Joan Laporta

[Messigician]

If people want my opinion.

Messi was set to leave as he wanted a champions league. But after winning Copa he changed his mind and wanted to renew but it was too late.

End of

 

[mc_lovin]

That is most pathetic excuse possible.

They had months to get it done and just about every other player out of contract wants to sign before tournament due to risk of injury etc.

'Messi wanting to focus on Copa' was most likely nonsense to deflect from fact contract had not been signed.

When did the audit finish? From the board's perspective it made sense to stall as well, I think both parties were happy with taking things slower. Especially considering the complicated proposals (5 year deal, 200ME+ in volume).

 

[khaled_a_d]

Even if we could technically sign him an extension, that was the wrong financial decision tbh.
Audit takes months for new board, and it ended in July. They were gonna be stupid if they signed Messi an extension when they don't know where the club stand financially in full details

 

[JamDav1982]

The audit had nothing to do with waiting on a decision to renew Messi or not.

Just latest excuse.

There was nothing in that audit that changed or was going to change the decision to try and re sign him compared to what was already known.

 

[evilhita666]

Improvising successfully some say, here's a summary of his mandate so far off the top of my head:

- Was against Superleague during campaign, but flip flopped as soon as he became president and stubbornly continues to support it.
- Had higher ups resigning even before he was appointed, which caused him to almost miss the deadline to become president and getting yet another credit despite our financial situation.
- Failed to retain Messi and even if it was impossible, he could have at least done more than a 7 minute video to say goodbye.
- Was made PSG's bitch for resting on his laurels about Wijnaldum.
- Put his faith in Tebas to solve his own problems.
- If our financial situation is really that bad, why did he reject CVC deal?
- Mixed signals about supporting Koeman and setting unrelaistic expectations. One day he likes him and the next he doesn't.
- Poor results moving out deadwood from the team, we still have a 30 player squad.
- Took way too long to renegotiate salaries and senior's contracts.
- Foot in mouth with the Emerson deal. (Even though I think the result was good for the club)
- No real sporting direction, other than we'll see what happens in two years with our young talents.
- Depay was basically a done deal even before he was president, he just made it official. Lucky PSG didn't swoop in.
- Being Florentino's lap dog.

That clearly shows a man without a plan and no real results to show in his favor. So many contradictory moves, I wonder if he regrets that billboard.

 

[Joan]

Decent cleanup if the Pjanic deal is not a random rumor.

Let's see who's left among older players:
In the attack, we've got Aguero (33), De Jong (31), and Braithwaite (30). All of them on relatively low wages, De Jong is here on a loan too. Aguero likely to leave as soon as the season ends. Maybe we should've got rid of Braithwaite but with the depth we have...

In midfield, there's Pjanic (31) who's apparently gone on a loan. Fine deal considering he wouldn't play here. Will play there and might attract potential buyers. Then there's Busquets (33) who's still needed with no apparent successor. Also, not old, but in the deadweight category, there's Coutinho (29). Doubt he brings much to the table, another injury is more likely. But we're not offloading him either way, we're stuck with him.

In defense: there's Pique (34), another one who leaves on his own terms, might happen this summer. Won't whine too much as he's still our best defender. There's Alba (32), a good and useful player. The biggest deadweight obviously Umtiti (27). There's also Roberto, who might renew under more acceptable conditions.

All in all, not great, not terrible.

 

[serghei]

Decent?

It's brilliant by Laporta so far. The only flaw is his somewhat lackluster communication part, and this is actually very aguable. I'm not sure the Barca fanbase is intelligent and mature enough to face the truth flat out. They need sugarcoating.

If Laporta is overtly open and sincere, the same people would go at his jugular for not trying enough. Spare me. Laporta understood that the fanbase can't reasonably deal with the things that have to be done, and he tried to ease them in. Make them seem less of a decision as an act of fate. He succeeded at this, and if he really masterminded the whole thing, the man is a genius strategist.

I don't think he's a schemer though. I think he loves the club, is an intelligent person and has the guts to take unpleasant decisions in the short term for the benefit of the club. That Bartomeu clown... I really think he's an impostor that doesn't really care much about the club.

The global fanbase of Barca was born from the elite era of Ronaldinho's Barca, built upon and even extended by the best team ever, Pep's Barca. I'm taking with a grain of salt the ability of this fanbase to recognize when an era has ended.

In fewer words, Messi had to go. The team had the last ball in that EV season when we could have won big. Poetically, the flaws prevailed (team flaws and manager flaws as well) and the season ended in dismay.

 

[Laplacian]

On Wijnaldum, we should be glad PSG took him off from us. Looks like my theory about him was true: Liverpool doesn't really need its midfielders to be creative because they funnel it through their fullbacks, so the midfielders can get away for being rather unremarkable technically and in terms of forward play; place them any other team (with the exception of Fabinho) and they'll be below average. Wijnaldum scores a goal or two during a big match occasionally, but he is mostly just used for retaining and recycling possession.

At PSG he's basically anonymous/borderline awful and the fans are already meme'ing him.

 

[DonAK]

The board/management apparently have 2023 as the year we'll be competitive in the transfer market again.

https://twitter.com/ReshadRahman_/status/1433378703543832583

"The sporting area of the club believes that Barcelona will be able to fully compete head to head in the transfer market from the summer of 2023. However, if necessary, they'll also try to carry out some operations in the winter 2022 transfer window"

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Decent?

It's brilliant by Laporta so far. The only flaw is his somewhat lackluster communication part, and this is actually very aguable. I'm not sure the Barca fanbase is intelligent and mature enough to face the truth flat out. They need sugarcoating.

If Laporta is overtly open and sincere, the same people would go at his jugular for not trying enough. Spare me. Laporta understood that the fanbase can't reasonably deal with the things that have to be done, and he tried to ease them in. Make them seem less of a decision as an act of fate. He succeeded at this, and if he really masterminded the whole thing, the man is a genius strategist.

I don't think he's a schemer though. I think he loves the club, is an intelligent person and has the guts to take unpleasant decisions in the short term for the benefit of the club. That Bartomeu clown... I really think he's an impostor that doesn't really care much about the club.

The global fanbase of Barca was born from the elite era of Ronaldinho's Barca, built upon and even extended by the best team ever, Pep's Barca. I'm taking with a grain of salt the ability of this fanbase to recognize when an era has ended.

In fewer words, Messi had to go. The team had the last ball in that EV season when we could have won big. Poetically, the flaws prevailed (team flaws and manager flaws as well) and the season ended in dismay.

Great post!

 

[serghei]

On Wijnaldum, we should be glad PSG took him off from us. Looks like my theory about him was true: Liverpool doesn't really need its midfielders to be creative because they funnel it through their fullbacks, so the midfielders can get away for being rather unremarkable technically and in terms of forward play; place them any other team (with the exception of Fabinho) and they'll be below average. Wijnaldum scores a goal or two during a big match occasionally, but he is mostly just used for retaining and recycling possession.

At PSG he's basically anonymous/borderline awful and the fans are already meme'ing him.

It's because Wiinaldum doesn't have the one thing PSG wants from a midfielder looking at their attackers. Legs, defensive beastliness, stamina. Wijnaldum is actually ranking the worst in these areas, while ranking the best in areas which are already more than covered by their stacked attacking line.

Dumb transfer really on paper.

 

[JamDav1982]

On Wijnaldum, we should be glad PSG took him off from us. Looks like my theory about him was true: Liverpool doesn't really need its midfielders to be creative because they funnel it through their fullbacks, so the midfielders can get away for being rather unremarkable technically and in terms of forward play; place them any other team (with the exception of Fabinho) and they'll be below average. Wijnaldum scores a goal or two during a big match occasionally, but he is mostly just used for retaining and recycling possession.

At PSG he's basically anonymous/borderline awful and the fans are already meme'ing him.

Not quite your theory of that was Liverpools approach.

It has been discussed for years on here that they set up like that.

 

[serghei]

The board/management apparently have 2023 as the year we'll be competitive in the transfer market again.

https://twitter.com/ReshadRahman_/status/1433378703543832583

"The sporting area of the club believes that Barcelona will be able to fully compete head to head in the transfer market from the summer of 2023. However, if necessary, they'll also try to carry out some operations in the winter 2022 transfer window"

Funny, but that's exactly whats sounds logic. I don't see a miracle big money signing like Haaland in the summer of 2022. It's too soon, but it would be a brilliant coup if somehow we could get the funds to make it work. Because a player like Haaland is up for grabs maybe once every 5-6 years.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

It's because Wiinaldum doesn't have the one thing PSG wants from a midfielder looking at their attackers. Legs, beastliness, stamina. Wijnaldum is actually ranking the worst in this, while ranking the best in areas which are already more than covered by their stacked attacking line.

Dumb transfer really on paper.

I think this move was mostly done to annoy Barca and show Barca the middle finger.

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Funny, but that's exactly whats sounds logic. I don't see a miracle big money signing like Haaland in the summer of 2022. It's too soon, but it would be a brilliant coup if somehow we could get the funds to make it work. Because a player like Haaland is up for grabs maybe once every 5-6 years.

Exactly. These are the players you take loans for, not the Griezmann type. System players.

Not that I say we should take a loan right now. Too many loans already.