The Quote: Carles Puyol

"When I retire, I might stay in the world of football,
but I don't see myself as coach nor as president."


Carles Puyol,
Barcelona captain

read more election quotes here

Talks on board candidate to start in December

Speaking to Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio, Barcelona institutional vice-president Albert Perrín has said that it would be a mistake if the current board wouldn't present one presidential candidate in next year's elections:

"If this board won't be able to form one candidacy, then we would be quite stupid. It would be absurd that there would be two board candidates because then it would be almost impossible to win. I think we all should make an effort, talk and find a consensus so we can continue the work we have done until now. In all areas - sporting, social, economic - the results of the club have been very positive and we are capable to go on.

Who should be the candidate? We need to keep on talking about that. I think that Alfons Godall and Jaume Ferrer are two people with enough experience in the club and with enough qualities to be president. Xavier Sala i Martín? I think he's a very intelligent person, with qualities, with a ceertain fame, who can fulfil every job. He might lack some experience but that can be compensated by other qualities.

A lot of board members could be the candidate, but it's impossible to replace the president we have now. We've had a president with character, with courage, who has turned this club around. You can discuss about some of his actions, but he has been a dynamic president, enterprising, with innovative ideas, not afraid of anything. He has left his mark and he's kind of irreplaceable.

So we shouldn't look for a substitute because we won't find one and that's maybe why we are still discussing: because the possible candidates are different from the current president. We're not in a hurry to make a decision. The plan is that the board will start the final talks after the World Cup for Clubs in December and that we will have a candidate at the beginning of next year."

Read more:
Chief executive obstacle for one board candidacy
Poll result: Who should be the board candidate?

Respected journalist to run for president?

Catalan sports weekly paper Gol claims that a Spanish journalist is considering to take part in next year's elections for president of FC Barcelona.

The journalist, whose identity is not revealed, is described as a well-respected professional and a true Barcelona fan. Encouraged by several people, he would want to run for president and make his voice heard during the election campaign.

Read more:
Media mogul rejects election involvement
Will former super-agent run for president?

Poll result: Could Guardiola be president?

Some have recently said that Guardiola would be the best president for Barça? Do you share that opinion?

No 55%
Yes 25%
This is not the right moment 10%
I don't know 10%

total votes: 1000
date poll: 11 to 13 november 2009
poll method: telephone inteviews with club members who have the right to vote, 95% certainty
source: diari gol

check more election poll results here

Benedito: "It won't be a matter of two candidates"

Barcelona presidential candidate Agustí Benedito gave an interview to Spanish newspaper El País.


What could your role be in the expected battle between the continuity candidate and Rosell?
Those who think that the elections are a matter of two are mistaken. Some will vote for Rosell, others for Laporta, but the majority will not vote for one of them, but for other candidates, or will not vote at all.

One must keep in mind that Barça has 183.000 club members, 100.000 of those have joined in the last five years and 70.000 since 2005. We expect that there will be more voters than ever: some 70.000 to 80.000 members on an electoral role of 135.000 and 40.000 members will vote for the first time in their life. Most of these circumstances are in our favour.

All candidates so far have supported or were part of the board of Laporta. What will happen with the project of 2003 that was voted for by an absolute majority and has caused many divisions along the road?
The project of 2003 has its origins in the choice for a model change in 1997. I supported the project with which Laporta became president. And I think that, with some additions and updating, it is still perfectly valid for Barca.

What happened is that the president left the road, he went away from it, and, therefore, it should not be surprising that the people who worked on and believed in the project of 2003 have now the will to take it up and to continue it. Many points of the program have not been executed because the president didn't want to.

You resigned after it became known that Laporta's law firm had intervened in the possible sale of Mallorca. Was that the biggest betrayal of the project?
From the president of Barça we can demand an ethical behaviour, and in this case he didn't even respect the desirable minimum. What is serious in the case of Uzbekistan is that the buyers of Mallorca were professionally linked - there were commercial agreements - with the club and therefore Laporta did at the same time business with those people as president and as lawyer.

Until that moment, there were rumours and reports, but nothing had been confirmed. Laporta told TV3 [Catalan television channel] during the built-up to the vote of no confidence that he had no business links with the world of football but contrary to that, he was trying for a friendly football team friend, Bunyodkor, to buy another football team that was in trouble...

It was clear he had been lying. And I might not have the power to make the president resign, but I do have the freedom to leave myself. We can analyze the management of a club in different ways, and the final outcome of Laporta's mandate is positive, but when we talk about ethics or moral behaviour there is no room for doubt either.

Was the candidate Laporta different from the president Laporta?
In the seven years prior to his presidency, some of the key principles of our project were increasing the transparency, communicating more with club members and letting them more take part in the decisions.

And regarding the honesty and the participation of the members, the results haven't been satisfactory. The results of the football team couldn't have been better, but in other aspects he has clearly failed.

Winning trophies is a very important objective, but not the reason for being of the club, which are the members. The objective of the football team shouldn't be confused with the essence of FC Barcelona. The key moment, the event that distinguishes us from the others, are the elections.

It sometimes seems that the valuation of the management is no longer based on a job done well or poor, but based on what is ethical or illegal, as if everything that is not illegal is correct.
Yes. I lived the vote of no confidence in 1998 against a president [Josep Lluís Núñez] whose mandate wasn't limited, and I remember the aggressiveness with which he defended himself and which made him call the people who promoted the vote "anti-barcelonistas".

And now I have the feeling that those who criticize or disagree with the management of the board are not just accused of being "anti-barcelonistas" but also of being anti-catalan. Laporta has politicized the club and he has on the other hand lost control of some things.

In my opinion, the parameters for evaluating the ethics and morals of a president of Barça are at this moment unacceptable or are at least not in accordance with the history and the characteristics of the club.

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


Read more:
Introducing Benedito (five-parts series)
Poll result: Can Benedito win the elections?
Barça, a 'wonderful rarity' (by Agustí Benedito)

Most read this week

these were the three most read blog posts of the past week:


1.
Laporta meets with Obama campaign advisers

2.
Poll result: Who would you vote for?

3.
The Number: 2.000.000

Rosell appointed as adviser of Nelson Mandela

Catalan newspaper La Vanguardia reports that Barcelona presidential candidate Sandro Rosell has in the past days been appointed as member of the advising council of the Mandela Day, a day to honor the legacy of former South Africa president Nelson Mandela and his values through volunteering and community service.

Rosell, who had the support of former International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch, will be in charge of organizing and supervising sporting activities for children in need in several countries. Earlier this month, the United Nations General Assembly formally declared 18 July, the birthday of the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize winner, to be Mandela Day.

Read more:
Council linked with Rosell working on ethical code
Rosell worried about 'rich kid' image
Internet entrepreneur joins Rosell candidacy

Poll result: Who should be the board candidate?

Who should be Barça's continuity candidate?

Xavier Sala i Martín 64,16%
Alfons Godall 19,47%
Jaume Ferrer 16,37%

total votes: 226
start date poll: 13 november 2009
source: e-notícies

check more election poll results here

Txiki Begiristain to quit after the elections

Asked about the position of Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain, Barcelona institutional vice-president Albert Perrín has said in an interview with Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio that the former Barcelona player will probably leave the club after next year's elections:

"I think that Txiki will not continue. It has nothing to do with the outcome of the elections and who will be the next president. It is a personal choice. I think he has made a decision and that he will not stay on."

Read more:
Elections have no influence on transfer activity
Albert Perrin appointed as new vice-president
Could Guardiola be a future president?

Cartoon 17: Minguella offering himself

Minguella:
This is a message for the future pre-candidates for president of Barça. Minguella is available to give a touch a touch of class and elegance to your candidacy. Take advantage of the discounts, because when the campaign officially takes off, my fee will triple. Come on Madam, it's still fresh!

(click the cartoon to enlarge)


by alex

source:
golsud

see more cartoons here

Chief executive obstacle for one board candidacy

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that the figure of Barcelona chief executive Joan Oliver (picture) is at this moment the main obstacle for one united board candidacy in next year's elections for president of Barcelona (read more here).

Key directors Alfons Godall and Jaume Ferrer would have a different opinion on the continuation of the general director after the elections. While Godall reportedly wants to keep Oliver in charge, Ferrer would want him to leave the club after Oliver ordered a detective agency to investigate Ferrer and three other vice-presidents earlier this year (read more here).

read this blog's ten-parts series on the "barcagate" affair here


Read more:
One board candidacy suddenly seems very likely
Barcagate (10) - The fallout
Cartoon: Oliver denies spying claims

The Quote: Samuel Eto'o

"The only thing I want is that the club would have a president who is up for the task. As a Barça fan, I'd ask both Alfons and Sandro to rise to the challenge."


Inter Milan forward Samuel Eto'o,
former Barcelona player (2004-2009)

read more election quotes here

Guixa confirms that he will run for president

Asked about the rumours that he will take part in next year's elections for president of FC Barcelona (read more here), Catalan university professor Jaume Guixà has confirmed last month in an interview with Catalan local television channel TV Sant Cugat that he will be a candidate:

"In fact, since 2006, when we weren't able to collect the signatures needed [read more here], we have continued to work and form a team thinking about the elections that will be held next year. So it's not that I'm announcing it now, I have said it every time I had the chance or was asked about it: yes, I plan to run in the elections of 2010."

Read more:
Agusti Benedito to run for president
Jaume Guixa will run for president


picture: blog jaume guixà

Cartoon 16: Board candidacy looking for water

* continuity candidacy *

(click the cartoon to enlarge)


by kap

source:
el mundo deportivo

check more election cartoons here

Will former super-agent run for president?

One of the people rumoured to be a possible candidate in next year's elections for president of FC Barcelona is Josep Maria Minguella, a former 68-year-old player's agent who represented, among many others, Barcelona players like Maradona, Romario, Guardiola, Stoichkov, Rivaldo and Messi.

Minguella, who now mainly acts as a Barcelona pundit for a number of radio and television shows, took part in the 2003 elections, when he ended fifth (out of six contenders) with 1.867 votes (3,62%). The Catalan is a fierce critic of current Barcelona president Joan Laporta and supported last year's vote of no confidence against the board.

Although Catalan sports paper Sport claimed in April of this year that Minguella had back then already decided to take part in the upcoming elections, the former candidate didn't yet confirm that he will run.

Speaking to Catalan radio station RAC 1 last week, Minguella said that he will make a decision at the beginning of next year: "I would be delighted to take part, but I didn't decide anything yet. It will depend on personal issues. I will make a decision in January."

Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that Minguella has been holding talks with a few other possible pre-candidates - as could be Jaume Llauradó, Jordi Majó or Jordi Medina – to sound them out on a possible joint candidacy.

Minguella has said several times over the past weeks that talks with other people are indeed ongoing and it has been confirmed to this blog that a partnership with Jordi Majó, who finished third in the 2003 elections, seems at this moment the most likely option.

Read more:
Bassat will not run a third time

Who will be the next president of FC Barcelona?
Former candidate Angel Fernandez will not run

Poll result: Who would you vote for?

Who would you vote for in next year's elections for president of FC Barcelona?

Sandro Rosell 31%
Ferran Soriano 9%
Xavier Sala i Martín 5%
Alfons Godall 4%
Jaume Ferrer 3%
Agustí Benedito 1%

Don't know 37%
Won't vote 6%
Other candidates 4%

total votes: 1000
date poll: 11 to 13 november 2009
poll method: telephone inteviews with club members who have the right to vote, 95% certainty
source: diari gol

check more election poll results here

The Board Movements (2003-2009)

Since Joan Laporta became president of FC Barcelona, the composition of the board of directors has been changing permanently. An overview.

2003
On 22 June 2003, one week after the elections, a new Barcelona board takes office. President Joan Laporta leads a group of 15 directors that include 5 vice-presidents (Albert Vicens, Sandro Rosell, Ferran Soriano, Alfons Godall and Marc Ingla) and 9 directors (Josep Maria Bartomeu, Xavier Cambra, Alfons Castro, Josep Cubells, Jaume Ferrer, Jordi Moix, Jordi Monés, Toni Rovira and Clàudia Vives-Fierro).

One month later, on 22 July, Javier Faus joins the board.

2004
On 24 February, Laporta's brother-in-law Alejandro Echevarría is appointed as director.

2005
On 31 May 2005, Jordi Monés resigns because of the presidentialist attitude of Laporta. He is followed by Josep Maria Bartomeu, Sandro Rosell and Jordi Moix on 2 June. It is the outcome of a conflict that had existed for more than a year. Javier Faus, who was believed to be close to the other four, leaves the board on 27 June.

On 12 July, Joan Boix and Joan Franquesa become members of the board. That way the board again consists of 14 members, the minimum number of directors the club should have according to the club's by-laws.

On 20 October, Alejandro Echevarría leaves the club. Although Laporta had supported his brother-in-law after the accusations that the latter was a member of a foundation dedicated to the life and works of former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, Echevarría resigned because of the media pressure.

On 29 November, Rafael Yuste and Albert Perrín become members of the board, followed, on 13 december, by Evarist Murtra and Josep Lluís Vilaseca.

2006
-

2007
On 5 October, Jacint Borràs joins the board.

On 27 November, Jaume Ferrer is appointed as vice-president.

2008
On 10 July, Albert Vicens, Ferran Soriano, Marc Ingla, Xavier Cambra, Toni Rovira, Clàudia Vives-Fierro, Josep Lluís Vilaseca and Evarist Murtra resign because they don't agree with the reaction of Laporta after the vote of no confidence a few days earlier.

On 28 July, Josep Antonio Colomer, Jordi Torrent and Maria Elena Fort are chosen as new board members. Joan Boix, Joan Franquesa and Rafael Yuste are appointed as vice-presidents.

On 13 August, Patrick Auset and Xavier Bagués join the board.

2009
On 27 March, Josep-Ignasi Macià is appointed as new director, followed by Xavier Sala i Martín and Magda Oranich on 23 April.

On 11 November, Joan Franquesa leaves the club because of personal and professional reasons (read more here). On 13 November, Albert Perrín is appointed as vice-president.

this is an updated version of the second part of a three-parts series on the composition of fc barcelona's board of directors since joan laporta became president. you can read the original series here.


Read more:
Laporta could step down before elections
The resignation letter of vice-president Franquesa



picture:
Board members (from left to right) Marc Ingla, Toni Rovira, Ferran Soriano, Claudià Vives-Fierro, Josep Lluís Vilaseca, Evarist Murtra and Xavier Cambra, listening to the resignation speech by Albert Vicens at the press room of the Camp Nou on 10 july 2009.