Xavi Hernández

[Gnidrologist]

Love Xavi but dude has been brainwashed by Qatar

What do you even mean by that. He's a professional doing his job well for whatever club/team he is in. Nothing wrong for showing his face on the billboard of thing he's affiliated with. I don't like Quatar and any islamic country in general, but this is non sequitur. The West is just as corrupt and decadent just in different ways, so working for some European countries benefit can also be described as being "brainwashed" by it lel.

 

[Birdy]

Rijkaard -> Pep, Koeman -> Xavi. Could be a similar path, with the caveat that Pep's level of success (not speaking only about trophies, but the overall aura of that team) is probably inaccessible.

I wish it happens and the level of success is close. But...
There is a big but here...
With all due respect to Xavi and his legendary status as a player, Pep's case had the ill effect (which I had explained in the past) of every club nowadays tracking their legends right after retirement and offering them the most precious position, wishfully hoping that they have found the next big thing out there (see Lampard, Soklskier, Pirlo now -just to name a few-taking positions unimaginable 10 years ago)

It happened once, Pep is a coaching genius and no one would have imagined his career. It doesn't mean it will happen with everyone.

 

[Vilarrubi]

GOAT!

 

[JamDav1982]

Fair neck on the boy at right of middle row and back centre looks like David Haye.

 

[Vilarrubi]

Fair neck on the boy at right of middle row and back centre looks like David Haye.

good spot. 10 stone David Haye.

 

[vegitot]

Claim again that he wants to coach Barca. But we still not know when.

 

[Messi983]

If he's smart he won't touch this team until Messi&Co. are still here.

 

[SmilerBam]

If he's smart he won't touch this team until Messi&Co. are still here.

I m sure that with world beaters like Dembele, Griezzmann or Trincao he ll have much more succes.

 

[Bobo32]

I stumbled upon this interview, made just over 10 years ago by Sid Lowe. A very nice read.

Sadly, people only look at teams through success. Now, success has validated our approach. I'm happy because, from a selfish point of view, six years ago I was extinct; footballers like me were in danger of dying out. It was all: two metres tall, powerful, in the middle, knockdowns, second balls, rebounds ? but now I see Arsenal and Villarreal and they play like us.

Do you see yourself as a defender of the faith? An ideologue?

It was that or die. I'm a romantic. I like the fact that talent, technical ability, is valued above physical condition now. I'm glad that's the priority; if it wasn't, there wouldn't be the same spectacle. Football is played to win but our satisfaction is double. Other teams win and they're happy, but it's not the same. The identity is lacking. The result is an impostor in football. You can do things really, really well ? last year we were better than Inter Milan ? but did not win. There's something greater than the result, more lasting. A legacy. Inter won the Champions League but no one talks about them. People discovered me since Euro 2008, but I've been playing the same way for years. It is true, though, that I have grown in confidence and tranquillity. And that comes with success.

[---]
Look, the truth is: I want him to come here. Of course. Barcelona have a very clear style and not many footballers fit. It's not easy. But Cesc fits it perfectly.

Would he replace you, though?

I don't see new players as a threat; I don't say "this is my patch". I'm more: "bring them here, let them play". The more talent in the middle, the better. Four or five years ago [people said] me and Iniesta couldn't play together. We can't play together? Look how that one turned out.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2011/feb/11/xavi-barcelona-spain-interview

 

[vegitot]

According to SER, he is ready to become Barca coach regardless of who will be become Barca president.
Decade of dominance incoming.

 

[fergus90]

Yeah, I think it was always obvious he would take the role regardless. I'm quietly confident he will be a good manager, only time will tell though.

 

[Joan]

Hope he's not our next coach.

 

[fergus90]

Hope he's not our next coach.

Who would your choice be? I'm not against Koeman for another year to be honest either.

 

[Raketa10]

Hope he's not our next coach.

Why? I honestly don't see a better candidate right now. We are broke and have a horribly balanced team so Xavi might be our only solution. In addition to that, I can't see a top manager who is available and would be a perfect fit right now.

Koeman is clearly a very limited manager, he has no game plan at all. He literally lost every single game this season when tactics really mattered. IMHO Xavi would be an upgrade over him.

I am honestly curious who would be your top (realistic) pics for our next coach?

 

[fergus90]

Why? I honestly don't see a better candidate right now. We are broke and have a horribly balanced team so Xavi might be our only solution. In addition to that, I can't see a top manager who is available and would be a perfect fit right now.

Koeman is clearly a very limited manager, he has no game plan at all. He literally lost every single game this season when tactics really mattered. IMHO Xavi would be an upgrade over him.

I am honestly curious who would be your top (realistic) pics for our next coach?

I agree that Xavi would be an upgrade. To be honest we have lacked any form of identity in our play for a long time. No set-piece routines, no goals that look like they resemble some pattern of play that has been worked on in training.

I only keep Koeman primarily just to see out the last year of his deal and don't replace him with another midtable manager that we need to pay off when that doesn't work out.