Godall: "Soriano? An excellent director"

Barcelona first vice-president Alfons Godall gave an interview to Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo. As an extra, he shortly commented on some names.


Joan Laporta
A great president.

Sandro Rosell
A possible candidate.

Xavier Sala i Martín
An excellente economist.

Jaume Ferrer
A good board colleague.

Joan Oliver
A good chief executive.

Agustí Benedito
I don't see him as a candidate.

Johan Cruyff
One of the greats in the history of Barça.

Josep Lluís Núñez
A good president.

Ferran Soriano
An excellent director.

Josep Guardiola
As a player he was very good, as a coach he's a genius.

Ronaldinho
Recovered his Barça smile.

Frank Rijkaard
The coach of the double.

Alfons Godall
An excited culé.

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

Read more:
The five vice-presidents of Godall
Poll result: Who should be the next president?
Godall: "Laporta is like a brother to me"

interview: roger torelló

Guixa gets support son "Great Captain" Segarra

Barcelona presidential candidate Jaume Guixà has received the support of the family of former Barcelona player Joan Segarra (picture).

Joan Segarra, who passed away in September 2008 at the age of 81, played more than 500 official games for Barcelona between 1949 and 1965 and was the captain of the "Barça of the Five Cups", the team that won five trophies during the 1951-1952 season.

Joan Segarra, the son of the former Barcelona player, has yesterday put a supportive message on the Facebook page of Jaume Guixà that reads as follows:

"Until this moment I've never said anything about a future president of FC Barcelona, but I think that it is now time that Barça is lead by an honorable person, who shows respect for all club members, whether they come from the south or the north, as our hymm says. You have my full support and that of the family of the Great Captain, Segarra. Together we can make this dream turn into reality."

Read more:
Guixa gets support grand-daughter club founder
Son of former president denies election involvement
Guixa meets with Barcelona fans

Board still trying for united candidacy

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Barcelona chief executive Joan Oliver has said after a limited board meeting yesterday that the board is still trying to form one candidacy ahead of the upcoming presidential elections:

"The club keeps working to bring people together and to form one single continuity candidacy. That will exists and it's an issue we're working on although this wasn't the subject of this meeting.

How were things between Godall and Ferrer today? I surely didn't see any increased tension between them. It has been a normal, peaceful meeting. We did what we have to do but I didn't observe any abnormal behaviour between the vice-presidents."

Catalan newspaper La Vanguardia claims that Barcelona president Joan Laporta took the word at the start of the meeting and asked for discreteness and respect for the colleagues in public statements. Both groups would have agreed to bury the hatchet, something that is also confirmed by Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Laporta also asked the two vice-presidents to make another effort to join forces, that both Godall and Ferrer would be willing to give it another try but that the differences are still there and that they seem insurmountable at this moment.

La Vanguardia reports that the entourages of Godall and Ferrer both think that too much already happened and that the situation cannot be turned back anymore. El 9 Esportiu claims that the positioning of both vice-presidents could depend on the results of polls that are at this moment being carried out by several presidential candidates.

Read more:
Ferrer still hoping for one board candidacy
Vice-president Yuste still hoping for board unity
One board candidacy suddenly seems very likely

Weekly Round-Up (6): Laporta's brother

Every week an overview of the posts from this blog is published on Barcelona news site totalBarca.


As time goes by, it becomes more and more clear that one single board candidacy is at this moment very unlikely, with the two board members who want to run for president, first vice-president Alfons Godall and assets vice-president Jaume Ferrer, having stated over the past days that it probably won't happen.

Ferrer, who feels backed by a poll carried out by his team, told in radio interviews that an agreement is difficult: "Alfons Godall is a good board colleague but I think it's complicated we would find a deal to have one single candidacy. The problem isn't who should lead the candidacy, it's about private issues, so I think it is difficult."

While some think it's a clash of egos, Godall suggested in an interview (part 1 - part 2) that Ferrer is asking to have some of his supporters in a next board, as Godall also hopes to get the support of current president Laporta: "I hope for the advice and the love of the friend who I got to know in 1968 when we met at the elementary school in Barcelona. Since then, we've loved each other as brothers."

>>> read the complete weekly round-up here

Team member Rosell talking about their project

Speaking to Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio, Jordi Cardoner, who will be part of the board team of presidential candidate Sandro Rosell, gave some further insights in the candidacy of the former sports vice-president:

"It's true that I'm part of the team of Sandro Rosell. We're a group of very motivated people. We're very excited, not because of the mere fact to be part of the board but because of the idea of being able to lead and manage FC Barcelona.

For now, our candidacy is respecting a timing, that will also depend on the decision of the current board regarding the date of the elections. At this moment we're already working on our pre-candicacy for several months with a large group. We're trying to understand the reality and the needs of the club members so we can translate that in our electoral program.

Everyone within the candidacy has its responsibility. We had to organize ourselves as a team and that's what we did. Every person has some concrete tasks to fulfil depending on his personal interests, skills or wishes. Basically, we're a group of friends who knew each other already before starting this project.

In my case, I'm responsible for the social area, which might be linked to my family background [cardoner is the grandson of former barcelona vice-president nicolau casaus, who was responsible for the club's social area for more than 20 years]. It's really what I'm most passionate about, to understand the club members and to satisfy their current needs based on my ideas about the club.

Regarding the social area, we're mainly focusing on making it possible that the club members, the co-owners of the club, can identify themselves even more with the club, not only during the games but also through services that can satisfy their needs.

In general, we would like bring the members closer to the club and open the club to the members, for example by providing them more information that they now don't have, for example regarding the players' contracts. Just as happens with shareholders of other companies. It's about transparency, clarity, honesty and dignity, also of those who are in charge and represent the club."

Read more:
Candidates compete for future board members
Son of former president denies election involvement
The Rosell Project - Part 3: The Board (1)

Guardiola will push candidates to sign Cesc

British tabloid The Daily Star claims that Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola is believed to want all candidates who will run for Barcelona president this year to make Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fàbregas (22) the central player in their transfer strategy and could even be linking his own renewal to the signing of the Catalan player.

A source close to Guardiola is quoted by the tabloid as saying: "There is no way that Guardiola will not sign a new contract and he can almost write out his own terms [...]. But he wants to make sure that [...] there is a commitment to Fabregas. It will be an important signing for them this summer and any new president will want to keep Guardiola happy."

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo reports that it's clear to all presidential candidates that the transfer of Cesc, who is said to be together with Bayern Munich player Ribéry Barcelona's transfer priority for the summer, could be a decisive factor in the upcoming presidential elections.

Madrid sports tabloid Marca meanwhile claims that Cesc would be a key player in the project for next season of former Barcelona sports vice-president Sandro Rosell. Madrid sports tabloid As claims that the relationship between Rosell and Cesc is so close that in case the player would leave Arsenal, that would only be to join Rosell's Barcelona.

Read more:
Godall: "I want Cesc to return home"
Benedito denies talks with Mascherano
Presidential candidates know transfer price Cesc

The Pundit: Torello and Poqui on board primaries

« Some sources closes to the board think that the two groups [godall and ferrer] will have some kind of primaries and that the one who will do worst in the polls could drop out of the electoral race. »

Roger Torelló and Joan Poquí,
El Mundo Deportivo

check more pundit talk

Presidential candidates visiting Barcelona collector

Catalan sports paper Sport reports that several candidates in the elections for presidents of FC Barcelona are these days paying a visit to Joan Caimel, a collector of Barcelona items who has a museum in his garage that is situated in Pineda de Mar, a costal town north of Barcelona.

Caimel is said to be a respected Barcelona analyst and adviser, who has recently been visited by former sport vice-president Sandro Rosell and his right-hand man Josep Maria Bartomeu, while current Barcelona vice-president Alfons Godall and Jaume Ferrer would have planned to travel to Pineda de Mar soon.

Read more:
Guixa gets support grand-daughter club founder
Poll Rosell confirms his big lead
Former president Nunez to run with support Cruyff

Xavi and Puyol on the elections

Barcelona players Xavi Hernández and Carles Puyol talked about next year's elections for president of FC Barcelona during interviews with respectively Catalan newspaper Avui and Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu.

Xavi
The outcome of the elections doesn't seem very clear. I think we have to make abstraction of everything. They pay us to play football and to win. We know that the papers will talk about the elections, but we will try to make them talk more about football.

Have people been unjust to Laporta? I think so. He has treated us very well, like all directors, including those who left. Laporta has always been very close to us. He's a true Barcelona guy, he's crazy, he seems just an ordinary fan. He has received criticism because that's the way we treat leaders in Catalonia, but for me he deserves ten points.

Puyol
I'm not worried about the upcoming elections possibly affecting the stability of the team. I'm sure nothing of all that will enter the dressing room. We'll be focused on our job and it will also depend on us to make sure the whole entourage of the club is calm. If things go well, I'm sure the elections will not be that important and that people will talk more about football.

Read more:
Guardiola not worried about elections
Iniesta and Xavi on the elections
Puyol: "Players will stay out of the elections"

Minguella: "It will be easy to run this year"

Possible presidential candiate Josep Maria Minguella gave an interview to Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu.


Did you already decide if you will take part in the elections?
I've always lived everything that relates to Barça in a very intense way, and especially the elections. I won't deny that I would like to run, but one should take into account many circumstances.

Which ones?
On the one hand, I am very aware that I'm now seven years older than when I ran last time. When the elections will be held, I will almost be seventy years old, and although I'm in great shape and still very active, I need to start to value a number of things.

Does this mean that Minguella is no longer needed, contrary to what your slogan during the last campaign said?
What I still think is that we need to improve the electoral spectrum. There must be a candidacy that has nothing to do with Laporta. Because not taking into account Guixà, Godall and Ferrer and Rosell and Benedito are all people who have been with Laporta. That's a reality. Some have stayed with him until the end and others have left, but all have shared the same core values. Just like Ferran Soriano, if he would also run in the end. And that is not good. This campaign can't just be about laportism and anti-laportism. We are a club with more than 170.000 members and there must be other ideas than pro or anti Laporta. And I don't say this because I'm against Laporta. I say this because we are a big club and there must be other options, other ways of understanding the club. You could say that the same happened when there was nuñism and anti-nuñism [josep lluís núñez was the president of fc barcelona from 1978 until 2000], and that's not good. Therefore, I want to keep on waiting and see how everything evolves. But I insists that to me it would seem very poor for the club that, taking into account the whole history of this club, all projects would come from "laportists" and "anti-laportistes". There are other ways of thinking.

Will you be part of a candidacy?
Until now, nobody has offered that to me, but the truth is that I haven't been looking for it either. I will be very attentive to everything that will happen, because what happens to the club is like happening to my own skin. I launch an appeal to people with a strong Barcelona feeling to make a step forward. Even more so since it will be easy to run this year. Because a candidate doesn't have to look for coaches or players. He just has to fix the stadium a little and to offer the club member more transparency. I would ask all candidates to behave in a serious way because during the campaign hundred thousand things are being promised, but after the elections everyone forgets about the member and the latter only serves to pay the membership card and the season-ticket.

The issue of the bank guarantees is also a setback for your decision?
It is something that plays a role. I've always said that the statutes of the club should be changed regarding this point and I don't just say this for myself. There are very valid people with a lot of skills that can't even consider to run, and that's a loss for the club. They are people who can never express their opinions because there is this obstacle of the guarantee and the cost of a campaign that everyone has to finance from his own pocket.

Do you expect a clean campaign?
I think that the members don't deserve a dirty campaign. It's obvious that it will be very tough, a confrontation of two options. With people very close to Laporta and others who left with a lot of troubles and a lot of resentment. But I hope that common sense and wisdom will rule and that, more than attacking each other, they will defend their own ideas.

What do you think about the fact that there is more than one continuity candidacy?
First I would say that it is logical that many directors want to continue. Being a director or the president of Barça when things are going well is the best thing. In moments of success and with all the enthusiasm surrounding the club, it's normal that everybody wants to continue with this project. Now, what I don't understand is that there's more than one candidacy. There seems to be a lack of flexibility between them as well as some selfishness that leads to not being able to put together a single list. They are part of a same project and therefore there shouldn't be two or three interpreters of that. What they will do is split the votes and help the other options. Although it's licit, it's not a very smart attitude.

this was the first part of this interview. you will be able to read the second part on this blog in the coming days with minguella talking about the campaign and looking back at the presidency of laporta.

Read more:
Will former super-agent run for president?
Candidates disapprove Laporta's party behaviour
Minguella hoping for non-Laporta linked candidate

interview: àngel ponz

Perrin: "Godall doesn't want me in his candidacy"

Asked about the upcoming presidential elections, Barcelona institutional vice-president Albert Perrín has admitted in an interview with Spanish radio station Cadena Cope that it will be almost impossible to form one united board candidacy because of a division in the board of directors:

"Godall doesn't want me in his candidacy. There's no click anymore, although there was before and certainly from my side. I have always been close to Jaume Ferrer and Godall is sectarian, he only wants to deal with certain people and we don't think that's logical.

There were ten people who defended the president until the very end after the vote of no confidence and it cannot be that this unity has now been broken. What about Laporta? I've spoken to him lately and we were sincere.

Will things be difficult between the board members from now on? It won't be easy but we're all grown-up people and we will try to deal with things as good as possible. We're certainly not planning to leave the board. If you're inside, you're in charge and you know how things are functioning. While if you're out, you don't know anything."

Read more:
Jaume Ferrer will run for president
Godall: "The decision has been made"
Perrin: "Ferrer could accept being the second man"

Guixa meets with Barcelona fans

Barcelona presidential candidate Jaume Guixà has announced in a press release that he will hold a series of meeting with Barcelona fans and club members in Catalonia and in Spain to listen to their questions and their suggestions.

The purpose of the meetings is described as "sharing time with members and fans of FC Barcelona to be able to discuss the current state of the club, to present the project and to listen to their proposals for a better Barça".

The first two meetings with club supporters will take place next Wednesday and Friday in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Guixà's place of residence, and Barcelona.

Read more:
Guixa: "The most powerful candidacy is ours"
Presidential candidates unhappy with renewals
Guixa gets support grand-daughter club founder

Ribery on wish list Rosell

Madrid sports tabloid As claims that Bayern Munich attacker Franck Ribéry (26), who last May would have rejected an offer by Barcelona president Joan Laporta, could play a part in the upcoming elections as presidential candidate Sandro Rosell would have the Frenchman on his wish list.

Rosell would be interested in Ribéry for many reasons, among which the facts that the player would fit Barcelona's playing style, that he's one of the few top players available on the market, that the former sports vice-president has good contacts with executives of Ribéry's sponsor Nike and that Real Madrid is also interested in him which could win Rosell extra votes if he succeeds to sign the player.

Bayern Munich would reportedly want to organize a bid race between the two Spanish clubs, Chelsea and Inter Milan, while the player is said to have reached a verbal agreement with Madrid president Florentino Pérez last August.

Read more:
Barcelona wants to tie down Ribery before elections
Rosell sounding out Fernando Torres
Presidential candidates know transfer price Cesc

Most read of the month

these were the five most read blog posts during the past month of december:


1.
Cesc gives his ok to presidential candidates

2.
Transfer battle between board and Rosell

3.
Poll result: Who would you vote for today?

4.
Rosell plans to quit football business

5.
Begiristian could leave for Premier League

Vice-president Yuste still hoping for board unity

Asked about the upcoming presidential elections, Barcelona sports vice-president Rafael Yuste said last month in an interview with Catalan radio station COM Ràdio that he still hopes that the board will be able to present one single board candidacy:

"We are a group of people that wants to continue this project because it's worth it. My wish would be that there would only be one candidacy and I hope that we will be strong enough to stay united. Godall or Ferrer? I don't want to make a public statement on that, I can only say that I think the issue will be resolved soon."

Read more:
Directors considering to leave the club
Ferrer: "One board candidacy will be difficult"
The five vice-presidents of Godall

The Pundit: Cristina Cubero on Jaume Ferrer

« Ferrer is so discreet that he might never talk about certain details, like for example that he is the only one without a mobile phone from the club: he is paying himself the bills for calls related to club. »

Cristina Cubero,
El Mundo Deportivo

check more pundit talk

Rosell favourite for the gamblers

Catalan online newspaper El Debat reports that former Barcelona sports vice-president Sandro Rosell is for the gamblers at online betting site 'Betfair' the favourite to be chosen as president of FC Barcelona later this year.

Rosell was on Tuesday at noon noted at 1,4 euro for each euro input, with Barcelona assets vice-president Jaume Ferrer at this moment being seen as his biggest rival, with a rate of 3,3. A few hours before, Spanish news agency Europa Press had reported that Rosell was noted at 1,2 and Ferrer at 4.

The ranking
Sandro Rosell: 1,4
Jaume Ferrer: 3,3
Alfons Godall: 5,1
Ferran Soriano: 5,1
Agustí Benedito: 7,2
Jaume Guixà: 11,5

Read more:
Poll Rosell confirms his big lead
Poll result: Who should be the next president?
Ferrer feels backed by own poll