Gerardo "Tata" Martino

[Ursegor]

Don't think he is a bad coach and I don't blame him for last season but let's not glorify his abilities in hindsight. He too had many flaws and people were hating on him the same way they are hating on Lucho right now. Obviously that's forgotten now. Same "big game lineup" regardless of opposition in all big games, just throwing the biggest names on the pitch, in-form Alexis on the bench in virtually all big games no matter what, Neymar on the right wing, Iniesta on the left and Fabregas getting his usual 60 minutes only to end up getting subbed off. Pulling Busquets-Song double pivot at Anoeta and getting badly owned. Isolating Messi on the right wing against Atletico with the explanation: "I didn't want him to participate much in the game" (wat?). Refusing to use Alexis or Neymar as false 9 when Messi was injured with the explanation "I prefer even Sergi Roberto there ahead of Neymar" (wat?). Getting played off the park by Ajax. Bad man-marking at set pieces from start of the season until the very last game. Chaotic games in the first half of the season when Valdes had to stretch himself a lot to salvage points. All forgotten already? I mean all you need to do is go back a couple pages and read:

What is he trying? We play exactly like last season. Same strengths, same problems. Nothing changed apart from the fact that some players became better. The lack of innovation and a clear "handwriting" says a lot about Tata's coaching abilities. Like Bojan said, he might be a good coach, but Barça need someone who is not afraid to change things and make unpopular decisions - just like Pep was. I hope I'll eat my words at the end of the season but I can't say the past few months have been too exhilarating.

Another pitiful performance, team should be starting to peak now to go into march and April guns blazing

If the desire to win does not come back - for whatever reason, it is a team's duty to find players that can work hard and commit 100% to the team. But we'll see what happens. At the end of the season we'll draw the line and see where we stand. If the results are bad then major changes are needed for the team. Not one or two player should, but several. And high-profile ones.

Martino is not the coach we need. I used to be on the defensive side of him, I mean his a great coach, but we are becoming too direct. Heck, even Southampton plays more Tiki-Taka than we do NOW! Don't get me wrong I agree that passing the ball against a parked bus is "at times" senseless, and its good to try something new, but when it becomes too much. . . . That's just excessive. But do we have the physical requirement for playing direct? Its really hampering our creativity.

Well, what tactics is he trying to introduce? The long ball festival some weeks ago was a complete failure.

I don't think Tata is that great of a tactician. He's an above average manager all around decent manager but he's definitely nothing special.

We havent played great the whole season.
We played a great game the very first game of the season, then it has gone downhill from there.

Barcelona is actually quite boring to watch now with this playstyle. I watch the games, but i dont enjoy them so much.

I'm starting to agree with this. No gameplan, seem a bunch of individuals trying to do something. Really worrying.

And this wasn't even after the complete meltdown around March/April. This is all from end of January/start of February.

The only salvaging point for Tata in hindsight is that he didn't get any transfers and that he might have ruled the world if he had. Which is pure conjecture of course. He would have gotten Douglas and Vermaelen from Zubi the same way Lucho did and then what?

 

[linetty]

Martino: "In Spain, media make news based on lies. Even when it can be proven it's wrong. That never happened to me before, it's too much."
Tata Martino: "In any place in the world, you're a phenomenon when you finish second. In Spain, you're the worst." [uncano]

Why is he suprised? Barca is never content with second spot. Go hard or go home. Do or die.

 

[Egert]

Dafuk is he smoking? He was managing Barca not freaking Malaga.

 

[Alik]

True, in no place are title contenders happy to come second.

 

[DrPepper]

True, in no place are title contenders happy to come second.

Well, there are some who are happy to be fourth...

 

[frog-fcb]

For all the crap that went on last season i think he did brilliant to get to the last day of season still in contention for title

 

[Icarium]

For all the crap that went on last season i think he did brilliant to get to the last day of season still in contention for title

That is not really a great thing because real gave up on liga and atleti also lost easy matches mostly because of tough CL matches. But still Tata had good moments, he defeated Real both at home and away in the league. I think that is a great feet mainly considering Real Madrid are the eventual champions league winners. But his inability to beat simeone has cost us dearly. It is pretty obvious that simeone was one step ahead of him always. We managed to win super copa luckily but we lacked that luck in CL and La liga.

 

[serghei]

He should have motivated the players better for the last game vs Atletico. That game was the season decider for Barca and we didn't act like it was. Neither did the fans in the stadium tbh. Tactically, he was good. The motivational part could've been better, but he seems to not be that type of coach. Still better than Lucho in my opinion.

As for his duel with Simeone, he was unfortunate with the injury of Valdes. The goal we received at home from Diego cost us. In that game, Curtois was the MotM and, with all due respect for Pinto for what he did for the club, he was plain bad.

 

[xavi_the_Boss]

As for his duel with Simeone, he was unfortunate with the injury of Valdes. The goal we received at home from Diego cost us. In that game, Curtois was the MotM and, with all due respect for Pinto for what he did for the club, he was plain bad.

We got totally outplayed in the return leg.Especially the first 20 minutes or so they were all over us.Could have easily ended 3:0 or so.

 

[Faceless]

Tata's reign had problems but I think it couldn't be much worse than Enrique's reign.

 

[KyletheMuslim]

Tata was probably our best coach post pep, we were very unlucky with injuries and the like

 

[Alarcón]

Tata's reign had problems but I think it couldn't be much worse than Enrique's reign.

That's because you have a poor memory

 

[KingMessi]

Tata was probably our best coach post pep, we were very unlucky with injuries and the like

Offensively, Tito was our best coach until he had his cancer relapse.

 

[xavi_the_Boss]

Offensively, Tito was our best coach until he had his cancer relapse.

We also won the league pretty comfortably.

 

[Flavia]

Tata was a bit better than Lucho, but has everyone forgotten some of his golden statements? As the time he said he wanted Messi involved as little as possible? Or giving up too soon and then losing the league. Neither of the 2 are good enough to coach Barça.