That’s a big ask
Xavi (Spanish Lego Pep) | Barca manager - and will be next season - or will he?
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
I'm looking forward to his reign. Its just what the young crop coming through at barca need
Yes thats why I said hope
I don't think the pressure is on tbh. He's coming on a difficult situation, they have to value their assets and at the same time promote the cantera once again, which is one of the their pinnacles.
People know he needs time to settle the house, he wont be asked for instant results.
People know he needs time to settle the house, he wont be asked for instant results.
Let's face it, if he doesn't secure CL qualification he is going to be under pressure. That isn't an impossible task but it will be tricky with their defensive quality, his lack of experience and the points deficit he starts with.
Agree that top4 is minimum requirements to keep his job next year. Not that tricky, you can organize them better. It's not that other teams with the exception of Atlético and Real have it much better.
Most interesting thing for me in his interview was him claiming he was planning to join Brazil as assistant to Tite and then take over as manager after 2022 world cup.
That's huge news in its own right Brazil were prepared to name a foreign guy as NT coach, could well be something in Pep leaving Man. City to do that job if that's the case.
That's huge news in its own right Brazil were prepared to name a foreign guy as NT coach, could well be something in Pep leaving Man. City to do that job if that's the case.
I'm interested in how he sets the team out to play. Will he stick with what he knows and go for an all-out attack with arguably Barca's worst attacking line up since before I was born, leaving three shit defenders at the back to get pummeled? Or will he try tiki-taka+, an evolved version of the Pep classic but with a team that don't know what tiki-taka is? So many options.
Will be interesting to see what happens if that happens, in mssing out on Top4, that is. Clearly this would disqualify him to manage at the highest level, but he's an even bigger club legend than Ole is for Utd. So, how much Ole potential are we talking here? Would be kinda funny to see Barca pulling some sort of Utd here
It will depend on the football quality produced on the pitch, mostly. If they fail top 4 but the football is somewhat "barça trademark", I think they might hold him. But if not, mediterranean countries are not known for having a cuture for long term patience to see results.
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They have a bunch of La Masia and Ajax players, so there is a large group of players that knows exactly what tiki taka is or more exactly what Cruyff vision of Football is.
True but I'm not too sure that players like Depay are going to be just as good at it. I can just see them not being as effective as the Pep team at tiki-taka should they choose to implement it, and they're going to get hurt badly on the counter.
Some won't but those exceptions shouldn't dictate how Xavi sets the team because they are not integral to Barcelona future anyway. On paper when everyone is fit Barcelona could set up like that:
................Fati
Pedri.................Dembélé
........Gavi.....De Jong
............Busquets
Alba..Araujo..Garcia...Roberto
.............Ter Stegen
The backbone of that team is made of Barcelona developed players. On the short term they only have to focus on three areas, a left back that can replace Alba, a right side attacker that isn't always injured and a CB that fit their style.
I got a surprise when I read that in Sid Lowe's piece on Xavi.
For the left-back Barcelona will give opportunities to Baldé, he has great conditions and still 17 years old. Gaya ends his contract in 2023 and Barcelona is interested in replacing Alba , in fact Barcelona's sporting director, Mateu Alemany was from Valencia previously and is who else bets on this signing.
In RW Barcelona will sign someone. Jeremy Pino has a clause of only 35 million euros, 19 years old and a lot of future. Cherki could be an interesting option because he ends contract in 2023 I think.
Anyway before we have to see how Akomach performs, 17 years and great qualities. Xavi called him to train in the first team.
Those are very interesting suggestions. I would worry about a lack of experience and wonder if Barcelona should try to find a CB and an attacker that are entering their prime or in it. Is Griezmann definitively sold after his loan or is it still pending?
Xavi has been in constant communication with the Barca B and youth team coaches so he knows all the talented youngsters coming through, I'm sure he will give those a chance before signing any players.
Of course he will but my point is that a good mix of experience is generally important. Barcelona are close to be without Alba, Piqué and Busquets that's a lot of experience leaving the team in the near future.
No dou
No doubt it is, and I'm sure he too knows that and in the summer will start that process, Barcelona believe highly in the ''Captains'' and having 3-5 guys in the squad that lead with experience just he was with Puyol, Iniesta etc and then Pique, Alba, Busquets now, they will need a new group, Sergi Roberto could be one but they'd need more experience I agree. Busquets and Alba can still add value over the next two seasons for sure while Pique is dropping off faster than them.
Xavi will be a great manager I reckon but there's a good chance this job has come too soon for him. We'll see I guess.
Judging by his masterclass his team will concede goals for fun. He better find the best 1 on 1 defenders in the world in a hurry cause chasing these quick forwards is no joke.
He should, in truth use this squad similar to the way Enrique used that squad. If he tries that very structured way of playing I just don't think they have the wide players to play that way and be successful.
Another thing is well, the Pep revolution was a long time ago. Coaches all over the world have caught on. While those tactics were special when Pep used them in the beginning, not as much at this point in time.
He should, in truth use this squad similar to the way Enrique used that squad. If he tries that very structured way of playing I just don't think they have the wide players to play that way and be successful.
Another thing is well, the Pep revolution was a long time ago. Coaches all over the world have caught on. While those tactics were special when Pep used them in the beginning, not as much at this point in time.
Barcelona are in a state on the pitch and off it.
Terrible time for anyone to try and take over and get the team competing.
Bold from Xavi, to risk his reputation as a Barca legend at this stage. Very bold.
They're a shambles currently
Terrible time for anyone to try and take over and get the team competing.
Bold from Xavi, to risk his reputation as a Barca legend at this stage. Very bold.
They're a shambles currently
Bur..but..actually Pep is using these tactics RIGHT NOW with his Manchester City team..In his 6th season there and after trying different variations and mutations to his own style he is BACK to basics.. City are playing in the way that is the closest to his Barcelona team right now..
And yet he's in a big time title fight with other sides despite having the most talented and most expensive squad. Xavi with the Barca squad trying all of that without compromise just won't end well.
This is a nonsense take (this post and the one two levels above)
If Xavi goes into management not looking to account for the peculiarities of the opposition he will fail, and I am sure he knows this. Very few managers don't "compromise".
It's possible to have a strong conviction about how one should play, and still ensure that your team is prepared each game to handle what the opposition will throw at them. It's possible to be "pragmatic" or "compromise" and have your teams look clueless on the pitch regardless (look at Ole).
Finally, if you honestly think there is some secret pragmatic formula Pep is deliberately ignoring, that would have City doing better than they are currently doing (11 wins, 0 draws, 0 losses) then fair enough, but at that point you should be sat on his bench giving him input, not on the Caf!
You're missing my point. My point is the other great managers have caught onto Peps level mainly by using similar tactics to him off the ball which then leads to players being the difference as opposed to coaching. Now you can still go out there and find a mediocre coach, but the gap in coaching amongst big time coaches is far less than it was when Pep started. Xavi is gonna need players and need them fast. If you look at his master class it's basically counter attacks waiting to happen.
Pep rarely compromises though, unless he runs into Liverpool and even then he doesn't compromise like he did before.
city own the PL and have turned it into a one horse league in recent years. They’ve won 3 of the last 4 and with the way they’ve looked better than their rivals (should have beaten Liverpool) they’ll make it 4/5.
Ok maybe I am.
I hugely doubt the dominance we saw City show this season at Anfield, Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford is due to player superiority alone.
Second, a masterclass as filmed, barely scratches the surface as to the tactical preparations for a match which are way more dynamic, in depth, and situational based. Moving pieces on a board only capture one moment of the match. We can't tell how he instructs his players to set up to prevent transitions and what not. Yes, if that is all he will be telling his players they will be torn apart for sure. But it can't be... Right?
Finally, our interpretation of "compromise" may be different, but Pep has got a lot of flack for "overthinking" and tailoring his team too much to the opposition instead of just "letting them play". That sounds like he does compromise. But again our definitions may be different.
One year they won it by 2 points. Year after that they lost it, then they won't it by a distance after Pool fell into a crisis, this year they're in a title fight especially since Chelsea got serious. All that while losing to Spurs, Pool and Chelsea in the CL. By the way he has the best squad and most money.
He's might still be the best in the game but not by much if he is. Certainly not by enough for someone to take his tactics and win with players who aren't better than the oppositions. When he first started the gap between him and the rest was huge, it just isn't anymore.
I agree with you, I think it'll be interesting and an exciting time, I hope he does well.
Out of interest though, you've mentioned Potter not being capable of managing a big club and being very overrated on these boards, why do you think Xavi is ready to manage a big club?
Is it because of his status as a Barcelona legend, or do you think he's a particularly talented manager?
(this isn't a gotcha question, there's a massive difference between appointing someone who is a club legend and someone with no affiliation to the club. One is going to receive a lot more support and patience, as well as ushering in a lot of goodwill. I fully understand they're not like for like situations)
The masterclass video was a lot of fun, all of them are tbh. But yeah it's crazy to think that a 15 minute video is going to fully encapsulate someone as a manager. There's so much information that goes into this, statistical data, work on the training ground, individual and team tactical training and a million other things that come into play when we take a holistic view at the role of a manager and his approach.
If I watched Guardiola talk for 15 minutes about his approach, I'm not going to suddenly be able to go into management knowing every minute detail about how to approach the game from a tactical perspective and emulate what Guardiola does. Kinnear maybe...
Note that these are not Xavi's 10 Rules, but the same rules that were already in place at Barca from Pep and all the way through until Luis Enrique left. After Enrique left, Valverde did away with them.
For the 1st 2 rules, why not just officially change the starting times?Note that these are not Xavi's 10 Rules, but the same rules that were already in place at Barca from Pep and all the way through until Luis Enrique left. After Enrique left, Valverde did away with them.
From what I understand from the sources close to the club, the reason for the showing up early is so that Xavi can have more individual 1-on-1 time with players prior to the group practice starting and was something that Guardiola insisted on in his time there. It's obviously something he implemented at Al-Sadd, to some effect.For the 1st 2 rules, why not just officially change the starting times?
city will continue to dominate the CL, winning 4/5 in any league is a one horse league. Barca and madrid used to fight till the final weeks but it was still a 2 horse league back then
Imagine if he becomes their Ole? 
Not any big club. Just Barcelona. At Al Asadd (speilling?) he has shown he religiously sticks to Cruyffian footballing principles and win with them. I really like his vision of how that kind of football should be played. I also feel Barca need to rebuild, wont have much to spend yet have a young crop of very talented players coming through who are schooled on those principles. (i.e Gavi) I believe their best chance of being great again going forward is to harness the power of those principles by having a boss who religiously sticks to them, isn't afraid of using youth, whilst showing he can win. A boss who will not only have the trust of the board but the fans. Which will combine to allow the patience that will be needed to get Barca the best chance of being ready for its next period of success as they repair their finances.
Fair question. It's a mixture of things. Koeman for example is also a Barca legend. Difference is he does not religiously stick to Cruyffian principles, which I believe is what made him so unpopular with fans and the board. I believe it was literally Messi's will and dressing room support that kept him in the job this season and excuses were always being sort to oust him once Messi failed to stay. Even though the dressing room in my view were always behind him.
Xavi not only has that advantage of being a legend. He is popular with both the fans and board. Plus it helps massively he is a more recent legend in the dressing room, from the recent golden era and was not so long ago their captain in that era. That level of trust they will give to him will be invaluable even though he is still an inexperienced coach at the highest level. It will give him the highest chance of getting his coaching message across.
Ageuro had some quotes when he joined along the lines of him turning up early for training but everything being locked up. Barcelona seemingly lost the plot totally towards the end of the Bartomeu / Messi era, like the club became a holiday camp for the players, they get ridiculous contracts, spend crazy money on transfers and the players were allowed to do whatever they wanted pretty much. No wonder some of the results against other elite teams in the last few years then?
Interesting to see how some of them take to a tougher regime now.
Interesting to see how some of them take to a tougher regime now.
That would really be something. Xavi embodies Barcelona more than any other player I can think of. Him leading them on a further downward spiral would be like Cantona or Rio becoming our manager and failing.Imagine if he becomes their Ole?
That's an odd pick