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

[Temptation]

Christian Falk: Hansi Flick is a hot candidate to be Xavi's successor at FC Barcelona. President Joan Laporta is pushing for him. The former German national coach is ready for a new challenge in the summer, a foreign league appeals to him.


Laporta is a big fan of Flick.


@Andresito would you take Hansi?

 

[Raketa10]

There is no perfect candidate right now so they will have to choose wisely. The only candidate I think majority would approve is Klopp. However, we all know that he won't come next summer. He said that he is taking a year off so why is he even in the poll? All the others have some kind of a flaw.

De Zerbi - never coached a big team and never won anything
Motta - same as De Zerbi
Arteta - never won anything
Alonso - the best candidate out of this young ones. However, he is Madridista and probably Lpool bounded
Michel - one season wonder for now
Flick - had only one and a half good season in his life and he is 58y old German who was an assistant manager for majority of his career.
Alguacil - never coached anyone except Sociedad and only has won one Copa.
Conceicao - to be fair no one knows anything about him or his coaching style

It's not like anyone out of this names is a certain bet but if we need to bet it's better to bet on the younger managers than 58y old Flick who spent majority of his career as an assistant manager. Furthermore, he has never developed a player and has prepared only ONE entire season as a manager. That season he lost CL 1/4 against PSG who were swept 4-1 by CIty in the next round. Moreover, that CL he won was the strangest one ever. Due to the Covid situation all games from 1/4 were played in a single leg format behind closed doors. People seriously need to stop with that weird Flick obsession. If half or one good season is a criterion to became a Barca manager than we can also consider Roberto Di Matteo.

 

[Neeraj]

(Continuing my post from the other xavi thread)

Can't remember anyone that didn't speak Spanish coaching us, going back to the time of Luis Araganos, what some 35 years back? I guess only Bobby Robson in that time I suppose?

Either way, getting someone like Flick would definitely be out of the norm for us culturally, so will be interesting to see how it plays out if that did happen. Would imagine the catalan media would way harsher.

 

[Andresito]

Klopp is my top choice, by far. Understandably not realistic though.

Flick is probably the last one I want. Uninspiring, with nothing really to show for except for a CL. His suicidal high line isn't something I'd enjoy.

Also very doubtful of Tuchel. Has experience at top clubs but has he actually impacted those teams with a positive curve of development? Won CL with Chelsea, but what happened next?

Michel and De Zerbi could well be great options. Michel could win Liga which would be incredible, but would he be fit to coach a top side that fights for both CL and league? Ranieri did great with Leicester when they won PL but that didn't mean he was fit to coach the best teams in the world.

It's tough. On one hand it would be best to get a manager early to be able to plan the next season's squad. On the other hand many of these coaches are a 'flavour of the month' option and highly dependent on what type of result they achieve with their respective club. How interesting would Michel for example be if his Girona went back to their usual level and finished 5th in the league? He'd be nowhere near the job.

 

[JamDav1982]

Give it to Gundogan.

Barca link/German/played under Pep and Klopp/drives standards/full grip on tactics of modern coaches.

Tell him to go steal a team of coaches from City and look for an experienced number 2 and give him the keys to the city.

https://www.mancity.com/citytv/mens/ilkay-gundogan-manchester-city-academy-coaching-session-63780112

Supposedly Gundogan is the one that came up with suggestion to Pep about Stones going into midfield when have ball last season.

 

[Temptation]

Klopp is my top choice, by far. Understandably not realistic though.

Flick is probably the last one I want. Uninspiring, with nothing really to show for except for a CL. His suicidal high line isn't something I'd enjoy.

Also very doubtful of Tuchel. Has experience at top clubs but has he actually impacted those teams with a positive curve of development? Won CL with Chelsea, but what happened next?

Michel and De Zerbi could well be great options. Michel could win Liga which would be incredible, but would he be fit to coach a top side that fights for both CL and league? Ranieri did great with Leicester when they won PL but that didn't mean he was fit to coach the best teams in the world.

It's tough. On one hand it would be best to get a manager early to be able to plan the next season's squad. On the other hand many of these coaches are a 'flavour of the month' option and highly dependent on what type of result they achieve with their respective club. How interesting would Michel for example be if his Girona went back to their usual level and finished 5th in the league? He'd be nowhere near the job.

Here's the issue with coaches like Michel and De Zerbi have zero big club experience. Can they handle the pressure at a big club? Potter looked like a genius tactician at Brighton but couldn't do it at Chelsea. Everyone looks great at well run clubs with low expectations. Barcelona is a different animal.


Tuchel is a master tactician and has experience at many big clubs. Tuchel dominated and out-tactic'd(thanks, Big Sam) Pep in most of the Chelsea City games IIRC. Tuchel's issue is that he falls out with the boards.


I feel you're being a bit too harsh on Flick here. He won a sextuple playing champagne Football and dismantling opponents. Would have won another CL the next season if he had RL9 for the PSG game. Only got knocked out on away goals. Bayern would have won that CL imo. The high line looks suicidal and naive but he did make it all work. It was more brave than clueless. The style of play was super entertaining to say the least.

 

[JamDav1982]

(Continuing my post from the other xavi thread)

Can't remember anyone that didn't speak Spanish coaching us, going back to the time of Luis Araganos, what some 35 years back? I guess only Bobby Robson in that time I suppose?

Either way, getting someone like Flick would definitely be out of the norm for us culturally, so will be interesting to see how it plays out if that did happen. Would imagine the catalan media would way harsher.

Robson didnt and had Mourinho.. further back Venables didnt.

Rinus Michels possibly.

To be fair it is probably harder now than ever not to speak the language as so tactical but then again Bielsa has done it and no one talks more.

 

[soul24rage]

My issue with the likes of Michel and De Zerbi is that Barca is a different beast in terms of expectations and pressure, people really underestimate that aspect.

Obviously, my first choice is Klopp, but the chances of that happening is really low. The market for WC coaches are incredibly limited, so probably the next best option would be either
- Coaches who have experience as a player in a big team winning a trophy and are doing great as coach for at least 2 years.
- Coaches who have experience in a top 5 league as a player (preferably Spain) and has won something as a coach in a big team (club or international)

If Zizou or Xabi Alonso weren't Madristas, they would have been my 1st pick so disregard them.

Motta has potential, but it's too early to bring him in imo. 1 more year of experience of great success should be enough.

Realistically, I see Flick being the next Barca coach for next season as Laporta always had interested in him since 2021 I believe. Once Flick's tenure is over, then bring in Motta. Once Motta's tenure is over, Scaloni would be my best bet assuming he manages a club, probably Mallorca, after the WC26 (might be even sooner if he stops after Copa America 2024)

 

[Porque]

Here's the issue with coaches like Michel and De Zerbi have zero big club experience. Can they handle the pressure at a big club? Potter looked like a genius tactician at Brighton but couldn't do it at Chelsea. Everyone looks great at well run clubs with low expectations. Barcelona is a different animal.


Tuchel is a master tactician and has experience at many big clubs. Tuchel dominated and out-tactic'd(thanks, Big Sam) Pep in most of the Chelsea City games IIRC. Tuchel's issue is that he falls out with the boards.


I feel you're being a bit too harsh on Flick here. He won a sextuple playing champagne Football and dismantling opponents. Would have won another CL the next season if he had RL9 for the PSG game. Only got knocked out on away goals. Bayern would have won that CL imo. The high line looks suicidal and naive but he did make it all work. It was more brave than clueless. The style of play was super entertaining to say the least.

Let's gets Graeme Potter!

Amazing isn't it how some called for him being a world class coach and his failure at Chelski being Chelsea fault.

Yet I haven't heard one person clamour for us to sign this world class unattached coach.

About Michel. I recall before when Sociedad had a run at LaLiga and pushed Madrid for the title until the final 10 games or so. Alot of folk wanted us to sign Domenech as coach.

Well, season after Sociedad went back to reality and Domenech never achieved anything as a coach.

We could be seeing Girona having one hot season. I mean, people are losing their shit at Xavi losing 4-2 in Copa to Bilbao. But Girona ruined their best chance of Silverware just before that by going out to Mallorca. Blowing the game and going into half time 3-0 behind. But you don't hear anyone bringing that up against his hiring.

We are in a tough situation where we need a coach for next season while the best candidate (Klopp) is taking a year off. can't really afford to wait a year for a top coach hire.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Robson didnt and had Mourinho.. further back Venables didnt.

Rinus Michels possibly.

To be fair it is probably harder now than ever not to speak the language as so tactical but then again Bielsa has done it and no one talks more.

LVG & Rijkaard too, Rijkaard knew basic Spanish iirc but wasn't fluent.
Ancelotti didn't speak Spanish when he joined RM.
Speaking the language is important, but not a deal breaker

 

[JamDav1982]

LVG & Rijkaard too, Rijkaard knew basic Spanish iirc but wasn't fluent.
Ancelotti didn't speak Spanish when he joined RM.
Speaking the language is important, but not a deal breaker

Yeah wasnt sure about LVG and forgot about Rijkaard.

Also whoever gets the job could have a head start now in learning the basics before arrive.

 

[Temptation]

About language: would it be an issue if you can communicate in English?


Let's look at the core squad:

MATS: German guy who can speak English.
Cancelo: Played in England.
Christensen: Played in England.
Kounde: can speak English.
FDJ: Dutch so can speak English.
Gundogan: Played in England.
Romeu: Played in England.
Raphinha: Played in England.
Felix: Portuguese and can speak English.
Ferran: Played in England.
Lewandowski: Much more comfortable in English than in Spanish.


Barring few Spanish lads, everyone probably prefers English and can easily communicate well at the very least.

 

[FC B]

Christian Falk: Hansi Flick is a hot candidate to be Xavi's successor at FC Barcelona. President Joan Laporta is pushing for him. The former German national coach is ready for a new challenge in the summer, a foreign league appeals to him.


Laporta is a big fan of Flick.


@Andresito would you take Hansi?

I would only take Flick as interim until summer and see how he does in the span of almost half a year to assess if he is a good fit in the long run or not. But I woulnd't appoint him in the summer without testing him first. Why keep beating a dead horse Xavi and not try Flick out or any other candidate until summer?

 

[JamDav1982]

Because its all a ploy by Barca to try and release pressure on players and Xavi to help turn season around.. then if perform a miracle in CL or league he will stay.

 

[Neeraj]

I would only take Flick as interim until summer and see how he does in the span of almost half a year to assess if he is a good fit in the long run or not. But I woulnd't appoint him in the summer without testing him first. Why keep beating a dead horse Xavi and not try Flick out until summer?

Yeah I wasn't really sure about hiring an interim because I suspected Laporta would make some stupid decision, but if we are indeed thinking about Flick as the number one option for next season, it would make sense to give him the job now since he's available and we'd be able to see how things go for at least half a season.

Having said that, while I don't view Laporta favourably whatsoever, I think his hands area bit tied right now with Xavi, given the economic situation. It's one thing to fire him now and take the economic hit if Xavi didn't say anything about leaving. But now, given that he has said he's quitting, we'd have to pay out his contract for another year plus the remainder of this season to sack him, and so I get why he can't / doesn't sack Xavi at this moment.