There are occasions in life where you would prefer not to be right at all. In this specific case I am referring to the complete and utter uselessness of the current board if it even makes sense to call them a board in the first place. My constant criticism of this clueless, gutless and short-sighted board (add whatever negative adjectives that you can think of, most would be accurate) since the day that they gained power back in 2010, even after the triplete in 2015, might have sounded like an echo chamber at times but it is with great sadness that I look at the current state of affairs of the club. Even more sad when you are not the least surprised and saw it all coming.
The betrayal of the Cruyff sporting model. The exact sporting model that made this club the most successful (in terms of trophies won) and admired club in the world in the past 30 years and gave it a clear identity, playing style and long-term sporting vision. The only sporting model that gave this sleeping and often underperforming giant (anyone familiar with the club's history will understand what I am referring to here) the opportunity to fulfill its enormous potential that otherwise most likely would have been wasted to this very day due to mainly internal faults.
There was the scandalous "Gaspart era" which was a living example of how bad things can turn if the Cruyff model is abandoned completely. The only reason why Rosell and Bartomeu has not succeeded in turning the clock back to that disgraceful era is due to the strong fundament that the Cruyff disciple (Laporta) managed to build. A foundation (with few later additions) that ensured continued success and with Messi as the main protagonist. Now 9 years later, can anyone answer me what type of foundation this board is building? Messi will turn 32 in a few days and won't last forever. La Masia has been neglected. Our transfer policy (by large) has been in shambles. The best example being the Coutinho purchase and to an extent the Dembélé purchase (Valverde is to blame for the latter's lack of a breakthrough by large). Investments worth potentially freaking €300 million if the bonuses will be paid in full. Not even going to talk about our "manager" Valverde and what he represents. Or the fact that it is actually the "old guard" (vacas sagradas) that runs the club to a large extent and now that same "old guard" is trying to convince the board of signing, excuse my language, fucking Neymar of all players 2 years after his unforgivable stunt. In short, as I don't want to write an essay, I have a hard time recognizing my club any longer. It has been a gradual process since 2010 but the disgrace at Anfield and the subsequent continuation of Valverde (the CdR final defeat was a given due to the physiological state of the squad after the Anfield humiliation), our total and utter lack of a sporting project, Neymar obsession (now with the full backing of both Sport and Mundo Deportivo and their daily propaganda) etc. just further adds to my feelings.
Warning fellow soci/socios in person and online, participating on local forums etc. was of no use. Putting up a fight against the hordes of Grupo Godó addicts (old guard) and "Rosellistas" and "Nuñistas" (talking here about his last years as a president post-1996) was a lost battle before it even began as well. Only another splendid "Gaspart era" will wake people up once again but why in the good world is such a sad state of affairs needed to do what is right?
2021 cannot come soon enough.
As I final thought, I would like to post this photo below that illustrates the local propaganda pamphlets and the board's chronic incompetence;
Mundo Deportivo's cover from 26 of abril this year:
Of all the 7 sections competing for their equivalent of the CL this season, guess how many ended up winning? A grand total of zero.