Xavi Hernández

[Total-Football]

Agree.
While the league is a joke by western European standards for sure, Asian version of CL is a very serious tournament atm and he did average there. Their clubs has been doing well in CWC too btw.
He isn't doing a good job with what he has, and tbh he made a stupid move. He replaced a coach who was elite for Middle Eastern teams in a club that expect success on a level he isn't used to. Moreover he is coaching players who were his teammates weeks before he was hired.
Qatar has serious projects, and I respect Xavi for trying to be a part of them turning their football around (they already have made leaps in that direction) but it was just not suited for him and if his performance doesn't improve it could ultimately hurt his coaching career badly.
He need to have any sort of coaching success before coming here as 1st team coach, and he seem convinced he is too cool for B team. But who will hire him and give i support to succeed if he already establish a "great player, bad coach' reputation with Al Sadd?

Not you Khaled with that bullshit.. Oh Qatar league is a joke. Take the 4 biggest européen leagues aside and I would put money on Alsad versus anyone of the rest of the européen " western leagues ". They will loose some and they will win some. Don't fall into that trap and narrative that football = Europe.

Edit: wasn't Egyptian Club academies (was it Almokawiloun or Alismaili?!) that served as alma mater to Salah, à player whom the allmighty Lamasia has not produced since god knows when? So much for joke leagues and pseudo-football world outside Europe. I am sorry but whenever I see this narrative being pushed infront of me I am intervening, if only to keep up balances.

 

[Vilarrubi]

Give it Xavi till the end of the season....

 

[serghei]

Xavi is the best decision we could realistically make. We can't bring Pep back, Klopp is not moving from Liverpool, Ten Hag seems Bayern bound to me (I'm fairly certain they even agreed the deal and he will be announced in the summer, no wonder Bayern haven't named a top manager as a replacement for Kovac). These three would be the best, but we can't get either.

In case of Xavi

Pluses:
- knows the club inside out
- speaks Spanish
- is a winner 100%
- is a legend of the game and a Barca legend much in the spirit of Zidane (I'd say he means even more for Barca than Zidane did for Madrid)
- is like a football book in terms of our style, actually there's not a Barca figure in our history who knows more about our style than Cruyff and Xavi
- is actually a manager who trusts and develops youth, and is not afraid to deal with the risks of doing so
- not the type of manager who abandons his principles and chickens out in front of pressure

As a player and football mind he was and is basically what Ernie isn't. (except speaking the same language ). If he puts his aforementioned qualities into his managerial style, he can work and get close to the influence Guardiola had.


The worrying points are:
- he can be stubborn, but so are the great managers. He needs to continue to be stubborn, but also self-critical when things suggest we need to improve some aspects.
- he doesn't have much experience. But again, neither did Pep or Zidane for example, 2 of the 3 most successful manager of the last decade.
- a certain degree of extremism (he should remember that, even though the best Barca teams were more technical than physical, and more possession-oriented than counter-attacking oriented, they did not lack strong and athletic players like Alves, Eto'o, Keita, Yaya Toure, Abidal etc.)

We're sinking under Valverde, from season to season we went for good to mediocre to currently terrible. I'm not talking about results, I'm talking about the quality of the football we play. If we can't name a top modern manager, I'd rather name Xavi looking at our options.

 

[serghei]

I doubt he would have the authority over veteran players. They are his buddies.. Wait few more years with Xavi. I would rather sign Koeman(in this moment).

It depends. It's a risk but it goes both ways. For example, the veterans could also respond differently toward a legend like Xavi, compared with a yes-man who's achieved pretty much nothing of note in his career like Valverde.

Also, Xavi has to find himself good staff next to him. Just because the assistant of Valverde does and says nothing good, doesn't mean the assistant manager is not a position which can bring influence. Many top managers started as assistant managers.

Staff members aren't just for decor. They interact with the squad as well. I'm sure the great teams have also good medical staff, very good fitness staff as well as top coaching staff obviously.

And also, not benching the veteran players is the last of Ernie's problems. He has way bigger problems than that. His problem is that he has no clue how to build a team playing efficient possession football. His team has matches with 1 shot in 45 mins of football on CAMP FUCKING NOU with 75% possession, until Messi and Suarez bang in 2-3 golazos and save the day. And his 2nd big problem problem is that he doesn't develop the players we sign. Not even one of them. All of our signings played better before we signed them than after, when they got on Valverde's so-called system.

Even if Xavi won't fix 1 of the 3 issues we have with Valverde. He certainly has more chances to fix the other 2. That's already a huge step forward.

Not sure if he's ready or not, but god am I tired of Valverde......

Not every coach goes through the same path and you would be foolish to expect Barcelona to turn into World Beaters right away. He'll lead a new project where the squad need to be renewed.

Would definitely be more exciting than Valverde's football and boring personality.

Exactly. This system we currently have is already started to look like destruction mode. Messi and Suarez are getting older and older, and they are the ones who have kept racking up the points in the league. The star players who've carried and protected Ernie's ass are gonna be 33 years old this year. It's time to plan the next team without making them focus points just because the manager is completely devoid of any ideas.

i love xavi but not yet, we'll go full man utd

Not a chance. Even in the current terrible state we're 1st in the league, and that's with a crap defense, and a manager who has no ideas and develops no player.

You think if Xavi comes, we'll suddenly not spank the likes of Alaves and Valladolid 4 or 5-1 on Camp Nou?

 

[mc_lovin]

I would rather have Xavi rebuild the team than the likes of Koeman etc.

The really burning question I have is how cynical he can be. I dont think experience or previous accomplishments as a caoch mean anything, but he needs to make a ton of rough decisions.

 

[Vilarrubi]

Xavi is the best decision we could realistically make. We can't bring Pep back, Klopp is not moving from Liverpool, Ten Hag seems Bayern bound to me (I'm fairly certain they even agreed the deal and he will be announced in the summer, no wonder Bayern haven't named a top manager as a replacement for Kovac). These three would be the best, but we can't get either.

In case of Xavi

Pluses:
- knows the club inside out
- speaks Spanish
- is a winner 100%
- is a legend of the game and a Barca legend much in the spirit of Zidane (I'd say he means even more for Barca than Zidane did for Madrid)
- is like a football book in terms of our style, actually there's not a Barca figure in our history who knows more about our style than Cruyff and Xavi
- is actually a manager who trusts and develops youth, and is not afraid to deal with the risks of doing so
- not the type of manager who abandons his principles and chickens out in front of pressure

As a player and football mind he was and is basically what Ernie isn't. (except speaking the same language ). If he puts his aforementioned qualities into his managerial style, he can work and get close to the influence Guardiola had.


The worrying points are:
- he can be stubborn, but so are the great managers. He needs to continue to be stubborn, but also self-critical when things suggest we need to improve some aspects.
- he doesn't have much experience. But again, neither did Pep or Zidane for example, 2 of the 3 most successful manager of the last decade.
- a certain degree of extremism (he should remember that, even though the best Barca teams were more technical than physical, and more possession-oriented than counter-attacking oriented, they did not lack strong and athletic players like Alves, Eto'o, Keita, Yaya Toure, Abidal etc.)

We're sinking under Valverde, from season to season we went for good to mediocre to currently terrible. I'm not talking about results, I'm talking about the quality of the football we play. If we can't name a top modern manager, I'd rather name Xavi looking at our options.

+1000

Even Lucho too, had poor stint at Roma, average for Celta but won the treble in his first season. Sometimes it’s not about experience, like Van Gaal and Mourinho at United, two of the most experienced managers ever but couldn’t do anything with United. Twice in our recent history we’ve had managers with little experience (Pep/Lucho) and they came in and revolutionised us. I honestly believe Xavi would do the same, even if it’s on a lesser scale, not saying he’d win the treble. Also the members who constantly put down our squad when we have Messi, Griezmann, Frenkie, Arthur, Stegen and believe we will be shit with any manager are funny as fuck.

 

[gasgas]

Once we sign Xavi

.......................mats
Emmerson...Pique...Todibo....Alba
...................de jong
.........arthur............puig
..................messi
...........lautaro......fati

 

[frog-fcb]

I dont want him yet. Nothing to do with being ready i just dont want him to be the reason team barto wins the next election

 

[Latschenkiefer]

I would go with Garcia Pimienta at least until the end of the season. He could integrate some of his youth players and if he can do something else with this team - good. If not, get another manager like Koeman, Wenger or whoever for the next one or two years. They are not bonded with the old guard and could at least make some tough decisions to get rid of players like Pique, Suarez and Rakitic, if he will still be here.
Then in two or three years hire Xavi, hope that he will choose an assistant manager who is a motivation talent and let him rebuild the whole team. I don't see him going against his old friends. He has shown his sense for loyalty and family in the past.
Let's not waste him on this broken team!

 

[te amo barca]

The new manager bounce will at least guarantee an exciting half a season. If Xavi doesn't deliver, Barto will probably appoint a new manager or give him another season given that it would be Barto's last season as well. Either way, I am on board with giving Xavi a chance, this group of players is getting too old. He can always come back after some years if he can't cut it the first time as well.

 

[KingLeo10]

Imagine thinking adding this silver tongued asshole to this den of snakes locker room would be a good idea. The team talks where Xavi and Suarez argue over the tactic, Messi sits there looking on, Frenkie saying something and the senior amigos just give him a big fat frown. Can't wait for the referee whining on the sidelines

We did have an even better Clasico record with ol Xavi in the mix.

Calma calma.

 

[Havesaks]

I woukd trust Xavi on this. That's probably what the board does as well. He Doesnt strike me as the guy who would just jump on the opportunity because of money and glory like other players or managers would. He will at some point coach Barca either way. If he thinks he is ready, he will be committed more than any other manager out there.

I'm saying let's go for it!

 

[Gari]

Xavi: "Barca have slept, for years, when it comes to signings. Those who make the signings do not know what they are doing, and you pay for that.”
Mohamed Ghulam Al Balushi (Sports Director of Al Sadd Club): "Yes, there are negotiations between Xavi and Barcelona now, and we wish him success anywhere he goes."

 

[KingLeo10]

Having him on the sidelines would be great.

He's still a better midfielder than anyone on our team bar FDJ and Arthur.

 

[Devils]

Not totally sold on Xavi but whatever, I'd be willing to at least start watching Barca games again with Valverde gone.