Ernesto Valverde - V1

[Joan]

Any decision to keep him on board/extend should be influenced partly by us winning the CL. That is an absolute must.

Of course it's not. No sensible board would fire a manager just for not winning the CL. The league is the main objective + playing well in the CL.

 

[Trickykid]

Any decision to keep him on board/extend should be influenced partly by us winning the CL. That is an absolute must.

That's too harsh. A good showing in the deep end of the knockout phase should be the measuring stick as I see it. It's such a volatile competition hugely influenced by luck, that accepting a win as the sole measure of success would be highly unreasonable. The days of us having the best squad in the world are long gone, and there's probably a small handful of fairly equal teams out there gunning for the title, but another Roma like meltdown should obviously not be tolerated.

Either way, ChL success should only be part of evaluating EV's future here. Right now there are other equally important factors where he will need to improve drastically aside from just the matter of winning or losing matches.

 

[serghei]

That's too harsh. A good showing in the deep end of the knockout phase should be the measuring stick as I see it. It's such a volatile competition hugely influenced by luck, that accepting a win as the sole measure of success would be highly unreasonable. The days of us having the best squad in the world are long gone, and there's probably a small handful of fairly equal teams out there gunning for the title, but another Roma like meltdown should obviously not be tolerated.

Either way, ChL success should only be part of evaluating EV's future here. Right now there are other equally important factors where he will need to improve drastically aside from just the matter of winning or losing matches.

I think we are in the conversation as having the best squad in the world for sure. But I agree with the comment as in he doesn't have to win the CL to keep his job. La Liga is enough for me. But he does have to make us play pretty great in it. Making at least the semis and pushing hard for the title is a must. Last year, Valverde flopped hard in CL, that must be said and accepted by all, supporters or detractors alike.

 

[Trickykid]

I think we are in the conversation as having the best squad in the world for sure. But I agree with the comment as in he doesn't have to win the CL to keep his job. La Liga is enough for me. But he does have to make us play pretty great in it. Making at least the semis and pushing hard for the title is a must. Last year, Valverde flopped hard in CL, that must be said and accepted by all, supporters or detractors alike.

I don't think you will find anyone out there disagreeing with the fact that EV (and the players) flopped hard against Roma.

About our squad, sure it's among the best, but probably not the best - however you're going to measure that. We should absolutely be in contention though, just like we should last season.

 

[Barcaman]

That's too harsh. A good showing in the deep end of the knockout phase should be the measuring stick as I see it. It's such a volatile competition hugely influenced by luck, that accepting a win as the sole measure of success would be highly unreasonable. The days of us having the best squad in the world are long gone, and there's probably a small handful of fairly equal teams out there gunning for the title, but another Roma like meltdown should obviously not be tolerated.

Either way, ChL success should only be part of evaluating EV's future here. Right now there are other equally important factors where he will need to improve drastically aside from just the matter of winning or losing matches.

Interestingly enough, no mention of quality of football.
Pretty sure Barca hasn't played this bad since Rijkaard first months. Picking 3 best performers per game has become a task almost every weekend.

 

[DonAK]

Of course it's not. No sensible board would fire a manager just for not winning the CL. The league is the main objective + playing well in the CL.

The main objective this season as reflected by the players is the CL and not the league.

If we don't make at least the SF this season he should be gone. If we get humiliated again he should be gone. If his mantra of playing key players every game tires them out when push comes to shove in the CL he should be gone.

I have no patience for Valverde's bullshit in the CL this season after last season's meltdown. I'm not saying he absolutely has to win as luck can go to shit sometimes, but he has to step up and perform there as a manager and reaching the SF should be the bare minimum, or else he need to fuck off.

This team need to be contenders, something they haven't been for three years now with its lowest point the debacle in Rome last year.

 

[Neymessi]

An ultimatum like semis in CL ain't fair. How we perform in CL should be seen. We could lose 2-2 aggregate on penalties against PSG in quarters after playing well.

 

[KingLeo10]

An ultimatum like semis in CL ain't fair. How we perform in CL should be seen. We could lose 2-2 aggregate on penalties against PSG in quarters after playing well.

leave it to you to dream of a PSG win (with neydive) over any other club that you could have thrown in there.

 

[DonAK]

An ultimatum like semis in CL ain't fair. How we perform in CL should be seen. We could lose 2-2 aggregate on penalties against PSG in quarters after playing well.

This team should beat PSG. They're barely managing to stay alive for a place in the R16.

Losing to a top 2 team in the competition is acceptable as long as the team does well and fights out there, but not to PSG lol.

 

[Joan]

The main objective this season as reflected by the players is the CL and not the league.

If we don't make at least the SF this season he should be gone. If we get humiliated again he should be gone. If his mantra of playing key players every game tires them out when push comes to shove in the CL he should be gone.

I have no patience for Valverde's bullshit in the CL this season after last season's meltdown. I'm not saying he absolutely has to win as luck can go to shit sometimes, but he has to step up and perform there as a manager and reaching the SF should be the bare minimum, or else he need to fuck off.

This team need to be contenders, something they haven't been for three years now with its lowest point the debacle in Rome last year.

That's what players would love to win the most. Fans too. Just like the board, I assume. But at the end of the season, winning the CL shouldn't be the main criterion to rate the job the coach did. The quality of the team's league campaign might seem like a more reasonable one. Solid season in the CL is a must, though.

Another meltdown should definitely cost him the job. But in that case, more seats should be emptied. Said it a few months ago, I don't see the point in extending his contract before the end of the season. Results are definitely not the only relevant parameter.

 

[DonAK]

That's what players would love to win the most. Fans too. Just like the board, I assume. But at the end of the season, winning the CL shouldn't be the main criterion to rate the job the coach did. The quality of the team's league campaign might seem like a more reasonable one. Solid season in the CL is a must, though.

Another meltdown should definitely cost him the job. But in that case, some more seats should be emptied.

We're going to have a good league season, especially with our rivals shitting their pants.

His job security should depend on the Champions League. I'm not saying he has to win it, but he has to prove himself in the KO stage and be convincing in key situations. Make this team play well and get far, which for me is the SF which would prove this team is a contender this season. If he fails that then he can go back to Bilbao or Piraeus.

I think it's perfectly reasonable to expect this team to be a serious contender for the CL and play that way and reach far enough for that. If he hasn't learned his lesson from last season he never will so it won't be worth keeping him. As simple as that as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Joan]

His job security should depend on the Champions League. I'm not saying he has to win it, but he has to prove himself in the KO stage and be convincing in key situations.

That's all I'm saying. In fact, agree with most things you said. But, note, you're assuming we'll do well domestically.

 

[Stoichkov1]

This team should beat PSG. They're barely managing to stay alive for a place in the R16.

Losing to a top 2 team in the competition is acceptable as long as the team does well and fights out there, but not to PSG lol.

Who is a top 2 team in the competition?

 

[KingLeo10]

Who is a top 2 team in the competition?

juventus and man city (aside from us)

 

[AndreC]

i think the winner is between liverpool, city, juventus, and barça.
i dont see atletico, real madrid or bayern win it this year.
between those 4, liverpool and city have the best coaches, barça has clearly the worst.
its hard to guess the winner.