Ernesto Valverde

[Potroh]

Xavi was playing for Sadd since 2015 and he was kinda Captain/assistant coach since, so he would already had/have the influence on his teammates and will know better if the team is ready for his ideas. It's not like he is managing a totally new team.

Just telling you because quite a few years ago I was an assistant coach of the very same team, that one can not compare coaching experiences in the Arabic word, that of the mediterranean Europe.
EVERYTHING is so different there, that I wouldn't even call it a useful experience in Xavi's case.

Xavi will gather experience when he returns to the old continent, until then it is all about the outstanding wages and nothing else.

 

[George_Costanza]

Just telling you because quite a few years ago I was an assistant coach of the very same team, that one can not compare coaching experiences in the Arabic word, that of Mediterranean Europe.
EVERYTHING is so different there, that I wouldn't even call it a useful experience in Xavi's case.

Xavi will gather experience when he returns to the old continent, until then it is all about the outstanding wages and nothing else.

I think a good coach can apply his footballing philosophy and tactics no matter where he goes. Pep applied his philosophy successfully which is more suited for technical players in Germany and England. Many coaches did well in the Arab region and went on to become very successful in Europe and worldwide. Some even won the WC (Carlos Parreira, Mario Zagallo and Scolari). Barca ex youth coach Felix Sanchez Bas successfully implemented Barcelona footballing philosophy, first in Aspire Academy, then Qatar NT under 19 which won them the Asian Cup, then again won continent's biggest prize with Qatar senior team for the first time in their history playing the very same Barcelona football model.

As I said, it's too early for Xavi and he needs at least a few years, be it in Qatar or Europe. If Qatar's national team became very successful in playing the Barcelona model, I don't see how coaching the biggest team in Qatar should be an obstacle for Xavi.

 

[serghei]

I hope Xavi gets fired from that Quatarese team and starts taking the managing job seriously. Come back in Europe ffs. A job in La Liga is what he should be aiming to get.

 

[Raketa10]

As things stand right now there is no way he will be sacked. We'll be lucky if he leaves next summer. My biggest fear is that he might even remain here for 2020/21 season.

 

[Potroh]

I think a good coach can apply his footballing philosophy and tactics no matter where he goes. Pep applied his philosophy successfully which is more suited for technical players in Germany and England. Many coaches did well in the Arab region and went on to become very successful in Europe and worldwide. Some even won the WC (Carlos Parreira, Mario Zagallo and Scolari). Barca ex youth coach Felix Sanchez Bas successfully implemented Barcelona footballing philosophy, first in Aspire Academy, then Qatar NT under 19 which won them the Asian Cup, then again won continent's biggest prize with Qatar senior team for the first time in their history playing the very same Barcelona football model.

As I said, it's too early for Xavi and he needs at least a few years, be it in Qatar or Europe. If Qatar's national team became very successful in playing the Barcelona model, I don't see how coaching the biggest team in Qatar should be an obstacle for Xavi.

Fair enough.
Unfortunately the facts are a bit different. One can TRY to apply his known and superior footballing philosophy elsewhere, but the desert-world is not the best soil for a starter coach, even if he is a legend himself. It's a great advantage the players know who he was as a player, nevertheless circumstances are so different that you simply can't compare it to Europe.

Trainings in 52 degrees, nutrition-less footballers during the Ramadan, etc. all these make it very different.
(An older midfielder of our team looked very very tired week by week, then I asked him about his private life. He said he "had to" make all three wives of his happy everyday... which is good for everyone, except his physical condition.)

Obviously one can be a very successful coach there, as you've mentioned it, but due to the several differences, it worth little when he returns to Europe. He will have to be able to deal with very different clubs and players with different problems and mentalities.

 

[MTL_Barca]

He's getting used to the job but i don't think theres much besides that that'll be useful for his career later. Working for Barca youth team / b-team or similar should he his next step instead of staying in Qatar for too long.

 

[Messigician]

Xavi and Qatar has always bothered me.

 

[Total-Football]

Just telling you because quite a few years ago I was an assistant coach of the very same team, that one can not compare coaching experiences in the Arabic word, that of the mediterranean Europe.
EVERYTHING is so different there, that I wouldn't even call it a useful experience in Xavi's case.

Xavi will gather experience when he returns to the old continent, until then it is all about the outstanding wages and nothing else.

That's à shocking statement by an especially learned person like yourself [MENTION=21136]Potroh[/MENTION]. You are epitomizing eurocentrism there.

 

[Potroh]

That's à shocking statement by an especially learned person like yourself [MENTION=21136]Potroh[/MENTION]. You are epitomizing eurocentrism there.

Perhaps you are right and it sounds like that, I don't deny that.
But the remark simply comes from my subjective personal experience and I'm anything but Eurocentric, especially that I loved working in the East and I highly respect those cultures.
Apart from India, my years in Kuwait were the best, it was only in Qatar that things didn't really go well for me, but still I do adore and admire those countries and cultures.

Besides the highly subjective experiences, I still admit and feel, that many things are different there from the point of view of a football-coach. Players live differently, their preferences are very different, even their social statuses are different, so I truly think for a beginner coach who wishes to work in Europe, those coaching experiences probably have less use after they return.
Not from the footballing perspective, the ball is round everywhere, but from the perspective of handling the players, who are unwittingly bound by their original cultures.

 

[KingLeo10]

I hope Xavi gets fired from that Quatarese team and starts taking the managing job seriously. Come back in Europe ffs. A job in La Liga is what he should be aiming to get.

A management gig in La liga outside of the big 3 doesn't pay too well. For all the blaugrana soundbites, Xavi's been after the money for a few years now.

 

[IvanAtanasov]

I'm not sure which is worse "It is what it is" or Van Gaal's writing in his notebook

 

[serghei]

"It is what it is" is up there with "Veni, vidi, vici".

 

[Porque]

Club shop needs some Valverde "It is what it is" merch. Could be a best seller.

Camp Nou needs an "it is what it is" chant every time Suarez loses the ball.

 

[Vilarrubi]

Forget “Mes Que Un Club” we should change it to “It Is What It Is”. Needs to be printed on the Camp Nou.

Being humiliated twice in the CL with historical comebacks....... “It Is What It Is”

Playing garbage football which is boring to watch......... “It Is What It Is”

Relying on Messi to bail you out in nearly every game......... “It Is What It Is”

The list could go on and on.

 

[IvanAtanasov]

Spock: The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few
Kirk: It is what it is...