[2003] Rosell to London to close Beckham deal

source: el mundo deportivo, tuesday 3 june 2003, page 5

Final offensive for Beckham

Sandro Rosell travels today to England to try to close the last details of the contract of Beckham

The candidacy of Joan Laporta has launched the final assault to seal the transfer of David Beckham to FC Barcelona if they get elected on the 15th.

The agreement with Manchester United is a done deal, but there are some last points of the negotiations left to be sort out tonight between Sandro Rosell and executive director Peter Kenyon at a dinner that will be held in an excellent restaurant in London, where both parties already met before.

Rosell will also meet with the representatives of English star player who are grouped into the company 'sfx', based in northern England but with offices in London, and that is led by Tony Stephens, the theoretical manager of 'Becks'.

check more 2003 election stories

Live Coverage: End of signatures process

We will follow live the last hours of the process of the collection of the club members and explain what has happened today. Candidates should have 2.095 validated signatures to take part in the final vote. The deadline is at 9 pm tonight. Re-fresh!

The first candidate to come out today was Sandro Rosell. At 12:30 pm he gave a press conference in which he explained that he until that moment had collected 13.491 signatures.

7:00 pm Jaume Ferrer and members of his candidacy walking to the offices of the Camp Nou with the boxes containing the signatures. Ferrer confirmed this afternoon that he has collected 4.422 signatures.

7:20 pm Sandro Rosell is on his way to the Camp Nou with his whole board team in six cars. The candidacy would in the end have collected 13.603 signatures.

7:30 pm Sandro Rosell has arrived at the Camp Nou with the boxes with in the end 13.618 signatures. The candidate is in the centre of the picture, at the left is Jordi Cardoner, who will become social vice-president if Rosell is elected as president.

7:40 pm The candidacy of Marc Ingla announces that they have collected 4.756 signatures. The former vice-president is on his way to the Camp Nou.

8:00 pm This afternoon, Alexis Plaza has announced that his candidacy has collected 1.209 signatures, that have already been destroyed by a notary so they won't affect the signatures of the other candidates nor canbe used in the future. Around 6 pm, Plaza came to the Camp Nou to formally step out of the race.

8:30 pm The board team of Marc Ingla arrives with in the end 4.744 signatures. At the left of Ingla there's Victor Font, at the right Carme Miró, behind him Ferran Soriano and Albert Vicens.

8:45 Presidential candidates Jaume Guixà and Santiago Salvat haven't passed the cut although it's not yet known how many signatures they have collected.

9:00 pm Agustí Benedito also passes the cut with 2.847 signatures.

Xavi has a favourite candidate in the elections

Asked about the upcoming elections for president of FC Barcelona, Barcelona player Xavi Hernández, who won't be able to vote because he will be on South Africa to take part in the World Cup, has said that he has a preference although he won't reveal it:

"Honestly, I have a favourite candidate and I hope that he will win. But I have to keep a bit out of all this, also because I won't even be able to vote. I would ask the new president only one thing: that he leaves Guardiola alone so he can do his job and that he assures the continuity of the current sports model."

Read more:
Abidal wants current directors to win elections
Iniesta and Xavi on the elections
Puyol: "Players will stay out of the elections"

At least three television debates next week

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that at least three television debates will be held ahead of the elections for president of FC Barcelona on Sunday 13 June, although it is not yet clear if the candidates actually willl take part in all three or if they will be represented by other members of their candidacy.

The three debates that would already be confirmed will be broadcasted by Spanish television channel TVE on Tuesday 8 June, by Catalan television channel 8tv on Thursday 10 June and by Catalan television channel TV3 on Friday 11 June. Only in the last debate the candidates to become president will certainly take part.

A series of other debates could be scheduled by Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio on Monday 7 June, by Catalan television channel Barcelona Televisió on Wednesday 9 June and by Spanish radio station Cadena SER on Thursday 10 June.

Read more:
There could be up to six electorals debates

[picture] Josep Maria Minguella at the fair

Former Barcelona presidential candidate Josep Maria Minguella, part of the candidacy of Santiago Salvat, on campaign.

The Quotes: Plaza, Benedito, Rosell, Laporta, Ferrer

"I've never believed in a pact between Ferrer and Ingla. I would think that a deal between Ferrer and Rosell is more likely."

Alexis Plaza


"I will not use private jets if I'm elected as president."

Agustí Benedito


"We cannot have agreements with a country like Uzbekistan."

Sandro Rosell


"If mister Rosell want to act in a populist way, he might start to stop his relationship with Scolari, who has been a coach in Uzbekistan."

Joan Laporta


"When in the past the outgoing president didn't take part in the elections, the favourite has never won."

Jaume Ferrer

read more election quotes here

Benedito, Salvat, Guixa and Plaza struggling with signatures

The three main Catalan sports papers agree today that Barcelona presidential candidates Sandro Rosell, Jaume Ferrer and Marc Ingla will certainly pass the cut of the 2.095 signatures that should be delivered tomorrow. Rosell would clearly present the most signatures.

From the other four candidates, Benedito would be the closest to pass the cut although it would be close. The three remaining candidates - Santiago Salvat, Jaume Guixà and Alexis Plaza - would almost certainly not obtain the signatures needed and would have to leave the race.

Read more:
The process of collecting the signatures
How many people will be able to vote?
The electoral proceedings

Former player Amor supports candidacy Rosell

In his weekly column in Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo, former Barcelona player Guillermo Amor (42), who has been the head of Barcelona's youth academy from 2003 to 2007 and who is now acting as television pundit, has given his support to Barcelona presidential candidate Sandro Rosell:

"You, Sandro, have been preparing this for a long time, working in silence, respecting everyone, and that's what you keep doing. Elections are won with ideas, projects. You, Sandro, I think that you're there for the people, that you're there for all. I like you because you want to unite the fans. You want a plural club, a club of everyone.

I like you because I've seen you in action, for your ability to make decisions, for how you address problems and solve them. You use heart and head. You have credibility because you have won it and there are many members who are with you and who don't get carried away by anything or anyone. I respect all candidates, of course, but I think your time has come."

Read more:
Ex-players Amor and Migueli linked with Rosell
Salvat talking with ex-players Stoichkov and Ferrer
Zubizarreta main option to replace Begiristain

Plaza: "I hope to run again in 2022"

This blog had an exclusive interview with Barcelona presidential candidate Alexis Plaza.


We're less than 48 hours before the end of the collecting of the signatures. How many signatures do you have in your hands at this moment?
We have around half of them. We still need to collect more the coming day and a half. What I can assure is that we will work until the last minute.

When did you first think about running for president of FC Barcelona?
It has been in my mind for many years and I believed it shouldn't just stay a dream. I thought this was the best moment to act and that I can give many good things to the club.

When did you actually start working on the campaign for the 2010 elections?
A group of us started talking about the details in August of last year and we continued growing until today.

John Benjamin Toshack is your stepfather. Are there any players from the Welsh national team that have the qualities to play at Barça?
I have many respect for all Welsh players, but I believe there is at this moment none that could meet the profile to play in Barça.

You want to attract a shirt sponsor because of the 20 millions the club could get. Isn't that a short-term view? Won't the club lose - or attract less - fans which will make us lose more than those 20 millions in for example merchandising and television rights?
If we win games, we will always have good television rights. We have always said that we will continue helping UNICEF but we need an extra income that could come from a second sponsor. This could be achieved by sharing the shirt or putting another sponsor on the training outfit.

What do you think about the campaign so far?
It's dirty and that's not good for the club and the members. And I think it will get worse.

You have said that Sandro Rosell has been talking several times with the Boixos Nois. Are you sure of that? When and where did they meet?
We have been informed by people from other groups that they all sat together to talk. This is not necesarily a bad thing as there are people that identify themselves as Boixos Nois but are against violence.

Your campaign budget is around 3.200 euros. How much do you have left and how did you spend it?
It's in the end 3.400-3.500 euros. As soon as the process of the signatures ends, we will publish all of our costs.

You have given up your job for this campaign while Spain is going through a the biggest economic crisis of recent times. Some people see that as a proof that you are a rich kid for whom running for president is just another game.
The credit crunch is does not only affets Spain, it's something worldwide. I have always demonstrated that whatever I have been involved in, I have done it my own way. We are demonstrating that in these difficult times we must optimize all resources and that's why we are only spending a small budget. I would be more worried about those spending millions in their campaign.

What do you want to do regarding the globalization of the club? Do you agree that this should be the number one priority of the club right now?
The priority is to pay the debt we have and to continue having a good team. This will give us a good position for all the rest.

Do you plan to continue with the "Somni blaugrana" project after the elections and for example prepare the elections of 2016?
I hope that if I will get another chance to give my best for the club, this will be in 2022. I will always wish that the next president can serve his maximum term because that would mean a lot of wins and trophies for Barça. It is not an easy decision to run again in the future. We will have to see if we can offer a good project to the member.

Which question you have heard the most during this campaign and you're sick of answering?
Do you have the bank guarantee?

Which question didn't you hear one time during this campaign, while you would have liked to answer it?
Do you think you can be the best Barça president in history?

Who will you vote for if you don't pass the cut of the signatures?
I will vote for no one. I will keep on believing that our project is the best over all.

Many thanks for this interview and good luck in the final hours of the collection of the signatures.

Read more:
Benedito: "The media already have their favourites"
Cardoner: "The member always has the last word"
Guixa: "I reaffirm that the club is almost bankrupt"

[picture] Jaume Ferrer and the Barça shirt

Barcelona presidential candidate Jaume Ferrer donated a shirt signed by all Barcelona players that will be sold by auction to collect funds for research on a muscle disease.

Cartoon 38: Rosell appearing on scene

Rosell:
Members of Barça!!

I have arrived!!

(click the cartoon to enlarge)


by alex

source:
golsud

see more cartoons here

Most read of the week

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


1.
Rosell to file lawsuit against Ingla

2.
Rosell: "We can't afford to relax now"

3.
Ingla wants to appoint club ambassadors

The remodelling plan of Santiago Salvat

This is the plan of Barcelona presidential candidate Santiago Salvat to remodel the Camp Nou (read more here). Four rows of seats will be added in the whole stadium and the roof over part of the stadium will be lifted.

The Quotes: Ferrer, Ingla, Benedito, Rosell, Plaza

"I want to challenge mister Sandro Rosell for a face-to-face debate. Him against me. One on one. If he doesn't accept the proposal, that's maybe because he has things to hide."

Jaume Ferrer


"Whatever price the current board agrees for Cesc, if we're elected, we will and can pay it."

Marc Ingla


"They've told me that during the last league game at the Camp Nou, key members of the Boixos Nois were distributing propaganda for Sandro Rosell."

Agustí Benedito


"The signing of Mourinho is great for the Liga and for Madrid. It will again be a tough league but Barça will keep on winning trophies."

Sandro Rosell


"For who will I vote if I don't pass the cut? No one. Blank ballot."

Alexis Plaza

read more election quotes here

Several top players offered to candidates

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that several players have in the past days and weeks been offered to Barcelona presidential candidates and to directors who are still part of the board, while candidates on the other hand are also sounding out players.

The players who are being linked with a possible move to Barcelona this summer are: Fernando Torres (Liverpool), Andrei Arshavin (Arsenal), Carlos Tevez (Manchester City), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool), Alexandre Pato (AC Milan) and Sergio Agüero (Atlético Madrid).

Read more:
Torres not willing to negotiate with candidates
Candidates are trying to interfere in transfer talks
Rosell linked with Valencia winger Mata

[2003] The collection of the signatures has ended

source: el mundo deportivo, sunday 1 june 2003, page 1

First round for Bassat

Extraordinary Barcelona atmosphere throughout the day of the delivery of the signatures

Llauradó is in a solid second place and Laporta is the real revelation

Martínez Rovira and Minguella will try to achieve a great result at the polls

Medina and Casas didn't pass the cut


Bassat 9.894 signatures

Llauradó 6.057 signatures

Laporta 5.725 signatures

Martínez Rovira 2.827 signatures

Minguella 2.286 signatures

Majó 1.852 signatures

check more 2003 election stories

[picture] Marc Ingla and member number 18

Barcelona presidential candidate Marc Ingla has received the support of Barcelona club member number 18, 89 year-old Maria Rojas Olsina, who personally came to the seat of the candidacy to give her signature.