[Voyteck]

Today Van Gaal said that great transfers in Barcelona are history.
We've heard before that there are gonna be any big transfers but now it looks like our financial situation look really miserable...
I've really had enough of Gaspart!:fero:

We can't affort any big signing?

I see now why we brought VG. It's because he's a coach who can do a lot with quite mediorce players and he can definitely bring youth into the first team and they cost nothing...

I supported VG, now I see he was our only possibility...

I hope I'm wrong but this could be another season of hopes which actually'll have no results. And again we'll be out of every competition in February or March. God, please don't let it happen again!:depress:

 

[nLr]

I don't know about you but Mendieta and Killy (if we sign them) looks big for me.

Anyway, sometime big signings don't deliver. We have some great names in our squad and still we are without trophies for 3 years.

But yet, we have some names that I wouldn't play in my local team.

 

[Voyteck]

Yes but maybe they ment no Kily and Mendi this season...

And they're not as big as Riquelme, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Samuel, Lucio or others like those would be.

I mean a certain era is over in Barca IMO. Maybe we're heading down to mediorcity...

 

[Krijn]

It's not just Barça, it's the entire football world. No one would pay 70 million dollars for Zidane this summer. Not even Madrid. There is less money. Sponsors aren't paying that much anymore. Also the offered salaries are lower. I think things will change if the big salaries like Rivaldo, Overmars and Kluivert are gone....

 

[Robban]

It would suprise me alot if Gaspart didn´t signed any "big-name" player this summer, just to honour Van Gaal. Gaspart has put all his prestige in taking Van Gaal back and he proberly knows that this is his last chanse to win anything as our president. If we fail Van Gaal will fall once again and bring Gaspart with him.

Of course you need a definition on "big-name-signings". Is it an expencive player or a one with a good reputatiuon as a class player. No mather what I just hope the board is inteligent enough to sign players in postions where we lack quality insted of the popular moves we´ve seen under the regim of Gaspart.

 

[Krijn]

Frank de Boer was asked about Barcelona-transfers after the match between South-Korea and Spain (he was the analyst for Dutch TV). He was asked whether Van Bommel would go to Barcelona. Frank replied that he would be too expensive, and that we didn't need any new midfielders anyway, since we already have so many. The only position VG is really looking for is the leftback. Frank even mentioned Placente. VG might sign new wingers as well, but that is uncertain.

 

[Krijn]

I think VG will follow the strategy he used when he arrived at Ajax. Youth, youth, youth. It was said in the dutch media that VG was the only coach who wanted to sign for Barça, and who didn't demand many transfers.

 

[maxout]

well, if its youth youth youth. Then we should look at Riquelme. 13mil euros is a steal if he is anywhere near the player that people claim him to be. I'm not a big believer, but we could offload overmars for the same amount, and Riquelme's salary will be lower.


What really worries me about this year, is the lack of depth in our squad.

 

[enola]

But if you want to reach succes with youthplayers, it takes time.
And I hardly believe that anyone connected to Barca are willing to wait even longer for another trophy.

If VG gets to stay for a couple of years and do things like he wants to, he may reach the succes he did with Ajax. But he ain't getting all that time and freedom to do so.

On the other hand he did reach shortterm succes last time he was at Barca but that was mostly because he bought half of his old Ajax team.

 

[Krijn]

Don't forget about Kluivert, Rivaldo, Luis Enrique, De Boer and Cocu. They have enough experience. Puyol has proven himself. It won't be 100% youth I think. But I think some guys from our youth-academy will be a surprise next year (Iniesta, Nano for example)

 

[Voyteck]

The problem is you never actually know what's it gonna be with those youngsters. Reina for example. He played a few good matches, he was 18 or 19 and I could find him in most of your dream-line-ups. While now everybody seems to be so happy that he's gone. I hope it doesn't happen to those you hope for so much but I don't believe Iniesta will be called one of the best central midfielders after the season's over. We've got Xavi and others. Nano, Baba, Iniesta, Valdez, Fernando etc. - ok, but not in the first 11 - that's for sure. Hardly ever such young lads become great players in their first season especially in such a club. So we need also experienced depth. Not only Kluivert, Rivo, Xavi cause they are more magicians than fighters. We need more players like Luis Enrique or Cocu (maybe few years younger) for example Mendieta, Van Bommel, Ballack = team players!

 

[Voyteck]

I almost forgot: Barca B lost a chance to be promoted. They lost at Compostela 0:1. Baba, Iniesta, Navarro, Nano, Trasshorras, Valdez and Motta were in the squad. It doesn't look very optimistic, does it?
These are players you hope to bring us titles? Certainly not next year yet.

 

[Mohammad]

it is not important to have a big or a small players, the important thing is to make a good team, play together, and understand each other...

 

[La Porque]

I almost forgot: Barca B lost a chance to be promoted. They lost at Compostela 0:1. Baba, Iniesta, Navarro, Nano, Trasshorras, Valdez and Motta were in the squad. It doesn't look very optimistic, does it?
These are players you hope to bring us titles? Certainly not next year yet.

none of these players are strikers and thats the reason they didnt win. trashorras isnt betting promoted so im not counting him, but barca controlled the match.

 

[Bernhard]

Hmmmm....

So, it looks like we´re not gonna sign many new players?
That´s a pity. It was always so exciting at the beginning of the season to watch our "new entries". But o.k., we have to work with what we´ve got and that ain´t to bad I guess. I mean we´ve got....

Puyol (Hercules, hard to beat),
Frank DeBour (smart, whith the best left leg in the defense),
Xavi (great talent and technician whith a great overview),
Cocu (another strong left leg, who is a strong header in the defense)
Rivo (best left winger, if he would only play this position)
Saviola (a real goalgetter, a little small though...)
Kluivert (The magician, one of the smartest players I´ve ever seen)
Luis E. (able to play multiple positions, scores important goals)


I regard those players as our strengths. But we lack a little bit of quality on all the other positions like "right winger", "left defense". So if our young players can´t fill that gap, there´s a need for new signings IMO. But surely the main question will be how "Gaal" puts those players together! We were always a very homogen team in the past...


Regards,
Bernhard

 

[Krijn]

Our squad hasn't been a real team ever since Sir Bobby Robson left

 

[Bernhard]

It´s always "success" that makes a squad looks like a team...
All those talks of not being a real homogen team dissapear the moment we achieve something. So let´s win something next year! After a few years not being "spanish champion" anymore, I almost regard the spanish title as the most important one next year.

Regards,
Bernhard

 

[Voyteck]

With VG this is possible. No matter what you say I believe in him.
If I'm wrong, well... noone can prove it would be different with some other coach. He brought titles in his debut season after 3 years of looking Madrid's back (either Real's or Atletico's). Besides, I had a dream last night: I was at some stadium and watched Copa Del Rey final: Barca against some team. We won the game, while the Liga champ trophy was already at Camp Nou. VG was was raised up by players and supporters. I only can't remember what was with the Champions' League? Maybe I'll go back to bed...

 

[Grinch]

Rivaldo's Future

Well, it looks like you should all hope Brazil wins this World Cup - that way Rivaldo will be a very valuable property, and he might be exchanged for one great player plus money, or even for two great players... I mean, apparently Lazio are interested, so maybe you can get Mendieta and Stam for Rivaldo - or something like that, I don't know.

But a WC-winning Rivaldo would definitely be a valuable player to own, right? I mean, considering his contract expires at the end of this season, I guess Barcelona will negotiate him. He has a good chance of being Player of the Year after this World Cup - how valuable would he become then?

Just a thought.

 

[Bernhard]

I´m living in Germany and I can tell you those Germans fear Brazil !!
Yes. of course the Brazillians should win the world cup !!!

Regards,
Bernhard