Welcome Back, Pep
Welcome Back, Pep
Well, it’s out with the old, in with the new. The new, of course, just happens to be an old face around the Camp Nou: Josep “Pep” Guardiola. But who is Pep Guardiola and what does he bring to the table? First, let’s discuss what he has already brought to the table in the past. Born [...]
Well, it’s out with the old, in with the new. The new, of course, just happens to be an old face around the Camp Nou: Josep “Pep” Guardiola.
But who is Pep Guardiola and what does he bring to the table? First, let’s discuss what he has already brought to the table in the past. Born in 1971, Guardiola first joined Barcelona B at the age of 13. In 1990, at the age of 19, he made the step up to the first team. He played for Barça for 11 years, earning the captaincy in 1997. He left in 2001 and began to move from team to team, ending up in Italy, Qatar, and eventually Mexico, where he retired in 2006. As a member of the Spanish national team, Guardiola won the gold medal at the ‘92 Barcelona Olympics (the first U-23 Olympic competition) and played in the 1994 World Cup and Euro2000.
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Barca vs Mallorca, or “Here’s to happier times,” Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, (5pm on GolTV)
Okay. Time to play out the string, to find out what kind of fans we have at the Camp Nou. We’re bound for third place, and will have to play our way into the Champions League next season. Frank Rijkaard and Ronaldinho, two faces who came to epitomize all that this side stands for and [...]
Okay. Time to play out the string, to find out what kind of fans we have at the Camp Nou. We’re bound for third place, and will have to play our way into the Champions League next season. Frank Rijkaard and Ronaldinho, two faces who came to epitomize all that this side stands for and strives for, are no more. One is off, most recent rumors say to Chelsea, the other is, depending on what you believe, off to AC Milan to join Mourinho and Drogba, again if you believe the football rumor mill.
What we do know is this: Mallorca is up, and we are at home with precious little to play for except a rousing send-off for a coach that I believe most of the players and a great many fans have come to love and respect.
Will there be the same kind of malaise there was during el Clasico, or will the players want to send out their chief with a smile on his face? I’m betting the latter, and that some serious stonk will be put down on a 7th-place Mallorca side that has been a very pleasant surprise this season. And their striker, Dani Guiza, can get a feel for what many hope will be his new home next season.
Real Murcia 3-Barca 5, a.k.a. “What’s up with the glass?”
So. Is the glass half-full, or half-empty? Depends. The half-fullers will say “See, the lads just needed to relax and be a bit more direct, so that truth, goodness and joga bonito can prevail. They want to fire coaches and sell players after that glorious display? Lordy!” The half-empties will say “Yeah, anybody can beat up a [...]
So. Is the glass half-full, or half-empty?
Depends.
The half-fullers will say “See, the lads just needed to relax and be a bit more direct, so that truth, goodness and joga bonito can prevail. They want to fire coaches and sell players after that glorious display? Lordy!”
The half-empties will say “Yeah, anybody can beat up a side that is going down, with absolutely nothing to play for, and that has been leaking goals like a stringless net.”
The truth is somewhere in the middle.
El Clásico!
I know that the rumors about who is leaving and who is arriving are flying thick and fast from all over the world (should we get Anakin Skywalker Rodrigo Palacio? How about Jozy Altidore, David Villa, or Peter Parker?), but there is something much more important afoot: El Clásico! Seriously, though, it’s the most important [...]
I know that the rumors about who is leaving and who is arriving are flying thick and fast from all over the world (should we get Anakin Skywalker Rodrigo Palacio? How about Jozy Altidore, David Villa, or Peter Parker?), but there is something much more important afoot: El Clásico! Seriously, though, it’s the most important game of this half of the season and while it may be meaningless for our rivals, it means the world to this fan and to avoiding Champions League qualifiers. So there’s “heckaton” to play for and no doubt Real Madrid will want to put on some sort of a show against us as we give them the guard of honor (el pasillo, or tunnel, in Spanish) before the match. I’m sure that hurts the players’ pride and they don’t want to do it, but to be honest that sort of gesture has never bothered me. But seeing as it means nothing to me, I don’t see why we keep it around either because it doesn’t seem to be a gesture with any meaning anymore other than to hurt the opposing team who happens to be there on that day.
Anyway, it’s morbo time in the Bernabeu and our boys, including the recently cleared Toure, will be there. Here’s the full squad: Valdés, Pinto, Zambrotta, Oleguer, Thuram, Márquez, Puyol, Abidal, Sylvinho, Touré Yaya, Edmílson, Xavi, Gudjohnsen, Bojan, Ezquerro, Giovani, Henry, Messi.. We’ll be missing a few key players through suspension and injury, namely Eto’o and Deco who both picked up needless and stupid yellows in the win over Valencia. Milito and Iniesta are out through injury, the former for 6 months and the latter for as long as it takes to recover from a slipped meniscus.
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Que te vaya bien, Frank
I’m not generally one for too much sentiment when it comes to sports. I bid players and coaches farewell about as emotionally as I do laundry, but somehow this is different. Franklin Edmundo Rijkaard will certainly be missed around these parts, despite the on-again-off-again relationship most of us have had with him over the last [...]
I’m not generally one for too much sentiment when it comes to sports. I bid players and coaches farewell about as emotionally as I do laundry, but somehow this is different. Franklin Edmundo Rijkaard will certainly be missed around these parts, despite the on-again-off-again relationship most of us have had with him over the last two years.
Let’s look beyond the recent “turmoil,” beyond the tabloid headlines decrying this or that folly, and let’s look at the good that Frank Rijkaard has done for this club. Two La Liga titles, a Champions League title, and 2 Spanish SuperCups in the span of 5 years, along with 2 runner ups and a 3rd place finish in the league, and a Champions League semifinal appearance to boot. Then there’s the final of the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan and a Copa Catalunya title last year (though I don’t know if Frankie can take credit for that one).
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How to Build a Better Team (and have fun doing it!), part 1
Now, I will admit right here that I considered titling this post “Defense Against the Dark Arts” or some such nerdical nonsense, but changed my mind in order to protect my good name. Then, obviously, I went ahead and made a Harry Potter reference by posting the picture above. Great. And yeah, for the record, [...]
Now, I will admit right here that I considered titling this post “Defense Against the Dark Arts” or some such nerdical nonsense, but changed my mind in order to protect my good name. Then, obviously, I went ahead and made a Harry Potter reference by posting the picture above. Great. And yeah, for the record, I do like the Potter series, but no, I’ve never written any fan fiction. So stop planning your comments around which powerful ancient wizard Yaya Toure reminds you of.
Onward and upward, since that’s the only direction to go after that start…
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Barca 2-Mallorca 3, a.k.a. “Too much ugliness all around”
Must look good in blue and red, great first touch mandatory. Must be a team player and a fast learner. Patience and ability to learn new systems is essential. Catalan skills desired, but not essential. Please apply to: Pep G Camp Nou Avignuda Aristides Mallol Barcelona, Spain All replies kept confidential.
Must look good in blue and red, great first touch mandatory. Must be a team player and a fast learner. Patience and ability to learn new systems is essential. Catalan skills desired, but not essential. Please apply to:
Pep G
Camp Nou
Avignuda Aristides Mallol
Barcelona, Spain
All replies kept confidential.
Meet the New Manager
It has been officially announced from here to Timbuktu, Josep “Pep” Guardiola will be taking over as manager of Barcelona on June 30, replacing Frank Rijkaard. I’ll do both a bio for Pep and a goodbye for Frankie in the next couple of days as I, like most others, ignore the remaining two games.
It has been officially announced from here to Timbuktu, Josep “Pep” Guardiola will be taking over as manager of Barcelona on June 30, replacing Frank Rijkaard. I’ll do both a bio for Pep and a goodbye for Frankie in the next couple of days as I, like most others, ignore the remaining two games.
Murcia - Barcelona: The End of the End, Saturday 4pm (GolTV)
Well, it’s the last preview of the 2007/08 season and it can’t come fast enough for most of us. We all want to get on with the changes, with the new era that will be beginning at the final whistle. But this is could be our last chance to see several of our players in [...]
Well, it’s the last preview of the 2007/08 season and it can’t come fast enough for most of us. We all want to get on with the changes, with the new era that will be beginning at the final whistle. But this is could be our last chance to see several of our players in the stripes: Eto’o, Zambrotta, Guddie, Oleguer, Ezquerro, Pinto, perhaps even Henry. And it’s our last chance to see Rijkaard staring out impassively at the field while we wonder what the hell he’s thinking about. Or if he’s thinking anything.*
Valdés, Pinto, Xavi, Ezquerro, Puyol, Oleguer, Bojan, Eto’o, Messi, Abidal, Thuram, Henry, Zambrotta, Gudjohnsen, Giovani, Fali, Rueda.
Even without Deco, Ronnie, Iniesta, Toure, and Marquez, the potential lineups available should be more than enough to smack around a relegated team with nothing to play for. However, and I hope no one is offended by this, but Murcia sucks. I mean, they suck…a lot. They’re 7W-9D-21L with 33GF and 60GA. That’s a -27 goal differential, if you didn’t care to do the math. At home they are much better than away (6W-4D-8L, 18GF 21GA) but that 18 goals scored is the lowest in the entire league. Obviously Barcelona sucks away from home (4W-8D-6L, 25GF 28GA), but Murcia has to suck more, right? Right?! Oh god…
So we have a shot at not ending the year on a down, of recovering not only our away goal differential (currently at -3) and of sending of Frankie boy and company in the best way we can manage at this point: 3 more points and 3rd place in the league. If we lose and Atletico draws or wins (or if we draw and Atletico wins), we’re in 4th. Not that I mind 4th any more than 3rd, but why give the ruling junta at the top any more fuel for the fire? Why cause them to sacrifice even more players in a reactionary way?
That’s all I’ve got for the preview because, really, what’s there to talk about? It’s all about transfers right now, so let’s transfer away, I guess…I am so opposed to the sell-off that it’s not funny. Or maybe it is because it’s sports and I’m taking it personally. Regardless, I’m feeling the pain of it. Eto’o to Evil Empire Jr? F-that. Berlusconi can take his immigrant-hating ass elsewhere for a striker. Funny how that thinking doesn’t apply to soccer players…
*Apparently at his last press conference the press gave him a T-shirt that says, in Catalan, “You’ll never smoke alone” in an echo of the banner from the Camp Nou the weekend before. See the shirt here.
