Wednesday 17 June 2009

[2008] A first look at the Guardiola project

this post was published exactly one year ago:


During his official presentation (read more here), new Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola expressed his first ideas about the team, the players, the transfers and the way of playing.


On the system: "We have to go after each game, I'm an absolute fan of attacking football. If I see the ball close to the opposite goal, I'm more relaxed. I've read that we're only buying defenders, but we'll attack better when we have a better defence. We'll play with three guys up front and midfielders who are pushing forward."

On the attitude: "I believe in talent and hard work. I want to see the team running. People should be proud cause they see the players are giving everything on the pitch. I want every player, also the forwards, to feel partly guilty when the opponent scores a goal. I can forgive them if they play bad, but not if they don't work."

On the transfers: "I'm sure I'll be offered a great squad. I cannot do everthing on my own. It's me who is in charge of the transfers, I'm the one who takes the decisions. But I'm not the one who pays and signs the players. For us, it's clear which players we want to sign and which players we want to let go. Márquez is part of my plans."

On Ronaldinho, Eto'o and Deco: "All the players who were a part of last season's squad are great players. With the technical department we're now composing a new squad and in doing so, we're not thinking about Deco, Ronaldinho and Eto'o. But we'll see how things go. After analizing their performances and other issues, I think an exit would be the best for the team.

If I would feel that Ronaldinho would really want to return to be the player he once was, he could be here. But he has the circumstances against him. The situation is getting worse and I want to make a strong dressing-room. That's the basic thing. If those players would stay in the end, I will give everything to bring them back to their top level."

On the transfers of forwards: "I'm looking for a centre forward who is complementary to Henry and Bojan. All three should feel first choice. The names who are out there in the papers are all good players. We're considering the transfer of a wing attacker but if it's not possible, that's not a problem. The priority is a centre forward. Although he seems a very good player to me, I wouldn't find Cristiano Ronaldo a place in the team."

On the Barcelona B players: "We'll take five to seven players to the pre-season training camp. We'll see how the squad will be composed and then we'll decide who's going to stay."

On the training sessions: "The day before and the day after each game, the training session won't be public."


Read more 17 June 2008 news:
Record MLS offer for Ronaldinho
Milan rejects Pirlo interest
Talks with Arsenal on Adebayor-Hleb package deal

2 comments:

one year ago, readers said...

Anonymous said...

i really wanna know what kind of trainer he is ?

is he like svenni i mean calm or is he more aggresive and get involve in the game


pep said...

Quite agressive, I suppose. He has been expelled twice for protesting this season with Barcelona B.


Anonymous said...

It's up to ronnie now
hope he wants to change!


Anonymous said...

Yes clean house pep no more loud mouth african snakes... no more fat un professional superstars, no more lazy portugese players most of all.. good bye to the players who are not proud to wear the barca shirt. Great players though they are/were it's really not worth the negative affects they have on the dressing room to keep them around. good riddens


djoef said...

Yeah, what can we say? Would be a big change without those three guys...


Anonymous said...

glad to see hes positive. loved him as a player wish him all the best as manager (hope the press and fans are patient). also glad hes giving ronnie a chance, if Guardiola can get him back to form would be great, especiallyif henry can also find form. if guardiola plays him up front he could be a star again, last season he was injured, in a new position/league and was still top goal scorer. give him a chance!


Anonymous said...

Well done Txiki, Laporta and Pep, declaring Eto'o isn't going to stay. I guess it wouldn't be a problem at all getting the asking price now when the whole Europe knows he's not staying. :P

I expect him leaving for peanuts now as Giovani.

Amateurs! Fuera Laporta!

Bring in Sandro Rosell now!


Anonymous said...

Well he certainly sounds ambitious, determined and very detail oriented by these comments. Some interesting points I found:

- From his comments, he is going to stick to the same 4-3-3 formation used under Rijkaard's regime. Considering that he may add another midfielder,(Moutinho? Hleb?) it will be interesting to see how he juggles the starting lineup.

- Marquez is going to stay after all. Caceres' mentor?

- Eto'o and Ronnie are definitely "out". Should come as little to no surprise but now it's at least officially out there.

- More accountability expected from the players. Referencing his point of when the opposition scores a goal, everyone on the pitch should feel accountable in part for it.

- Closed pratice sessions to the media. Good idea in my opinion. Opening them up would only lead to further scrutiny from the press.

- Adding a striker is a greater priority than adding a winger. Interesting comment. I guess he must have someone in mind on the current squad, who he feels can adequately fill that left wing position. Iniesta's the only name that comes to mind for me as far as the current squad is concerned.

- He's looking for a "complimentary" striker for Henry and Bojan. I don't know if that bodes well for Villa or Benzema. Perhaps Pep is thinking more along the lines of a tall experienced striker, with a strong leg who can score from distance and is good on headers. This may explain their continued pursuit of Adebayor? Not the most gifted or technically skilled of players but does meet the criteria.


Anonymous said...

Why can marquez stay?? we can get a good price for him this year. next year 5m tops..


harees said...

it sound good about and for attacking winger they should buy david silva who can be the best replacement of ronaldinho.and moutinho/hernanes for deco and guiza for eto.because he is a good player now and so that we can bring benzema next year

one year ago, readers said...

Kxevin said...

He said all the right things. People who are castigating him should know that in the world of transfers and transfer rumors, the fact that Eto'o, Ronaldinho and Deco are for sale is pretty firmly in the "duh" category. He isn't giving away any state secrets with that one.

The talk about working hard is very good, as was the comment about having a strong locker room. And note that when he talked about even strikers feeling guilt about opposition goals, how Henry would track back to play defense? He understands.

Last season, we didn't lack talent. We lacked spine. The B side was in pretty much the same state as the big boys, and look what Guardiola did there. He deserves a chance. I'm not a fan of individual players, if those players stand in the way of the club. That's up to and including Messi.

By all accounts, he's very different from Rijkaard. He understands that team fitness and preparation were problems, as well. Back at the beginning of the process, upgrading the medicos and training was part of his coaching manifesto that was submitted to the board.

He deserves a fair shot from us.

It would indeed be a big change without Deco, Ronaldinho and Eto'o. But for the good of the side, I daresay. If they want to sign someone who wants to party and is injured a lot, I'm available for a lot less than Ronaldinho.


Anonymous said...

I hope that ronaldinho will stay and get his good performance back, and I think that new formation sound good.


bojan henry messi

iniesta xavi silva

marques puyol caceres alves

valdes


Anonymous said...

He says he wants a striker up top with Bojan and Henry? Abedayor would be a nice addition. Does that then put Messi as right winger or where?

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