Ex-Barça: Laudrup dismissed by Spartak Moscow

Former Barcelona player Michael Laudrup (44) has been dismissed yesterday as manager of Spartak Moscow, the club he joined in September last year (read more here).

A statement on the official website of the Russian club reads as follows: "Michael Laudrup has been dismissed as FC Spartak Moscow coach on April 15 night due to unsatisfactory performance and poor results.

Michael Laudrup’s discharge has been initiated by General Director Valery Karpin. This suggestion found approval of the board of directors. Erik Larsen, assistant to Michael Laudrup, has also been dismissed from his duties."

Arriving from Italian club Juventus in the summer of 1989, Laudrup played five seasons for Barcelona. In a controversial move, the attacking midfielder joined Real Madrid in 1994.

With Barcelona, Michael Laudrup won four Spanish leagues in 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994, one Spanish cup in 1990, two Spanish super cups in 1991 and 1992, one Champions League in 1992 and one European super cup in 1992.

Read more:
Ex-Barça: Giovani to Ipswich Town on loan
Guardiola or Laudrup
Ex-Barça: Laudrup to Spartak Moscow

Ex-Barça: Laudrup to Spartak Moscow

Spartak Moscow has yesterday officially presented former Barcelona player Michael Laudrup (44) as their new manager.

Laudrup, who resigned as manager of Spanish club Getafe after one season and who was also rumoured to be a candidate for the Barcelona bench (read more here), has signed an 18-month contract with the Russian club.

Arriving from Italian club Juventus in the summer of 1989, Laudrup played five seasons for Barcelona. In a controversial move, the attacking midfielder joined Real Madrid in 1994.

With Barcelona, Michael Laudrup won four Spanish leagues in 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994, one Spanish cup in 1990, two Spanish super cups in 1991 and 1992, one Champions League in 1992 and one European super cup in 1992.

Read more:
Everybody loves Michael

Ex-Barça: Víctor Muñoz to Getafe

Ex-Barça: Ernesto Valverde to Olympiacos

The bench candidates who did not make it

At this moment everybody seems to agree that it will be Barcelona B manager josep Guardiola (37), but in the days before the still unconfirmed (and unofficial) decision on Monday (read more here) there was a lot of speculation on who would replace current Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard (45), whose dismissal was a sure fact after the Champions League elimination last week.

Mourinho

Last weekend former Chelsea manager José Mourinho (45) was still the man who supposedly divided the Barcelona board. Madrid sports tabloid As even linked names to the opposed groups. Barcelona president Joan Laporta, supported by vice presidents Jaume Ferrer and Alfons Godall and board members Rafael Yuste and Evarist Murtra, was in in favour of Guardiola. Barcelona vice president Ferran Soriano, supported by almost all the other board members, preferred Mourinho.

Madrid sports tabloid Marca claimed on Saturday that Mourinho had rejected Barcelona's proposal to become the next Barcelona manager and to be assisted by Guardiola.

Asked about the rumours saying that Mourinho had already found an agreement with Inter Milan, his agent Jorge Mendes denied any agreement to British televsion channel Sky Sports: "Mourinho has not signed any deal with a club and is still free. It is certain that many clubs are interested but he still has not decided his destination."

Pellegrini

Madrid sports tabloid As claimed on Friday that Villareal manager Manuel Pellegrini (54) had received phone calls from Barcelona officials to ask the Chilean coach how he would feel about a possible future proposal from Barcelona.

Catalan sports paper Sport reported that Chilean media claimed that there had been an informal contact between Pellegrini, his agent Jesús Martínez and Barcelona representatives.

Ancelotti

Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio claimed last Thursday that a Barcelona board member had contacted the agent of AC Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti (48) asking if the Italian would be willing to coach Barcelona next season. This was said to be an individual initiative by the board member, who was opposed to the Guardiola option.

Laudrup

Madrid sports tabloid As claimed on Saturday that Getafe manager Michel Laudrup (43) had received the approval of Barcelona unofficial external adviser Johan Cruijff. After some first contacts, Barcelona president Joan laporta, Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain and Bayram Tutumlu, the agent of Laudrup, would meet this week to start the negotiations.

Getafe president Angel Torres had fed the speculation by stating that Laudrup would leave his club and by telling in an interview with Spanish radio station Radio Marca that now that his club had prepared managers for Valencia, Real Madrid and Barcelona (read more here), they would now make one for Atlético Madrid.

Blanc

During the Monday meeting, Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain evaluated the candidacies of Mourinho, Pellegrini, Laudrup and Bordeaux manager Laurent Blanc (42) but concluded that Guardiola was the best option (read more here). The Monday decision is expected to be approved during the board meeting this afternoon.

Guardiola or Laudrup

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that, with the Barcelona board having decided that they don't want a change in the style of the team, there are only two candidates left to replace current Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard (45) as of next season: Barcelona B manager Josep Guardiola (37) and Getafe manager Michael Laudrup (43).

Josep María Casanovas, the founder of Sport, described the elimination process in his column yesterday as follows: "Van Basten fell off the list when he preferred to go to Ajax. Mourinho had the sympathy of some board members but was rejected because of his character and his way of playing. Benítez was just a passing rumour. Pellegrini has been closely analized but stays in the waiting room. Laurent Blanc, the manager of the moment in France, had some sympathy but little more. The name of Lippi was considered but was disapproved because the Italian Calcio style has never worked in the Liga. The possibility of bringing in a young Spanish manager, like Marcelino or Emery, wasn't supported by anyone."

At this moment Guardiola would have the most support in the board. Some board members nevertheless think that the former Barcelona defensive midfielder lacks some experience and that appointing him would therefore be a risk both for Barcelona and Guardiola. They prefer Laudrup who is having an excellent season with Getafe.

While Barcelona has not yet contacted Laudrup, who plays tonight the final of the Spanish cup with Getafe against Valencia, they would have asked Guardiola to make a report about how 'his' Barcelona would look like. Guardiola has already handed his report to Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain, who has spread it to the board.

( you can read the headlines of the report here )


Read more:
Guardiola takes Mourinho's pole
Could Guardiola be the emergency solution?
Everybody loves Michael

The race to the bench: Guardiola takes Mourinho's pole (3)

If current Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard (45) will have to leave at the end of the season, Barcelona is expected to look for a manager with the same profile as the Dutchman, namely a manager who has an attacking style on the pitch, who looks for the dialogue with the players and who gives a worthy image of the club off the pitch. Barcelona president Joan Laporta again made that clear on a meeting with the penyes on Sunday, describing the way the team should always play: "We should choose to control the game. Our team likes to have the ball and play with it, seeking the victory by doing so."

Villareal manager Manuel Pellegrini (54), Bordeaux manager Laurent Blanc (42) and Getafe manager Michael Laudrup (43) all seem to be high on the list of candidates. Although some fans apparently did not forget how Laudrup left for Real Madrid in the summer of 1994 (read more here). Yesterday there were some anti-Laudrup slogans visible in the Camp Nou, one of them reading: "Laudrup, traitor. We don't want you anymore."

The number one candidate nevertheless seems to be current Barcelona B manager Josep Guardiola (37). It is believed that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain is putting Guardiola forward as the main option to replace Rijkaard. Last year, it was also Begiristain who offered his former team-mate the opportunity to start his career as manager with Barcelona B. Apparently with the aim to make him gain experience and to give him a more important role in the near future. Although an appointment this summer would come earlier than anyone could have expected back then.

Guardiola is said to be a manager who tries to combine quality football with sacrifice, hard work and tactical strength. He values the indiviual talent but even more so the team work. The former Barcelona captain knows the club inside out and has charisma and a strong character, which all should allow him to deal with the fans, the press and the players.

Despite being a true Barcelona legend, Guardiola did not think he was too good to start his second career in the Spanish fourth division. Barcelona B is in the race for the promotional play off to return to the third division. Catalan sports paper Sport claims that the initial plan of Guardiola was to promote with Barcelona B and then stay with the team for one more year.

If offered the job of head coach of the first team, Guardiola knows that the risk of burning himself too early is real. Although the board is divided on the issue and no candidate has the support of all board members, Barcelona president Joan Laporta seems to approve the choice of his sports director, so the offer could well come in the next weeks.

(this is the third and last part of this contribution, the first part was published on Saturday, the second part was published yesterday)

Everybody loves Michael

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that a large part of the Barcelona board has a positive opinion on Getafe manager Michael Laudrup (43), one of the names that is being put forward as a possible successor of current Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard (45) (read more here). The former Barcelona midfielder doesn't seem to have anyone against him.

People are not only impressed by the results of the Dane with Getafe, but most of all by his way of working and his football philosophy that is corresponding with the principles that have always been defended by Johan Cruijff, who was Laudrup's coach for five years in Barcelona: playing nice football, with the emphasis on fast ball circulation and looking for and quickly occupying the free space.

Besides that, people like the way of being of Laudrup, who already has offers from Italy, England and Spain and who is represented by the Turkish agent Bayram Tutumlu: he is moderate, relaxed, non provocative and he understands how to deal with a club's surroundings.

(read more on the manager debate here)

Getafe is the ideal manager step-up

Asked about the recent rumours linking him with Barcelona (read more here and here), Getafe manager Michael Laudrup (43) told at a press conference that this proved he was doing a good job and that it's a reason to be proud. Meanwhile in Nyon, where officials of Getafe and Barcelona had a short informal meeting previous to the European draws, Barcelona sports director Txiki Begirsitain declared that Laudrup is performing very well at Getafe but that he had no intention to sound out the Dane at this moment.

Getafe president Ángel Torres said that the interest for Laudrup, not only from Barcelona, makes it clear that his club is doing very well at choosing their manager. Cause after Quique Sánchez Flores (Valencia) and Bernd Schuster (Real Madrid), Laudrup could be the next manager leaving for a big club.

(read everything on the manager debate here)

Rijkaard or Mourinho

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo says that Barcelona is at the moment only considering two options on who should be the Barcelona manager next season: current manager Frank Rijkaard (45) or former Chelsea manager José Mourinho (45). With the continuation of Rijkaard being the preferred option of the Barcelona board, since this would mean that they made the right choices and that their project is going well. This can nevertheless only be an option if the team wins the Liga or the Champions League this season.

If Rijkaard has to leave, there's one possible successor actively being monitored: José Mourinho. There has been no contact with other rumoured candidates like Getafe manager Michael Laudrup (43) or Bordeaux manager Laurent Blanc (42). Since he's already in the club, Barcelona B manager Josep Guardiola (37) is a candidate with real possibilities, but only if the Mourinho option fails.

Laudrup or Blanc

Catalan television channel TV3 says that former Chelsea manager José Mourinho (45) moves away from Barcelona and could replace Roberto Mancini as the new Inter Milan manager. This would leave two main candidates for the possible succession of current Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard at the end of the season: Getafe manager Michael Laudrup (43) and Bordeaux manager Laurent Blanc (42). Both former Barcelona players are performing well this season with modest teams.

A third option could be Barcelona B manager Josep Guardiola (37), although his lack of experience is seen as a major disadvantage.

(read everything on the manager debate here)

Mourinho or Laudrup

In a football talk show on the Catalan television channel 8TV, Getafe manager Michael Laudrup (43) was mentioned as a possible successor of Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard (read more here). Laudrup would also be on the lists of Inter Milan and Chelsea, who would be ready to pay the buyout fee of two million euro for the Dane.

In case current Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard (45) would leave at the end of the season, the former Barcelona midfielder and Danish international is said to be the biggest rival of former Chelsea manager José Mourinho (45) to become the next Barcelona head coach. The Portuguese is most supported by Barcelona president Joan Laporta, against a critical part of the board.

Laudrup is in the race too

Catalan sports weekly paper Gol claims that Getafe manager and former Barcelona player Michael Laudrup (43) is also on the list of possible successors if current Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard (45) would leave at the end of the season. The way of playing promoted by the former Danish international would fit the club's football philosophy.

(read more on Laudrup's transfer to Real Madrid here)
(read everything on the manager debate here)

Transfer history: Laudrup

In the Flemish football magazine Voetbalmagazine, current Getafe manager Michael Laudrup (43) explains his transfer from Barcelona to Real Madrid in the summer of 1994:

“A lot of people thought I did it out of ill-will but that was not the reason why I went to Madrid. I played five years for Barcelona and that’s a long time. In my last year I didn’t play every game, but I also had the feeling the magic had disappeared from the team. We lost the final of the Champions League and only won the Liga on the last day with some luck. Everything went more difficult, so I just wanted to leave. What happened afterwards with Barcelona proved me right.”

(read more Barcelona transfer history stories here)