Xavi Hernández

[Raketa10]

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.

Yes, we definitely lack any form of identity for some time now. Only problem I see with Xavi are his old teammates. If he takes over I hope that he will be able to bench Busi, Pique or Alba, otherwise he will fail miserably. IMHO it would be ideal to start over under him without any of his old teammates and with completely new and renovated squad. Unfortunately, we are broke so that's not going to happen so soon.

IMHO Messi will probably leave. In addition to that, if we somehow miraculously get rid of Pique, Alba, Busi, Umtiti, Pjanic, Griezmann, Coutinho and Demebele and sign Haaland and some other young talents it will take some tome to build a decent squad. We should be aware that it will probably take at least 2 seasons for Barca to be competitive once again.

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

NO Xavi now !!! First of all we get to rid from our old players. Its same like Juventus with Pirlo, they thought Juve will play nice offense football with their midfield maestro but in reality they are worse than with Sarri.

 

[Raketa10]

NO Xavi now !!! First of all we get to rid from our old players. Its same like Juventus with Pirlo, they thought Juve will play nice offense football with their midfield maestro but in reality they are worse than with Sarri.

And how should we do that? How can Laporta get rid of the players who are under huge contracts and aren't worth shit? Who will buy Busi, Alba, Pjanic, Pique, Coutinho, Umtiti, Griezmann or Demebele (who is entering the last year of his contract)? Unfortunately those are just our dreams and nothing more.

It will take some time to start over and I see no point in losing one more year with Koeman in charge. I can accept the fact that at the moment we can't compete with City or Bayern or PSG ore even ATM but I can't accept the fact that our entire game plan is "pass the ball to Messi". This needs to stop with the arrival of new manager.

FFS now we can't even dominate against teams from the relegation zone. Our entire game plan is a complete mess. We are slow, inefficient, our wingers don't defend and don't create space in attack. They even can't score or dribble past defenders. Our CB's are slow and stupid, our fullbacks are half of the time in a no man's land. Our midfielders (except Pedri and De Jong) are a sideways pass merchants. In attack, we don't move at all so even Cadiz has no problem defending against us. The only thing our opponent needs to do is close down Messi and that's it.

No one can be sure if Xavi would fail or succeed but I sincerely believe he would have a proper game plan. That's something we don't have for some time now. I would dare to say that after superb 2014/2015 season we started to rely completely on Messi. That's just absurd for a club like Barca.

 

[khaled_a_d]

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?

You are making a good case against Koeman (although I disagree) and no top coach being present, but what are you basing your Xavi claims on?
I mean Xavi was smart player and a legend, but this is where it ends
His reign with Sadd isn't even that promising tbh, his lack of work in Europe before it is even more worrisome, it feels like Pirlo hiring with Juve, difference is Juve are the top team in Italy while we are in our worst times since 2003 to say at least.

 

[fergus90]

You are making a good case against Koeman (although I disagree) and no top coach being present, but what are you basing your Xavi claims on?
I mean Xavi was smart player and a legend, but this is where it ends
His reign with Sadd isn't even that promising tbh, his lack of work in Europe before it is even more worrisome, it feels like Pirlo hiring with Juve, difference is Juve are the top team in Italy while we are in our worst times since 2003 to say at least.

Xavi is very smart, you can tell when he talks about football, was a very smart and integral player under several managers and surely absorbed their methods too.

Pirlo joined Juventus at 31, Xavi has been Barcelona his whole life. The comparisons between Pirlo and Xavi to me end at the fact they were both midfielders. Their journeys with both respective clubs are not comparable. Al Sadd are playing some very good football, if these players in Qatar with half of the talent of some of these players can absorb his coaching methods and play a certain way, surely some of these European talents can improve under him too.

Not saying he's a guaranteed success, but I'd rather we signed a younger manager than the proven mediocrity that we've been employing the last few years.

 

[Raketa10]

You are making a good case against Koeman (although I disagree) and no top coach being present, but what are you basing your Xavi claims on?
I mean Xavi was smart player and a legend, but this is where it ends
His reign with Sadd isn't even that promising tbh, his lack of work in Europe before it is even more worrisome, it feels like Pirlo hiring with Juve, difference is Juve are the top team in Italy while we are in our worst times since 2003 to say at least.

Look, I am not saying Xavi is a sure bet. He might fail miserably but who should we bet on if not him? It's not like signing Kloop is our other option.

Should we go for some older average manager like Valverde? Or some older former player like Koeman? I am honestly fed up with that. I am aware we are risking with Xavi but I would rather risk with him than with some random dude who will cost more and bring same amount of mediocrity that Valverde, Setian and Koeman brought during the last couple of seasons. If our entire strategy is to bet on Messi dribbling past 4 defenders until he retires than literally anyone from Segunda can coach Barca.

Xavi is very smart, you can tell when he talks about football, was a very smart and integral player under several managers and surely absorbed their methods too.

Pirlo joined Juventus at 31, Xavi has been Barcelona his whole life. The comparisons between Pirlo and Xavi to me end at the fact they were both midfielders. Their journeys with both respective clubs are not comparable. Al Sadd are playing some very good football, if these players in Qatar with half of the talent of some of these players can absorb his coaching methods and play a certain way, surely some of these European talents can improve under him too.

Not saying he's a guaranteed success, but I'd rather we signed a younger manager than the proven mediocrity that we've been employing the last few years.

+1

 

[mc_lovin]

Its all just impressions, no? Pirlo never struck me as coach material, Xavi does. His demeanor/presence/whatever just fits. He looks inspired and self assured.

Not having coached in Europe can be a good thing as well. There arent an awful lot of scenarios where an experience at a smaller club in Europe would benefit him - I would even argue the opposite would be the case. It would always be held against him (unless he meets unrealistic expectations). It will be a good thing if hes somewhat of an unknown quantity. A breath of fresh air.

That being said, I still wouldnt mind Koeman for another year.

 

[Raketa10]

It strikes me that some people are satisfied with Komean who lost every single game against stronger opponents. Barca under him lost 1-4 against PSG and 0-3 against that horrible Juve. We also failed to win against top 4 teams in Spain and we lost Supercopa to Bilbao. Furthermore we will probably be eliminated from Copa next week. What's even worse, he failed every time he needed to change the course of the game. Valverde would have got slaughtered for that. These are strange times indeed.

 

[Messigician]

It strikes me that some people are satisfied with Komean who lost every single game against stronger opponents. Barca under him lost 1-4 against PSG and 0-3 against that horrible Juve. We also failed to win against top 4 teams in Spain and we lost Supercopa to Bilbao. Furthermore we will probably be eliminated from Copa next week. What's even worse, he failed every time he needed to change the course of the game. Valverde would have got slaughtered for that. These are strange times indeed.

Facts

 

[mc_lovin]

It strikes me that some people are satisfied with Komean who lost every single game against stronger opponents. Barca under him lost 1-4 against PSG and 0-3 against that horrible Juve. We also failed to win against top 4 teams in Spain and we lost Supercopa to Bilbao. Furthermore we will probably be eliminated from Copa next week. What's even worse, he failed every time he needed to change the course of the game. Valverde would have got slaughtered for that. These are strange times indeed.

Satisfied would be the wrong word, but context matters. Not everything has been bad. I wouldnt mind him gone either though

 

[khaled_a_d]

Pirlo joined Juventus at 31, Xavi has been Barcelona his whole life. The comparisons between Pirlo and Xavi to me end at the fact they were both midfielders.

That is true, but that is actually in favour of Pirlo.
Xavi didn't experience different football philosophies. Doesn't have that rich experience that someone like Pirlo had being coached by different teams.

Xavi is very smart, you can tell when he talks about football, was a very smart and integral player under several managers and surely absorbed their methods too.

He is also very idealistic and lacks progressiveness in his mind, to an extent that sometimes it feels he is feeling being a victim when talking about people wanting other approaches in the game other than the one he was taught.
Someone like Pep experienced playing in Italy and being coached by the likes of Capello, trying to learn from Bielsa after retiring.
With Xavi? He is the same guys who once talked about not coaching defense to his own team, until they were destroyed by a better team.

Al Sadd are playing some very good football, if these players in Qatar with half of the talent of some of these players can absorb his coaching methods and play a certain way, surely some of these European talents can improve under him too.

Xavi has coached the reigning champions, who were led by one of the best coaches in the middle east in past decade before him and took them to 3rd position in his first year
Their results didn't improve much under him, and yes you will see some nice youtube videos of tiki-taka attacks with those mediocre talents, but the oppositions looks armature.
The players he will face, the coaches he will face are all far superiors than he faces in Qatar, same with pressure from the fans.

This year he is making adjustments and he will win the league most likely, but for me the journeys shows the need of time for him.
He needs either another "real" learning experience somewhere else, or a more fitting situation where he can put his ideas.
But currently we are a club in crisis, with an inexperienced coach who is too idealistic for his own sake.
TLDR, I simple think the time isn't right for Xavi himself, the stage will be set for his own failure if he is coming next season

 

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

It strikes me that some people are satisfied with Komean who lost every single game against stronger opponents. Barca under him lost 1-4 against PSG and 0-3 against that horrible Juve. We also failed to win against top 4 teams in Spain and we lost Supercopa to Bilbao. Furthermore we will probably be eliminated from Copa next week. What's even worse, he failed every time he needed to change the course of the game. Valverde would have got slaughtered for that. These are strange times indeed.

Koeman is a loser but we shouldnt forget that this squad has a very weak mentally. Lets hope it will be better next season.

 

[fergus90]

That is true, but that is actually in favour of Pirlo.
Xavi didn't experience different football philosophies. Doesn't have that rich experience that someone like Pirlo had being coached by different teams.



He is also very idealistic and lacks progressiveness in his mind, to an extent that sometimes it feels he is feeling being a victim when talking about people wanting other approaches in the game other than the one he was taught.
Someone like Pep experienced playing in Italy and being coached by the likes of Capello, trying to learn from Bielsa after retiring.
With Xavi? He is the same guys who once talked about not coaching defense to his own team, until they were destroyed by a better team.



Xavi has coached the reigning champions, who were led by one of the best coaches in the middle east in past decade before him and took them to 3rd position in his first year
Their results didn't improve much under him, and yes you will see some nice youtube videos of tiki-taka attacks with those mediocre talents, but the oppositions looks armature.
The players he will face, the coaches he will face are all far superiors than he faces in Qatar, same with pressure from the fans.

This year he is making adjustments and he will win the league most likely, but for me the journeys shows the need of time for him.
He needs either another "real" learning experience somewhere else, or a more fitting situation where he can put his ideas.
But currently we are a club in crisis, with an inexperienced coach who is too idealistic for his own sake.
TLDR, I simple think the time isn't right for Xavi himself, the stage will be set for his own failure if he is coming next season

It depends if the board allows him the transfers needed to implement his methods and style of play.

Rijkaard got Rotterdam relegated before joining here, Klopp relegated Mainz then couldn't get them promoted, did any of that shape their successes with better players and bigger clubs? Maybe. But it certainly wouldn't convince fans in 2021 that they were right. Imagine if Barca tried signing Rijkaard now after that relegation season, the fanbase would go into meltdown. I will openly admit I didn't want Pep in 2008 and actually wanted Hiddink(lol) because I thought he wasn't ready yet, I admittedly was very wrong.

Sometimes it's not about the experience, it's about the potential capabilities of that manager.

 

[khaled_a_d]

It strikes me that some people are satisfied with Komean who lost every single game against stronger opponents. Barca under him lost 1-4 against PSG and 0-3 against that horrible Juve. We also failed to win against top 4 teams in Spain and we lost Supercopa to Bilbao. Furthermore we will probably be eliminated from Copa next week. What's even worse, he failed every time he needed to change the course of the game. Valverde would have got slaughtered for that. These are strange times indeed.

I really don't care about the results with Koeman.
He is doing decent job with the youngsters, and giving them more playing time and better development.
He is also trying to give us more direction.

We are in rebuilding phase, and while we will try to be competitive and competent in competitions, it is also important to be realistic about it.
For me, I don't think there anything we can do that will make us win Liga or even reach CL SF next year.
So why shy should I care about extra few points, moral wins over the development of our own players?
Let Koemann complete this part of the rebuild, take that pressure from next coach, until we have a better squad to give to a more competent job.
But asking Xavi to clean the house midway through the rebuild, take the heat for the results next season? Is that a real solution?
I mean, are we sitting Xavi for success or failures if we hired him next season?

 

[khaled_a_d]

It depends if the board allows him the transfers needed to implement his methods and style of play.

Rijkaard got Rotterdam relegated before joining here, Klopp relegated Mainz then couldn't get them promoted, did any of that shape their successes with better players and bigger clubs? Maybe. But it certainly wouldn't convince fans in 2021 that they were right. Imagine if Barca tried signing Rijkaard now after that relegation season, the fanbase would go into meltdown. I will openly admit I didn't want Pep in 2008 and actually wanted Hiddink(lol) because I thought he wasn't ready yet, I admittedly was very wrong.

Sometimes it's not about the experience, it's about the potential capabilities of that manager.

Timing is important. I am not against Xavi in general, I am against the timing for it.
The club was on a way better state in 2008 than it is in 2021 when Pep came in for example. In 2003 fans hated Rijkaard signing because 2 other coaches turned us down, ironically they were both Koemann and Hiddink
Xavi is a very idealistic coach, and I think there is a need for him to be in the right situation to succeed. I don't think the same can be said on any other coach mentioned tbh