We have sunk like the titanic

[khaled_a_d]

Don't worry. Fans will tolerate even a year without CL if we show moves in the right direction. Far from the end of the world. We're not in this immense pressure to win titles every year. Even big big clubs can have bad periods, and it's not a problem if we have 2-3 bad years if we see a new team being shaped.

Which fans?
Hardcore Barca fans? yes for sure.
Casual fans? No, absolutely not
And here is the catch, casual fans are by far more important than the hardcore fans. They are the majority that moves the needle when it come to income.

So, what you are saying is for sure true for you and me, but not for the most important section that all clubs are fighting for.

And it is true that every club have 2-3 years of bad period, but how bad?
For me, for example I had no issue if we don't win Liga this year and next. If anything it will be good awakening for the club and fanbase we currently have, who became so entitled that they didn't consider winning a league as achievement, that in itself will ease the way for elite managers to accept coming here (best way to drive a top manager away is to tell them it is CL or bust)

But right now, we are seeing that it is a serious possibility that we might not reach CL,now that is a different level of bad years that could make it way more difficult to climb back to relevance.

I am not saying we will end up terrible, but we are on a serious cross roads here thanks to covid and the disaster end of Bartou board.
Few months ago I thought of the team into being in similar situation of Bayern, who seemed like an old team that isn't anywhere near elite teams a year or so ago. We aren't that far from being fixable.
But right now, I am more pessimistic than that, the stakes are actually very high now tbh for the next board. Couple of wrong moves and we might see a spiral fall.
the margin of error right now is very minimal for whoever takeover.

 

[serghei]

Which fans?
Hardcore Barca fans? yes for sure.
Casual fans? No, absolutely not
And here is the catch, casual fans are by far more important than the hardcore fans. They are the majority that moves the needle when it come to income.

So, what you are saying is for sure true for you and me, but not for the most important section that all clubs are fighting for.

And it is true that every club have 2-3 years of bad period, but how bad?
For me, for example I had no issue if we don't win Liga this year and next. If anything it will be good awakening for the club and fanbase we currently have, who became so entitled that they didn't consider winning a league as achievement, that in itself will ease the way for elite managers to accept coming here (best way to drive a top manager away is to tell them it is CL or bust)

But right now, we are seeing that it is a serious possibility that we might not reach CL,now that is a different level of bad years that could make it way more difficult to climb back to relevance.

I am not saying we will end up terrible, but we are on a serious cross roads here thanks to covid and the disaster end of Bartou board.
Few months ago I thought of the team into being in similar situation of Bayern, who seemed like an old team that isn't anywhere near elite teams a year or so ago. We aren't that far from being fixable.
But right now, I am more pessimistic than that, the stakes are actually very high now tbh for the next board. Couple of wrong moves and we might see a spiral fall.
the margin of error right now is very minimal for whoever takeover.

Yea, but add the pandemic for this as well, which is a totally random event that appears maybe once every 50-70 years or something. And it's about to be over it seems in under a year.

We're suffering the most due to the pandemic.

Also, in 2008, Bayern was losing 4-0 to Zenit in UEFA Cup. In 2010 made the CL final. In 2012 again the CL final. In 2013 they won. United took the wrong path. Started splashing big big money on superstars, with no plan, and look where they are.

Don't think that having 700m instead of 600m is that much of a difference. 600m. is plenty to build a great team if you know what you're doing. That's why it takes Bayern much less time between cycles than it takes United. Even though United are clearly richer and have more brand power.

 

[Luftstalag14]

Funniest is the use of "they" when referring to Barca. As if trying to distance themselves/Messi from the hole our club is in when Messi is a reason (not the reason but still a reason) why we got in this structural mess.

I would think these fanboys would be more grateful that Barca bent over backwards to hide Messi's tax issues and took the public "L" for him with that "WeAreAllLeo" campaign. But that's conveniently forgotten.

What I found especially perplexing is the notion expressed by some Messi fanboys that the club mistreated Messi or treated him badly. I understand due to poor squad planning and transfer blunders we did not have adequate players or "project" to help Messi win more CL trophies in the past years to beef up Messi's profile, status and their own bragging rights, I understand the gaffe that Abidal made and the social media scandal; other than that what did we do? We did everything to placate him.

 

[Richard.H]

Will be funny if Messi ends up in MLS this summer, just so the fanboys come down a few notches.

There's a decent chance that he could go to MLS or back to Argentina. If PSG or Man City ends up not getting him, that's the most likely path.

 

[khaled_a_d]

Yea, but add the pandemic for this as well, which is a totally random event that appears maybe once every 50-70 years or something. And it's about to be over it seems in under a year.

We're suffering the most due to the pandemic.

Also, in 2008, Bayern was losing 4-0 to Zenit in UEFA Cup. In 2010 made the CL final. In 2012 again the CL final. In 2013 they won. United took the wrong path. Started splashing big big money on superstars, with no plan, and look where they are.

Don't think that having 700m instead of 600m is that much of a difference. 600m. is plenty to build a great team if you know what you're doing. That's why it takes Bayern much less time between cycles than it takes United. Even though United are clearly richer and have more brand power.

We are suffering most during the pandemic, but we also are in need for rebuild during that time. Again, what I am afraid of is a loophole of mediocrity.
If it wasn't for pandemic situation, I would have been feeling much better.

And while I drew comparison to Bayern myself, they have the leverage of being in Bundesliga. This ease things a lot for them.

 

[Mitchell1978]

Fanboys are people who are obsessed with a certain person and they see him or her doing no wrong. There are person fanboys, no club fanboys. We club fans applaud and criticize the club we love, unlike fanboys of players.

I will criticise a player i'm fan of when it its warrented, i've been saying since early 2020 that Messi's finishing has been poor for example...

But i will repeat a couple of years of mediocrity for FC Barcelona will do all barca fanboys some good, might make you realise that no club is entitled to trophies and succes.
And you don't get to decide what a 'fanboy' is, you call Messi fans fanboys then I will call the likes of Barca fanboys....

 

[serghei]

We are suffering most during the pandemic, but we also are in need for rebuild during that time. Again, what I am afraid of is a loophole of mediocrity.
If it wasn't for pandemic situation, I would have been feeling much better.

And while I drew comparison to Bayern myself, they have the leverage of being in Bundesliga. This ease things a lot for them.

Yes, but we also have some advantages over Bayern. Like being a top 2 destination for the incredible talent pool of Latin and Americo-Latin countries. Which historically tend to produce the brightest talents.

We have some tools in our box. I don't think we'll be mediocre for too long. But it's important to commit to the rebuild right away with no exceptions.

Right now we're kind of caught between rebuilding, and playing the established names. Koeman should have encouraged the formula that won 4-0 and 3-0 away in CL. Instead, he said we won't be seeing that again (between the lines).

 

[FinBarcelonafan]

Why old vets were bad influence?

They were not pushing 100%. I have no problem keeping a guy who gives 100% and is a model professional. For example Ramos. The guy works insanely hard on his psychique and is a great role model. Pique is sloppy, puts business before his football career, says ridiculous things like I sleep four hours a day(when it's obviously bad for athletes to sleep this little) and saying things like we never practised in rain with Valverde. (Jokingly or not, he is not taking things seriously)

Only benefit of playing a 32 year old Rakitic is to win LaLiga, but even for that he wasn't good enough anymore. Now he would be burden to our team and taking time away from our prospects who could become better, instead of waiting Rakitic to become worse and worse.

Opportunity cost of playing old veterans over hungry prospects who want to improve.

Busi, physically finished. Reacts too slow. Too slow to defend. Finished on top level.

Suarez, no need to say much. He brings occasional goal, otherwise negative on the pitch.

Messi, motivation decline after we threw away his buddy and he didn't get his move. He still had enough quality to make this team better but not in this mental state.

Vidal, head case, yet he could have been ok sub, but he doesn't want to be a sub, so not good fit.

I am so happy we got rid of most of them.

What small we lost in the short-term, we will gain back more in the long run. Don't worry.

 

[Luftstalag14]

I will criticise a player i'm fan of when it its warrented, i've been saying since early 2020 that Messi's finishing has been poor for example...

But i will repeat a couple of years of mediocrity for FC Barcelona will do all barca fanboys some good, might make you realise that no club is entitled to trophies and succes.
And you don't get to decide what a 'fanboy' is, you call Messi fans fanboys then I will call the likes of Barca fanboys....

No club is entitled to trophies and success, that’s precisely why we must think about the future and do what is right for the club. The club is above everything else.

 

[Mitchell1978]

The club is above everything else.

Not to me, a club is just an entity, its the players and the football being played that matters to me.

 

[serghei]

Why old vets were bad influence?

They were not pushing 100%. I have no problem keeping a guy who gives 100% and is a model professional. For example Ramos. The guy works insanely hard on his psychique and is a great role model. Pique is sloppy, puts business before his football career, says ridiculous things like I sleep four hours a day(when it's obviously bad for athletes to sleep this little) and saying things like we never practised in rain with Valverde. (Jokingly or not, he is not taking things seriously)

Only benefit of playing a 32 year old Rakitic is to win LaLiga, but even for that he wasn't good enough anymore. Now he would be burden to our team and taking time away from our prospects who could become better, instead of waiting Rakitic to become worse and worse.

Opportunity cost of playing old veterans over hungry prospects who want to improve.

Busi, physically finished. Reacts too slow. Too slow to defend. Finished on top level.

Suarez, no need to say much. He brings occasional goal, otherwise negative on the pitch.

Messi, motivation decline after we threw away his buddy and he didn't get his move. He still had enough quality to make this team better but not in this mental state.

Vidal, head case, yet he could have been ok sub, but he doesn't want to be a sub, so not good fit.

I am so happy we got rid of most of them.

What small we lost in the short-term, we will gain back more in the long run. Don't worry.

Yea, not all veterans are created equal. Some are as professional at 34, as dedicated, and as hungry for trophies and glory, as they were in their prime. Some just drop off, because they don't care, are bored with football, or some other factors. Why would they care and work hard? They're famous, much better paid than in their prime when they were the best (which is hilarious), and nobody really questions their place in the team.

Gerard "I barely get 4-5 hours of sleep a night" Pique should've been benched years ago for example.

 

[Morten]

Yea, not all veterans are created equal. Some are as professional at 34, as dedicated, and as hungry for trophies and glory, as they were in their prime. Some just drop off, because they don't care, are bored with football, or some other factors. Why would they care and work hard? They're famous, much better paid than in their prime when they were the best (which is hilarious), and nobody really questions their place in the team.

Gerard "I barely get 4-5 hours of sleep a night" Pique should've been benched years ago for example.

Pique isnt even the problem with your defense, i mean, have you ever seen Lenglet play?

 

[serghei]

Pique isnt even the problem with your defense, i mean, have you ever seen Lenglet play?

Have you seen Pique joining in the attack like some wannabe forward then walking back with his silly jog. And when he barely gets back, he tries to clear the ball with the backheel? I did. Many times.

Just because Lenglet is worse than him, doesn't mean Pique is not crap as well. Pique would be a good CB if his head was on straight, but it ain't. He's gonna have a top game from time to time and would impress people who don't watch him regularly into thinking he's as good as 5 years ago.

But the amount of casual relaxed "jog in the park" defending he does is infuriating.

 

[te amo barca]

I will criticise a player i'm fan of when it its warrented, i've been saying since early 2020 that Messi's finishing has been poor for example...

But i will repeat a couple of years of mediocrity for FC Barcelona will do all barca fanboys some good, might make you realise that no club is entitled to trophies and succes.
And you don't get to decide what a 'fanboy' is, you call Messi fans fanboys then I will call the likes of Barca fanboys....

That's the fucking point isn't it? I am a Barca fanboy, because I am a fan of Barca, you know. Not a Messi fanboy.

 

[Messigician]

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