they are in a starting 11).

In that sense, I don't think that Samper and Rafinha will ever be guys who will shine as key players in a CL final of 2022 or 2026, and who will be guys who turned the match around.

The point is, 5 years ago, I had hopes that Samper will be one of those guys: one of key players who will be a leader, a starter, a player for the biggest matches.
We may disagree, but he will never be nowhere near that level and this is why I am disappointed in Samper.

Can he be a 5th Cm pick in Barca or 2nd Cdm pick like Roberto?
Well, yes.
But I expected way more from a guy who was hyped as the next Xavi (even by Xavi himself, if I remember correctly).

 

[navidjaan]

But I expected way more from a guy who was hyped as the next Xavi (even by Xavi himself, if I remember correctly).

Xavi hypes all good La Masia midfielders. Last time around in 2015 he also said great things about Samper, while also praising Xavi Simons and Riqui Puig. Although I doubt he himself called Samper the next Xavi. That would be ridiculous.

Also, I get your logic, but I still think it isn't fair to only expect La Masia players to be XI players. I believe La Masia is our foundation, not the icing on the cake. And btw, our best players have normally not been those who have been extremely hyped. Cruyff pushed for Pep, Xavi was disliked by the fans at the start, Valdes was really shaky in his first years, Pique got no minutes in Utd, Pep pushed for Busi, nobody expected Pedro to beat the likes of Assulin and co. (there were many good wingers around at the time in B and JuvA), Puyol was promoted at 21 after being told for years that he was never going to make it, Alba was rated not good enough in La Masia, and we all know Roberto's story (yes, he's the 5th CM and 2nd DM, but also the 1st RB as we speak, so he should start the UCL final if we get there ). The only ones who were extremely hyped from the youth categories who became vital world class XI players for us were Iniesta and Messi.

My point is that those La Masia players who succeed at Barça are often those who have the full support of the coach, both mentally and when the minutes on the pitch is distributed. With the amount of support by Pep, Bojan would've too, had he not had a very unstable mentality. Imagine if Pep was Barça's coach and Samper had been promoted back in 2015 after he showed great development at Barça B even though they relegated, instead of wasting a year in a crappy division with crappy teammates? Or had he just been loaned out to a La Liga club that would've fit him? I can assure you that you'd probably have thought of him differently than now.

That's what has happened with Roberto. Not trusted, almost left for Stoke, then Lucho saw an opening at RB and Roberto took it. Now he has the full support (even if a new RB is signed, I think), and he's on his way to become such a player that you expect will help win the trophies. Rafinha was well on his way too, before his injury that ruined an entire season.

Anyways, yes, my line is longer with La Masia players, that's my bias, but I don't think anyone, no matter how much talent, will make it at a club if he is never given a proper chance by the coach. It almost happened with Iniesta under Rijkaard, too.

 

[xXKonan]

According to MD he's close to joining Las Palmas.

 

[Messi983]

Now this would be an interesting team for him so I hope it's true. If Alen joins them hopefully he'll stay professional as it seems key Las Palmas players like Boateng and Viera had some disciplinary problems lately.

MD is also reporting it would be a loan for 1,5M€ and then Las Palmas will have to buy him for 5M€ in summer. Don't know if they can really afford to pay that much unless they sell Araujo to China but the latest I've read is they plan to loan him to European team first. Or maybe they'll sell someone like Roque Mesa or Lemos in summer.

I'm wondering what will happen with our buy-back clause. I doubt Alen will ever improve enough for us to consider buying him back but I'd still like if we keep that option over the next 2 or 3 seasons.

 

[BarçaBarça]

I hope he comes back to La Liga, then it will be possible to watch him more closely, I really hope he can turn out to be what he has potential to!

 

[navidjaan]

A loan to Las Palmas should be done. Great. He should've joined them in the summer, but now is fine too.

- Setien likes him.
- Las Palmas play good attacking football (2nd highest possession in the league).
- He will continue to get adapt to Spain.
- He will know that this is his final chance to impress Barça.
- Barça could still activate their clause in the summer if Halilovic does well.

 

[BBZ8800]

A loan to Las Palmas should be done. Great. He should've joined them in the summer, but now is fine too.

- Setien likes him.
- Las Palmas play good attacking football (2nd highest possession in the league).
- He will continue to get adapt to Spain.
- He will know that this is his final chance to impress Barça.
- Barça could still activate their clause in the summer if Halilovic does well.

He failed to impress his last 4 coaches + Abelardo who is our guy.

Las Palmas is not his chance to get a ticket for Barcelona, but more like a ticket to show that he can be a player who can play in some midtable or lowtable 1st division team.
I mean, everything is possible in life and football, but he should focus now on saving his career and showing that he can be a valuable player somewhere.
Barca and top teams are currently 100 light years away from him.

If he can improve, no problem, he can come here or in any top team.
But we should be realistic.