Let's talk about Xavi's replacement (2024)

Xavi replacement v3


  • Total voters
    19

Don Juan Laporta Estruch

Well-known member
De Zerbi has made far more glaring errors than Xavi has ever done. Xavi has never brought in a 38 year old midfielder to play right back against the best dribbler in world football at the moment. Even the interviewer asked De Zerbi why he did that.

I'd doubt that Xavi would consider Welbeck better than Ferguson either. I doubt that Xavi would drop a striker who just scored 2 goals in his previous game, for absolutely no reason either. ( De Zerbi did this many times with Ferguson and João Pedro as well.)

The whole world should be talking about Evan Ferguson, he is a bona fide world class talent. But they are not, because he has hardly played this season.

Be careful what you wish for, folks.
 

khaled_a_d

Senior Member
Appointing Marquez would just be a prof that Laporta and Co. learned nothing. Another inexperienced coach who would be out of his depth here. IMHO the biggest problem with Xavi is the lack of ideas and tactical skills. What's recognizable about his playing style? Does he even have one?

The same can be said about many other options tbh.
De Zerbi looks like the typical good small team coach tbh, he has his flaws that small teams would accept dealing with, but not big teams.
And if we are being honest here, a guy like Miguel from Girona is doing an equally spectacular job in Liga, and the club is looking at him.
Same with Alguacil from Sociedad. Only thing De Zerbi has over this guys is the spotlight of EPL and being few years younger ( he isn't that young himself though)
And yet, if the club signed any of those names we will never stop hearing the end of it, how the club never learn with those mediocre managers etc.
I am not advocating for Marquez btw, but I think there is a reason the club has a type when it comes to hiring and people are a bit unfair about it.
Look at guys like Flick, Nagelsmann, Sampaoli, Setien, Paco whom many fans thought we should consider. Could argue about Ten Haag too although he might turn things around.
 

DonAK

President of FC Barcelona
I think the players are still playing for Xavi, you can see that when they win, they way they celebrate with him. There is obvious respect there and actually that's one of Xavi's strong points. Xavi is just a very inexperienced manager and not setting the team up well enough with a good structure and patterns of play.

If they get rid of him mid season, my plan would be Marquez to the end of the season. If Marquez does really well, give him another season. If not, go for Slot and only Slot.

All the other managers that have been mentioned scare me. A bit like when people were advocating for Messi to leave and then left the forum and left the carcass that remained for the rest of us, who wanted Messi to stay, to deal with.

Honestly, most of them would be worse than Xavi and would sink Barca even further.

What makes Slot convince you more than per se someone like De Zerbi and Amorim just to use two examples of managers that very likely will take over a big club in the near future.

I haven't read or know much about Slot tbh so genuinely curious. I know all of these options will be flawed in some anyway as the near guarantee like Pep or Klopp are impossible to hire.

As for the thread then I would prefer Xavi stay until the end of the season unless we're struggling to finish top four in La Liga. Scared of hiring a manager mid-season only for him to do well enough to get the job on a perma basis and end up like our Solskjær.
 

JamDav1982

Senior Member
Marquez would get it until end of season most likely.

Laporta travelling with Atletic team last game could be telling although win a few games and he appears in dressing room whether it be first team, atletic or womens team..loves photo op when team winning.

Also Marquez sitting with Decon every Barca home game etc and supposedly having his ear when tensions growing between Deco/Xavi according to media.

Then there are reports about Laporta not being happy with team picked v Rayo and players held back for Porto.

Everything points to them rating Marquez highly and reports also coming out that he is being offered better jobs and wont hang around all that long.

Ex Barca player is always a huge criteria bonus and fact doing well with B team this season makes it obvious choice.
 

Messi983

Senior Member
Rafa might take one of those supposed better jobs and prove himself outside Barca before possibly coming back. In summer obviously, wouldn't want to lose him mid season.
 

Don Juan Laporta Estruch

Well-known member
What makes Slot convince you more than per se someone like De Zerbi and Amorim just to use two examples of managers that very likely will take over a big club in the near future.

I haven't read or know much about Slot tbh so genuinely curious. I know all of these options will be flawed in some anyway as the near guarantee like Pep or Klopp are impossible to hire.

As for the thread then I would prefer Xavi stay until the end of the season unless we're struggling to finish top four in La Liga. Scared of hiring a manager mid-season only for him to do well enough to get the job on a perma basis and end up like our Solskjær.
Feyenoord had no business winning the Eredivisie last season given both PSV and Ajax spent a lot more than them. They won it without any stand out players bar Gimenez who only excelled in the second half of the season. He also overachieved in Europe, getting to a final.

When you have a sum of the parts team like that, the credit goes to the manager. He is the one that makes the sum of the parts special. It's in complete contrast to De Zerbi, where it is Brighton's sporting department that is the real star of the show.

What has De Zerbi done that Potter didn't do? Nothing really, apart from some ridiculous decisions I have highlighted here many times. Was he that good at Sassuolo? Not really, they are still the same overachieving, occasionally giant killing team that they are now with Berardi there.

Slot's style of football is great, his team is super aggressive and he is a killer. When they won 4 nil at Ajax, Slot wasn't happy and was actually pissed off that the game was suspended and had to be continued the next day. He felt without the suspension they would have gone on to win 6 or 7 nil.

Amorim is an interesting name, but he went through a bad patch last season, whereas Slot hasn't really and has continued to maintain a super high level consistently for Feyenoord so far. He dealt with losing a big player in Kokcu and managed to replace him seamlessly with Zarrouki.
 

Raketa10

Senior Member
If Scaloni Indeed decided to leave Argentina, I would welcome him here with open arms.
Different type of managers than Barca usually wants, but he would make the best out of our lethargic team. Still to be tested in club football though.

This guy was made by Messi. Additionally, coaching NT is far from coaching a club. No way he would be a good fit.
 

serghei

Senior Member
Fun thread.

Flick is jobless, no? No takers now? 2 years ago he was the shit.

ETH could be jobless soon too.
 

JamDav1982

Senior Member
Fun thread.

Flick is jobless, no? No takers now? 2 years ago he was the shit.

ETH could be jobless soon too.

Who would you want if Xavi was sacked?

Sure you used to be a big fan of both Flick and ETH so one of them if available?

It is very unlikely and if he walked or pushed would most likely be Marquez anyway so all speculation.
 

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