31 responses so far ↓

• BARCA 4 LYF // May 8, 2008 at 19:39

  I wanted Mourinho

• T.Henry // May 8, 2008 at 19:41

  Why Guardiola ?

  Why not Benitez, Mourinho, Wenger etc.

  But I love FC Barcelona and I wish him every success in the future.

• Joe Henry // May 8, 2008 at 19:52

  Lets hope he is up for it. I wanted Mourinho too.

• Angus // May 8, 2008 at 20:03

  I feel sorry for Rijkaard. He’s done a very good job and the players and injuries have let him down this season. He will be a very good manager somewhere else in Europe and will be successful.

  As for Guardiola, I think he will be able to bring a passion and enthusiasm to the dressing room. He’s Barcelona through and through and will reclaim some pride to the team. I also think he could bring through some of the youth players from the B team where he’s had success this season. He will have to be careful of the Champions League Qualifying round, he must pass that test.

• bobkat // May 8, 2008 at 20:17

  All the best to Frank Rijkaard, you will never be forgotten sir for the glory you brought us!!

  Pep is a cule in every sense of the word, he’s a barca fan inside his heart and this is something that will bring passion into the players i think. Best of luck, it will be a fun year (if not also painful) to see how this new team will evolve!

• barcelonista // May 8, 2008 at 20:20

  All the best Rijkaard =) I hope the Camp Nou gives him the warmest and most respectful farewell this weekend. During his tenure, Barsa had played some beautiful football i’m sure we all will remember.

  Guardiola was such a legend as a player and he’s got Big Shoes to fill. All the best Pep =)

• ulizinho // May 8, 2008 at 20:26

  Many many thanks, van harte bedankt, Frank Rijkaard. All in all it were great five years with such a smart gentleman like you. Buena Suerte, Pep Guardiola. I’m very curious about how many new players we will see. Anyway it will be a season of learning, of building a team that attack in 2009/10.

• Snyde // May 8, 2008 at 20:37

  Seems like a big risk. Hopefully Pep is up for it.
  To me it still seems like a big mistake, Pep should get more experience with the Barca B side, get them promotion and be with the squad for some time.

  While Barca need a coach with strong basics and good tactics and experience. We have to build a team and make them come together and fill them with hunger. While Pep should have little problems filling them up with pride and hunger, I just can’t be so sure of him building a proper base team.

  Anyways best of luck to him! Hopefully there’s no pressure on him to perform so he can go about it normally. Also hopefully he sees what we lack now such as determined players and working on set-pieces and a plan-B.

• Siim // May 8, 2008 at 20:44

  I hope he is our Obama. We want change, Pep.

• dnzi // May 8, 2008 at 20:52

  Doei Frank. Barça zal je missen. Ooit begrijpen ze wat je waard was en dat je gebukt ging onder alle ego’s. Het moet vast pijn doen om afscheid te nemen van deze club, zoals Louis van Gaal ooit moest doen. Je blijft een goede coach. Om een Aad de Mos te quoten: in het leven heb je 2 zekerheden, 1) je gaat dood en 2) trainers worden ontslagen.
  Vertrek maar met opgeheven hoofd. Je was de bom. Ben je nog steeds. =)

• ae // May 8, 2008 at 21:46

  Quote:
  ————————————————————————————————
  Spanish football expert Graham Hunter told BBC Radio 5 Live: “The decision to sack Rijkaard has been building for the majority for the season.

  “The directors had been losing faith in him, and rightly so, for several months. In my view, the time was right to remove him in January - trophies could have been won if that action was taken.

  “A large majority of the board wanted Mourinho to replace him but Laporta is the president and said he wanted his own man, who is Guardiola.

  “I think they have made a bad decision and they will regret it.

  “What you need in that dressing room is experience at man management. Rijkaard has failed in the last few months because of poor individual man-management and Guardiola cannot have the skills yet with his limited experience.”
  ————————————————————————————————

• ae // May 8, 2008 at 21:47

  I will say it again. Better him than traitor Laudrup.

• Liam // May 8, 2008 at 21:51

  Guardiola has no experience, yes he was an awesome player but that doesnt mean ur gonna be any good, dont really know why they picked him.

  Stoitchkov has way more experience as a manager, was part of Barcelonas Dream Team and loves the club tons…. so, why didnt they offered him the job?

  Imho Pep is there cuz he loves the club and key factor, he is catalan, and u all know how Laportas head works.

  Cheers

• Maverick977 // May 8, 2008 at 21:57

  Like I said yesterday, Rijkaaard will always go down in the history as one of the most successful managers of all time…The way he brought our team up in European football is exemplary…Yea, we had 2 trophyless seasons, but we also won 2 la ligas and a champs league with him….I m pissed that we are in a slump right now, but I have nothing against Rijkaard….He rocks…I am feeling kinda sad right now as I really admire this guy for what he gave to us…but oh well…I hope he becomes successful wherever he goes…

• Joe Henry // May 8, 2008 at 22:03

  Hmm, We have to trust him and wait to see what happens. We lost every thing. We lost a big lose to Madrid. Lost the league fighting for 2nd maybe we wont even get 3rd. Lost the Champions League. Knocked out of the cup as well. If you ask me its all upwards from here you cant go lower. Yes we where in lower positions before but I’m saying with this team this as bad as it gets. So just have faith that he can do a good job. Frank I would have loved to say Thank you. A draw would have maid me come to this blog and said every single good thing he did. But after Madrid game I can’t see but his big lose of Madrid.

• FCB // May 8, 2008 at 22:54

  mourinho isnt rite for the club, y cant any1 understand that?

• whitedoghunch // May 8, 2008 at 23:23

  from my distance Frank had the cincsentits (spologies) of a true Barca man.
  He was smart and easy to like.
  I wish him well

• barcaman78 // May 8, 2008 at 23:43

  i wonder if rijkaard himself is even that bothered about all this? i didn’t seem too concerned about barca’s form and consistency anyway in my opinion so hopefully a fresh face like guardiola’s will invigorate the side - i’m sure we’ll see a number of b stars stepping up? people have also talked about who will replace ferguson at manchester united and you hear names like keane, hughes and bruce who have all had wonderful careers at the club…why not choose a former player with the club in their blood to take barca to the pinnacle of club football once again?

• Hilal // May 8, 2008 at 23:56

  All i know is that he better not go selling Toure……that would drive me nuts!!!

• whitedoghunch // May 8, 2008 at 23:58

  Toure is a complete football player.

• blaugranafan // May 9, 2008 at 0:36

  I’m not sure I would put too much faith in those reports on goal.com and Sport.es re: selling Toure (or any other player). They didn’t give any sources. It’s just more shameless rumor mongering. Are there no libel or slander laws outside the U.S.??

  I think Mou was the best choice, but Pep’s a cule, so I can back him 100% now that the decision is final. The ascension of B team players will be good for increasing unity and desire, although there may be a drop in quality. These players are probably not as talented as some others that Barca could bring in from outside, but they’ve worked and toiled for years in the youth team to make the jump up when they easily could have gone to other teams where the path to the first team would have been much easier. They’ll be willing to give their all for Barca; it should be refreshing to watch them.

  ae–thank you for sharing that quote. I’m glad somebody else is asking the question of what might have been.

• azulgrana // May 9, 2008 at 1:51

  like most of us, i don’t know too much about pep…and i have doubts about how well he could do next season. That being said, many people doubted making Rijkaard manager, but he turned out to bring a lot of glory to the club. So I hope Pep will be sucessful.

  Mourinho wasn’t right for barca. Even though he would be great at telling the press to shut up, I think that the style of play would become borning. Let’s be honest, Mourinho is a great tactician, but his tactics are defensive. If barca and us fans want to see us win ugly then maybe mourinho is the right person. but I for one actually want to enjoy beautiful football along with the wins.

  One question, what about Lippi? I think he would have been a good fit for baca as well. Any thoughts?

• layi // May 9, 2008 at 3:19

  nice one

• Varughese // May 9, 2008 at 6:15

  He gave us so much. Its time to give him a deserving farewell

  http://www.allaboutfcbarcelona.com/2008/05/tribute-to-great-gentleman.html

• John // May 9, 2008 at 7:28

  A very bad decsion, that i fear the club will regret … Laporta has made a dreadful decision….. Am not happy.. The club needs tough medicine and have shied away from that…. Mourinho would have administered it… pep maybe a cule but that is no qualification….. A bad day for the club!

  Good Luck Frank….

• Taras // May 9, 2008 at 9:21

  Good luck Frank, I wish you every success.
  P.S. I don’t think that Guardiola is good for Barca. Mourinho or Benitez would be relly nice.

• Rafael // May 9, 2008 at 13:39

  I dont know what sort of culture is in the Nou Camp.. but is there any possibility that Pep will be loyal to the players? In a sense that a big name will always get a big game?

  Im sure outsider coaches would probably start at level 0, getting to know the system and players.. rather than basing things on previous experiences etc..

  Im scared Barcelona should have gone for Mourinho.

• Jay // May 9, 2008 at 14:59

  Welcome Pep.

  To Frank Rijkaard, all I can say is THANK YOU sir for ushering this great era within the club that saw some of the greatest football ever played. Good luck to you, wherever you go.

• Mike M // May 9, 2008 at 17:42

  Good luck to Frank Rijkaard, he has brought us many a success, and i hope him well in the future.

  Welcome Pep, hope you will do a great job and bring desire and passion back into the dressing room, aswell as making the players work hard…

• layi // May 10, 2008 at 0:57

  thank God it wasnt mourinho

• joan amenos // May 10, 2008 at 11:37

  thank you , Rijkaard. We will remember your attitude and your success.
  Mr Guardiola is a mystery: will he be able to control different and foppish characters of the team?

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