The Quotes: Benedito, Ingla, Ferrer, Rosell

"50% of the voters didn't yet make a decision. And I think the vote of the other 50% could still change."

Agustí Benedito


"We've received information regarding Wayne Rooney and we've passed that through to Txiki."

Marc Ingla


"You have to stand up to the hooligans and not make pictures with them, as some have been doing."

Jaume Ferrer


"I expected some rumours or some little lies but it seems people have invested quite a bit of money in investigations. But I guess in the end it's good people talk about you, for good or for bad."

Sandro Rosell

read more election quotes here

[picture] The football table of Marc Ingla

Albert Vicens and Alfons Godall playing a game of table football at the headquarters of Barcelona presidential candidate Marc Ingla.

[2003] Rosell and Txiki meeting with Hiddink

source: el mundo deportivo, friday 6 june 2003, page 4

Txiki met with Hiddink in Cannes

Both were planning the upcoming transfers with Sandro Rosell

Txiki Begiristain met at the Carlton hotel in Cannes with Guus Hiddink, the coach who has become champions with PSV in Holland and who led South Korea during the 2002 World Cup. Txiki, Hiddink and Rosell will form the sports management of the club if Laporta becomes president.

Rosell himself joined the meeting, arriving from Paris via Nice. The three examined the future operations of the candidacy and the next decisions to be taken. Guus Hiddink, as we have been informed, is delighted with the project they have presented to him.

check more 2003 election stories

Ferrer: "You have to consider where the club was"

Barcelona presidential candidate Jaume Ferrer gave an interview to Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo.

translation: archie valparaiso

Yours is a candidacy that "continues the legacy", but are you planning on changing anything?
There's always room for improvement, particularly in the sports area. In the financial area, we need to generate more income to invest in the sports and assets project, particularly in the membership area, to make life more comfortable for the members. We need to improve access to the stadium and renovate it. We also need to have more instruments in place to make relations with members more streamlined and direct - by offering them help with travel, for example.

Do you consider David Villa's signing to be yours?
It belongs to FC Barcelona, but it's true that it's been sorted while we have been on the board of directors.

Has doing it that way been a strategy?
It's been done that way because it was possible to do it that way. In the past, most signings have taken place as soon as the competitions have finished.

Do you know what kind of contract you'd offer Guardiola yet?
Yes.

Will it be a long one or a short one?
We'll talk it over with him on the 14th of June, but I'm not very much in favour of long contracts. The idea is not to change anything in the sports area, and for him, Txiki [Begiristain] and [José Ramón] Alexanko to continue

Will you be able to convince Txiki?
After our latest conversations with him, I'm convinced that we will, yes.

Does Pep Guardiola deserve a rise?
His salary should be realistic.

Are you happy to be associated with "Laportism"?
I don't like "isms" of any kind. Over the last seven years some great things were achieved, and the chairman was Joan Laporta. And we were the ones who were there. The club has been very well managed and that must continue. The less that's messed about with, the better.

What kind of relationship do you have with the chairman?
We've had our ups and downs, but we get along fine now.

Do you feel comfortable having his support?
Yes, and I'm very grateful to him, because we've shared seven years of hard work. The results are very positive. We've made some mistakes that we've learned a lot from and we hope won't be repeated. The complete change in Barça between 2003 and 2010 is what we've achieved together.

Does having Laporta's support give you an advantage?
I don't know. It's more a plus than a setback, but what counts is that we've made it to the end still together despite having disagreed on occasion.

Have you got a managing director in mind if you win?
That's something to be discussed after the first of July. Joan Oliver and I have had some incidents that weren't very pleasant, but he's doing a good job.

Don't you think the members would like to know whether Oliver is going to continue or not?
The club's executives have functioned very well, because we've risen from thirteenth in the world, with income of 120 million, to the very top, with over 400 million. If Oliver earns my confidence, he'll continue, but it's not an issue that I'm overly worried about.

Why didn't you resign over the spying affair?
Because I was a member of the board. It's other people who should have resigned. I'm only too aware of our responsibility to the members. At that time, we were in the [Spanish] Cup Final, about to win La Liga and in the semi-finals of the Champions League. Our role is to help to keep the institution stable and I think that my decision was the right one, because we did go on to win all three trophies.

Do you include the chairman among those who should have resigned?
I'm not including anyone. That's not for me to do.

Who do you mean then?
Those who might have been involved.

Do you think Laporta knew all about it?
No. He told me he knew nothing about it, and if he says he didn't know, then he didn't know.

What mistakes has the chairman made?
I'm sure he's made some. You have to bear in mind that as chairman you're under pressure from everyone around you, a non-stop pressure that you have to be able to deal with. And Laporta has. He's been able to hold steady and make decisions, most of which have been the right ones.

Have you ever felt embarrassed by anything that Laporta has done?
What I've felt is great pleasure for the six trophies last year, over 65 trophies in all during over our term of office, the basketball Euroliga, the handball and hockey cups, how much we've grown, the international recognition... I feel very proud of Barça because of all that. I'm not concerned about anything other than that. I'm sure there are some things that could have been done differently or perhaps better, but you have to consider where the club was in 2003, where it is today and what its image is all over the world now.

Will you maintain the Foster [new Camp Nou] project?
It must stick to the improvements that we want, above all to cover all the stands and put in more lifts. It needs to be a competitive stadium to generate more income, like in the England or Germany. We want the refurbishment of the stadium not to be too extravagant but done with common sense. We can't spend 340 million euros or even half that. If Foster can do it, then that's perfect.

this was the first part of this interview. you will be able to read the second part on this blog in the coming days.

Read more:
Ferrer: "What is working should not be touched"
Rosell, Ingla, Ferrer and Benedito official candidates
Ferrer wants to personally head social area

interview: oriol domènech - sergi solé - josé luis artús

[picture] Sandro Rosell and his sofa

Barcelona presidential candidate Sandro Rosell has been travelling throughout Catalonia for the past few weeks to explain his program to the club members and fans.

The Quotes: Benedito, Ferrer, Bartomeu, Ingla

"The weak point of Rosell? Let me ask you a question. What's the strong point of Rosell?"

Agustí Benedito


"It seems difficult that the campaign will be a clean one."

Jaume Ferrer


"It should be easy to sign Cesc after he has publicly said that he wants to join Barça."

Josep Maria Bartomeu


"We have a note from a Brazilian law firm that confirms that a company of Sandro Rosell is involved in a judicial investigation for possible fraud, so in this case Sandro Rosell has been and is lying."

Marc Ingla

read more election quotes here

Rosell has concrete plan to limit club members

Asked about a possible limitation of the number of club members, Jordi Cardoner [picture, on the left], head of the social area of the candidacy of Barcelona presidential candidate Sandro Rosell, has said in an interview with Catalan radio station RAC 1 that they have a concrete plan to put a stop to the growth of new members:

"We think that the idea of unlimited growth promoted by the board was socially not correct. It would have been terrible if we today would have had 750.000 or 1.000.000 club members as was mentioned back then. We think that we should put a stop to the growth so that the current members really could enjoy the benefits of being a member.

What we will do is announce a period of three months during which everyone who isn't yet a member can make the decision of becoming it. After that period, only two groups could become a member: family members in the first or second degree of a member, or children who would be given the chance to grow up with the club."

Read more:
Rosell wants to regulate new members
Ingla wants to appoint club ambassadors
Cardoner: "The member always has the last word"

Rosell, Ingla, Ferrer and Benedito official candidates

Barcelona board secretary Josep Cubells has this evening announced that Barcelona presidential candidates Sandro Rosell, Marc Ingla, Jaume Ferrer and Agustí Benedito have passed the cut of the 2.095 signatures of club members needed to take part in the final vote on Sunday 13 June.

These are the official numbers:
- Rosell: 12.635 validated signatures (13.620 presented - 985 invalid)
- Ingla: 4.288 validated signatures (4.744 presented - 456 invalid)
- Ferrer: 3.935 validated signatures (4.442 presented - 507 invalid)
- Benedito: 2.520 validated signatures (2.896 presented - 376 invalid)

Read more:
The final number of signatures of support
The electoral proceedings
The process of collecting the signatures

Cartoon 40: Ferrer wants to resemble Laporta more

* JANME FERRER
The best club in the world is Catalan. They can learn from it. *

Ferrer:
To compete with Alexandre Rosell, I will have to 'laportazize' a bit more...

...so don't be surprised if you see me with this mask tomorow.


(click the cartoon to enlarge)


by caye

source:
sport

check more election cartoons here

Inter hopes to sign Guardiola after elections

Italian newspaper La Repubblica claims that Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola is the number one candidate to replace José Mourinho as coach of Inter Milan. The Italian club would be postponing the decision on their new manager until after the presidential elections at Barcelona.

Because of a supposed total lack of feeling between presidential candidate Sandro Rosell and Guardiola, Inter reportedly think they have a chance to sign the Catalan coach if Rosell is elected as new president on Sunday 13 June.

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Guardiola wants to meet with the new president on 14 June to learn first hand about the future of the sports area, among other things about who could become the new sports director. Guardiola would continue next season and the signing of a new contract isn't considered to be a problem.

Read more:
Rosell wants Guardiola for six more years
Poll result: Would Guardiola be a good president?
Ferrer: "Guardiola and Begiristian are untouchable"

Most read of the month

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


1.
The program of Sandro Rosell

2.
Daughter of Stoichkov joins Plaza candidacy

3.
Rosell wants to regulate new members

4.
Poll result: Who would you vote for?

5.
Rosell to file lawsuit against Ingla

Check the most read blog posts of:
October
November
December
January
February
March
April

[picture] Marc Ingla and Alicia Keys

Barcelona presidential candidate Marc Ingla assisted yesterday a concert by American singer Alicia Keys in Barcelona.

Rosell considers Koeman as sports director

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that former Barcelona player Ronald Koeman (47) could replace Txiki Begiristain as sports director of Barcelona if Sandro Rosell would be elected as president on Sunday 13 June.

Although no final decision has yet been made, people of the candidacy of Rosell would have been talking with Koeman, who hasn't been active as coach since he was dismissed last December by Dutch club AZ and who now regularly works as television pundit for the Dutch television.

Ronald Koeman played six seasons for Barcelona, arriving in 1989 from Dutch club PSV Eindhoven and leaving in the summer of 1995 for Dutch club Feyenoord Rotterdam. From the summer of 1998 until the year 2000, he was the assistant coach of Barcelona manager Louis van Gaal.

With Barcelona, Koeman won four consecutive Spanish league titles from 1991 to 1994, a Spanish cup in 1990, three Spanish Super Cups in 1991, 1992 and 1994, one Champions Leauge in 1992 and one European Super Cup in 1992. As assistant, he won one league title in 1999.

Read more:
Zubizarreta main option to replace Begiristain
Txiki: "My future will depend on new president"
Former player Amor supports candidacy Rosell

The Quotes: Rosell, Ingla, Ferrer, Benedito

"We're all again starting from zero."

Sandro Rosell


"We've come out from the first minute trying to win this game and we've only played the first minutes."

Marc Ingla


"I feel that a lot of people are changing their voting intention now that they start to know all projects better."

Jaume Ferrer


"The feeling I have is that Sandro Rosell won't win these elections. The member doesn't like it that others decide in his place."

Agustí Benedito

read more election quotes here

Cartoon 39: Rosell overpowers opponents

* Rosell shows his electoral muscles

13.618 signatures *

(click the cartoon to enlarge)


by kap

source:
el mundo deportivo

check more election cartoons here

The final number of signatures of support

These are the final numbers of signatures of club members that were collected by the pre-candidates in the elections for president of FC Barcelona:

Sandro Rosell 13.618
Marc Ingla 4.744
Jaume Ferrer 4.442
Agustí Benedito 2.896
Jaume Guixà 1.845
Alexis Plaza 1.209
Santiago Salvat ?

The signatures of the four pre-candidates with the most support among club members were brought to the club and will be checked in the coming days. To pass the cut of the signatures and to be able to take part in the final vote on 13 June, candidates should have 2.095 validated signatures.

Alexis Plaza didn't present his signatures but brought them to a notary who counted and destroyed them. Jaume Guixà and Santiago Salvat didn't present their signatures eiter. Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Salvat in the end would have collected around 1.100 signatures.

Read more:
Live Coverage: End of signatures process

[picture] Sandro Rosell and member number 1

Barcelona club member number one, Jaume Descals i Sanmartí, gave on Monday morning his signature of support to the candidacy of Barcelona presidential candidate Sandro Rosell.