Ferrer: "I want to work with more discretion"

Barcelona assets vice-president and presidential candidate Jaume Ferrer gave an interview to Catalan online paper El Singular Digital.


You are part of the current board and running for president. Is your project one of reform or of continuity?
Our idea is to maintain what is working. We are committed to continue with the model that has given us so many successes in recent years, but using another style. It's about the same sporting and economic project, but including a structure in which the president is not the main protagonist, which should be the players and the coaches.

So your candidacy will therefore put special emphasis on the manners?
The big difference will be in the way of doing things. We want the board to be on par with what the club represents. We propose to work with much more discretion than has been done so far. For example, defending our roots without doing politics from within the club.

Despite the insistence of Laporta, you have not accepted to form one united candidacy with Alfons Godall [note: the interview dates from before last week's event, when laporta decided to support ferrer, after which godall withdrew his candidacy].
It hasn't been possible to close even one deal with Alfons Godall when we were considering a joint candidacy. Both him and I had the legitimate wish to head a project, but, even though we tried, we couldn't even agree when we were to name the people who should be part of it.

Some people say that your candidacy is motivated by the resentment caused by you not being the preferred candidate of Laporta.
Long before Laporta gave his support to Alfons Godall, I had already said that I wanted to take part and to lead a project.

Why do you think Laporta has backed Godall?
The president should say this. I can only think of one reason, and that is the friendship he has with Alfonso Godall.

You have felt betrayed?
No. This is a matter of individual freedom. However, I think that no one should choose his successor, that person should come forward naturally, or it should be decided by the members of the board. For me, the choice of Laporta is not something that has a lot of importance.

Many of the candidates who are running in these elections have been part of the board of Laporta. What went wrong since 2003?
It is not at all easy to be part of the board of directors of Barça. Over the years there have been people who thought that things should be different and others who weren't able to deal with the pressure. It's a fact that a lot of people have left. Many of them were and are great Barcelona fans and have worked hard for the club.

You were one of the directors involved in spying affair. Did you think about resigning?
No. I have always worked based upon responsibility and discretion. The espionage affair was very unpleasant, but in any case, it wasn't me who should have resigned, but other people.

The board was once again in the news instead of the team...
At that moment, we had important games ahead. We received the explanations that we thought were appropriate, we reached an agreement that was more or less satisfactory and we decided to close the issue and to move forward. The sporting results confirmed that we were right.

You have recently declared that you stay on the board to "continue to keep an eye on things until the last day"...
We need to play down those words. There are still decisions to be taken and the club is still moving. Recently I have been kicked out of the Delegate Commission and therefore I don't have a view anymore on the daily activities of the club. Because of the members that have chosen us, I think I should continue to give my opinion in the board as long as the statutes allow me to do so.

this was the first part of this interview. you can read the second part here.

Read more:
Ferrer won't accept conditions Laporta
Laporta confirms board support for Ferrer
Ferrer: "We should study shirt sponsorship"

interview: xavier march