Laporta Safe By The Skin Of His Teeth

Look Nic as I said before. This will make him Think twice before doing a dumb move. This is quiet prefect. He gets to stay, But now he is afraid so he will do a better job and sign more players and maybe even keep the old stars. I

This is a good result, I agree. Long live our barca and may this bring an upward season upcoming...

"I also hope that those who oppose Laporta will accept the result and now get behind Laporta for the two remaining years of his mandate. We do not want to see the white handkerchiefs out at the first disappointing result of the new season."

...An interesting way of describing things. I'm not sure I would say that the results give Laporta any kind of a 'mandate'. Whether you votes yes or no on this motion, Laporta clearly has to make some changes in the management of the club to better execute the will of the socios.

I still don't understand why some people still want dinho to stay, WHY? Plz tel me?

Happy with that. Laporta deserves respect after the way he has turned the club around (specifically financially) and the titles we have achieved under his reign has been good.

This season hopefully will be the season where it all clicks again domestically.

He safed his ass only because of his tears or the result would be 70%. This result is very good and will bring more responsibility to whoever that will charge the club in future.

But morally I think he should resign right now this result is very shame for him.

Blaugrana - I also still support Roni. Believe me, when he will go, a very very big amount of people would turn away from the club because the club will be back to ordinary club with ordinary football. Messi is brilliant but he can't replace Roni. He is symbol of the club and noone can say no to that. His football is magical and I also believe that if he will be treated fairly - he will play good too.

He is safe cuz the rules were changed (Joan, u should thank Josep Lluis, he saved ur arse, once again!) , before, he would have had to quit.

To all the people who c him as a savior... wont say that what Laporta did wasnt good, but u over-rate his deeds, also, is funny how u blame Rijkaard for everything that happened this past 2 years, but when it comes to success u point at him (Laporta) as the responsible. As ive said before, what about Basketball and Handball? Medical services sucking... and the list goes on.

Also, get ur facts right, he didnt save Barcelona financially speaking, Barcelona had tons of assets thanks to Nuñez, all he did was selling them, even Gaspart could have done it, thing is he didnt; Joan said he would never do so (cough liar cough) anyway, in accounting thats the same, thing is, the club gets money and buying power instead of having an asset, numbers would show the same, but they would be tagged in different accounts, simple as that, BUT, ever since they have been spending big time thanks to what Nuñez left, so yeah Barcelona has a bigger debt and less assets! (not that it is a terrible thing, every club manages itself with certain amount of debt).

Finally, 60% of socis want him out, really hope he realises that and leaves, cuz if not, he would only be showing how much of an idiot he is, gluing himself to the "throne" for 2 more years waiting for a miracle to happen.

Hmm, Liam sure sounds like Rossell :)
Neways, what Liam says, a lot of it makes sense. I hope that Laporta understands his position since more than half of the population wants him out. I guess Laporta would be hurt and also, a little angry about the entire episode, though I feel he is a good man, he should step down once the transfer period ends and enough time before the next season begins.This would help his pride, the club can be assured of stability since, 'there will be chaos but there is enough time for all the dust to rest' so that the players won't be affected by his leaving the team.
I really wish that he could continue, but when such an alarmingly large number stands against a president of any organization, it shows that he has done something that isn't right, and in that sense, if he is as great as all of us think he is, he should step down. I mean, think of the humiliation in the event this no confidence vote did go through, before Oriol and team begin another similar campaign, showing some other mistake Laporta made, I think it would be best for him to step down.
This is just my opinion, and I am sure, definitely something Joan is thinking about.

why somebody wants Dinho to stay-because he's the reason barca have majority fans around the world. he makes barca famous with his lovely skill and talented..most of the football fans around the world attracted to Manu than other clubs. but, Dinho makes people likes Barca. and yes it's old story but, if he want to stay and said will ragain his form, why don't we give him the chance-1 last chance?? and if he don't, just let him go..

i see why Rossell want Dinho to stay because he know how big impact that Dinho can bring to Barca more than score and assis goals.

sorry guys, this is out of the tittle but i think Dinho can do it again just like 2 years ago..

Please If i am correct we should be forever grateful to joan laporta for taking barcelona out of the trophyless era,what about Rosell? NO; now he is no more the laporta we used to know so could as well leave.It's not today Good Leaders turn bad overnight and starts doing all sort of things that the members don't support,afterall he would not have any problem selling all these stars when he was not the one who brought them to the NOU CAMP.But in summarry it will be extremely dissappointing to see so many of us start supporting chelsea or milan because of the sale of ronaldinho etoo for adebayor and co.Not even after the Dos Santos left for such ridiculous amount.Thanks!

everyone just needs to relax and move on. the vote happened and the best result that will come from it will be laporta and his crew waking up and being more active and trying to improve their legacy. sorry to say most of you are super wrong about his reign not being great for the club, our presidesnt before were an absolute nightmare and made us an unstable and unsuccessful club for many many years. nunez and gaspart created an unstable environement with many many (stupid) coaches, and were personally responsible for many of our star players leavning (ronaldo, romario, de la pena, etc...) not to meantion sanctioning the dutch invasion.

and frankly i dont give a SHIT about handball or bball, those are WAY subordinate sports. im not really sure whats going on there, but sure, he should have someone over there doing something for them, but i can guarnteed they probbaly bring in 15% combined of total revenue and bring 1% of interset worldwide. so get over that.

adn when it comes to success, people give rijkaard just as much credit as laporta, well i prob give rijkaard more, and i give the squad even more. laporta took the risk on an inexperienced coach that had just got relagated in holland, and ignored teh press asking for rijkaard's head when we were near relegation zone at december his first yr. that took courage, a cool head, and wouldnt u know, it turned out amazing. no one can say shit about that.

and about ronaldinho, people not to stop crying about him. there is no doubt he the best player my eyes have ever seen when he is at his best, and he was the face of our success. seeing what he has become now makes me sad. but whether its laporta fault or rijkaard fault or a mixture, or maybe roni is just an unfocused arrogant, premadonnna (anyone think of that), hte fact is he is playing a rubbish level of football. he disrespected the club immensely, and sometimes if someone is determined to be a rebel, you cant do much. personally, if he stays and guardiola can get him refocused and brilliant again, then selling him would be a gigantic mistake. but if he is going to play the same bullshit football he has for 2 yrs, cash in now. i hope he goes to man citeh for all that money and ruins his career.

i totally agree with blaugranaboy.....laporta is going to continue as president so accept it and support him, if not, go support real madrid instead.

totally agree with blaugranaboy - laporta's main focus (and that of his boardroom) was to stabilise the club financially and commercially and reinstate barca as one of the best teams in europe and the world with the help of a great coaching staff - have a gander at this (LINK) - especially the debt to value ratio...rijkaard did us proud in terms of european, league and cup honours but when it came to the end of the road for him he had nothing left up his sleeve and could only sit on his hands while other teams figured out his game plan...guardiola and his team have obviously spoken to ronaldinho et al but to no avail - their hearts are set on pastures new and it's time for them to stop feeling like the club owes them something...time for liam and the yes men to move on too and let the new season see a new barca...

i have to agree with blaugranaboy, laporta deserves some respect, he's not perfect but he has utilised his time well and im proud of what he has achieved on and off the field...saying that there is a childish-ness about the club, with politicking and back biting and movements in dark corridors that embarrases me and i think does not show fcb in the best light to the outside eye...but still laporta has done well and i feel i must stress how proud i am of the unicef sponsorship, the regeneration of the 'mes que une club' motto, the focus on cultural and socio-potical works (unhcf,et al) and for these reasons alone i think laporta deserves a hell of lot more respect than he is currently getting...these are the things that make me proud of fcb and they are many things he is (at least partly) responsible for!!!

on to other things, ronnie needs to go, i wish him well but with a heavy heart, and the same goes for eto'o, unless you're willing to live and die for the club and all it represents then the shirt does not come in your size and unfortunately the black sheep and (ironically) his nemesis have outgrown (ahem!!) there jourseys! they were both fantastic players for the club, and ronnie arguably the greatest for a period back there but the past is the past and disrespect is disrespect...its time to go ronnie, i hear the clubs in milan are thumping!! maybe thats harsh but i think it is true...the club comes first and so yes he may have brought some new fans to the fold but if they are fare weather fans then we do not need them...the club is and always will be bigger...i mean look at cruyff, the greatest of all time, but you know...barca is the thing...and cruyff realised that as much as anyone...

which brings me back nicely to the short term memory loss some of us seem to have, people calling cruyff fit to burn, people out for laporta's hide, a surprising lack of support for guardiola (for me the most brilliant player to don the blaugrana colours!) and his signings who have not even stepped onto a pitch yet...i worry and am ashamed by it...these are people who for me have done a hell of a lot for the club, i mean cruyff has done more than ronnie has but still you know, because he likes to speak out and he knows his stuff and sticks his head above the sand on occasion he is public enemy number 1 and thats wrong...cruyff is part of the legacy and he should be valued and respected not undermined and scapegoated...but as i say thats the childishness that seems inherint in the club, unfortunately!!

one last thing, i think the vote can change things for the better and i think laporta should see out the 2 years but i think things can be improved...we need stricter training regimes, more player responsibilty (if ronnie had had to argue his way out of some of the corners he has gotten into im not sure so much fond sentament would be there!), more transparency throughout, and for me more closed off training sessions which of course leads us on to a new training ground etc etc but i'm sure in the coming weeks we'll come to that one eh....

lastly it seems hleb and adebayor are both on there way this week...and i just wonder...good or bad??? i think hleb is great quality footballer but not more so than xavi or andres, and adebayor, well hes not my first choice but i do think he will get a lot of goals which will be great but still....

10 years ago Laporta got 40% tops when he did the same to Nuñez (vote of no confidence) and he said Josep Lluis had leave, that it was the best thing to do and staying would be lying to himself cuz 40% of the socis wanted him 2 quit…. so, now that almost 61% voted Yes what is he going to do?

Giralt, being a soci and acting like one, did what he thought was best for Barca, and numbers dont lie “a nobody” got 9k signings to start a vote of no confidence and 60,6% of the voters said yes to it, if u cant c what those results show it aint my fault.

If u dont care about basketball or handball no big deal, many of the 150k members do, and they are the ones who can decide about the clubs future ;)

Cruijff as a player and manager was great, nowadays he takes advantage of every single situation, and its silly u guys think cules are crazy cuz they criticize him, ANYONE can be wrong, wether its name is Johann or Jose.

Finally, to all of those who dont know, Joan is one of the many responsibles for one of the darkest eras in Barcelonas history (last year of Nuñez and Gaspart mandate), he started a vote on no confidence and with this a social fracture, it all ended till he was named president, if he really loves FCB as much as he claims he should leave, cuz atm 60% of the members think he should go and a new social fracture is there.

We will start doing better when the organization becomes more interested in football and not "the politics of football". I thought this was a sham and totally uncalled for. The board's been behind him and as Nic said, his mandate has been overall positive. What we tend to forget is that our motto is that we are "more than just a club" and trust me when I say that he and his administration have completely lived up to it. I have seen firsthand in Africa and South America all the wonderful things that the club has done under Laporta when the Real Madrids, Manchester Uniteds and AC Milans of this world are nowhere to be found. We've been better off because of his leadership and If you don't believe me, please travel to this small northern town in Senegal called Richard Toll and ask the kids at the FC Barcelona Academy or travel to Kaolack and ask the Doctors at the regional hospital. I can tell you that he's been at the forefront.
Let's talk football for a minute. let's put blame where it needs to go. As much as I love our players, most of them performed at below par last season and Frank's management style caught up with him. The laissez faire was outrageously extended to anyone and everyone and our system of play lacked a lot to be desired. We defended poorly and were lazy on the ball. That is why we had a poor season (per our standards anyway, remember we finished third in one of the most competitive leagues in the world). I think that his administration has been doing the right things in the off season. My only concern is Pep Gardiola and his understated arrogance when talking about some of our players. I understand the need to establish himself as the leader but please give respect where respect is due and do not try to pratonize those who helped this club grow into what it is today.
On the other hand, our signings have been great and granted some of you do not think much of Martin Caceres, let me tell you right now that I think he might be the signing of the transfer window. I am convinced that he will fit in well and will more than carry his load.

liam if u want barca to do well this season, u and all those other fans that r still whining need to stop because the vote is over....whining before the vote was ok but now its all done with...laporta wont step down and u have to live with it until 2010....u can say laporta is bad all u want but it wont change anything at all, i want barca to win stuff this season so every1 needs to start supporting and not only 37 percent

i'm actually really looking forward to the new season - the 'vot de censura' has been a little unsettling but it's good it's over now - bring on la liga, europe and the rest - bring on the glory!!!

Barca will only do good when Laporta leaves, so ill keep "whining" and saying all I want, after all, thats why I voted Yes!

"i totally agree with blaugranaboy…..laporta is going to continue as president so accept it and support him, if not, go support real madrid instead."

Now, thats lame, typical Laportistas thinking, positioning above right and wrong... see why the club is going through rough moments? why theres a social discontent? Ur beloved president started all this "war", Laportistas vs Sandristas, and just like you, he thinks that the ones that dont support him want Barca to go down, and thats why during his last speeches he tried to put the fear into members, claiming things would go REALLY bad if he left, etc, he didnt say a single word about how the club did, his message was clear, if u vote Yes, the club will go to hell, which is obviously dumb, since FCB is bigger than a single person.

Also, if u blame the players and coaches for the terrible results, why u keep pointing at Laporta when it comes to saying "thanks to who" the club won trophies? the players and managers won them, just as they lost them, so if Joan has nothing to do with the terrible management of the club in every sport section why is he responsible for the success?

Diatus, the club has been Laportas political platform, so, it makes no sense u say its ok for him to stay when he is the responsible of all this. Barcelona had schools all over the world before this clown arrived, so, lets not start saying that thanks to him kids in Africa or South America are happy. The UNICEF thing was the last option they had, may i remind you how bad Laporta wanted to have some brand on the strip, paying the club millions, but nobody accepted?

How is his mandate possitive when 60% of the members think he should go? and as Ive said god knows how many times, it has nothing to do with 2 trophiless seasons but how the club has been run. How do you explain that he won the elections with a 52% of votes and 5 years later he barely has 37%? so, tell me, how is his administration good? ur gonna tell me the clubs debt is smaller? to which ill answer thats total BS.. the debt = 443 million euros, way bigger than it was when Gaspart was in, and the club already sold assets, so, the problem is worse than what it was when the last president left.

Finally, the club will only settle down when this guy is gone, trophies can come, but trust me not even a CL will change the fact that people think this guy isnt good enough for Barca and that his time has come.

liam-----im not a laporta fan, im a barca fan....i dont really like arguing much so im just gonna say whatever happens, i hope it makes u happy cuz we r all barca fans

to be honest with you liam it sounds like you just won't be happy until barca have turned into the harlem globetrotters of world soccer under the guidance of someone as eminent as gandhi! like fcb said - we're all barca fans and we have all been through worse with the club...laporta made the point that the motion did not succeed but did conceed that it was a punishment for the last two years and will work to correct things and to restore the institutional stability needed at barca...

Liam, I'm quite curious with your statement regarding the shirt sponsorship, is it true that no corporation wanted to take the deal? Where did you read it?

Just want to thank to you all for an interesting debate. Special thanks to Liam for putting the anti-Laporta argument so well. This by no means is a call to end the debate, please keep it going.

Rosellistas you'll have to wait for you savior now!

LAPORTA HASTA LA MUERTE

the motion has ended....u can keep whining till the end of the world but i want to believe u are not prayin for our downfall now so laporta can go...that will be very wrong of u

Before Laporta signed for UNICEF he tried getting some sponsors in ASIA, but failed, Laporta asked 4 tons of money and nobody would give him that, ill try to get u some links, if not, ill look for the newspapers and try to scan them (Sport, Mundo Deportivo, As, Marca), just be warned, everything is in spanish!

Barcaman, Laporta claimed he was punished cuz of the past 2 years, so, he got it wrong aswell, he also thinks people are unhappy cuz of 2 trophiless seasons and it aint that.

I dont want someone as eminent as Ghandi to run the club nor the club turning into the "harlem globetrotters of world soccer ", just someone that treats every section with respect and doesnt lies every now and then, someone that says a and does a, someone who names directors based on their abilities and above everything, a guy who is honest.

TY Nic for the kind words

liam, many of your point a good and im imprssed with ur general knolwedge and its good to have someone take the other side. but about the UNCIEF, thats a total load of BS. there were many many companies even a country wanting to sponsor the team. china wanted to put on a Beijieng 2008 logo, but it was declined because of their political stances. in fact, if my memory serves, i read an article saying we were about to land the biggset sponsorship deal of all time with some betting company. we didnt put it on becasuse popular opinion was against the idea, seeing as we we are proud of the fact we have never asked for anyone elses money. laporta definetely wanted to do so, but rossell and other more classic guys blocked it. thats what happened. and the result was a historic reverse sponsorship that many have never seen before, that has had an overwhelmingly good response. people i know, adults and such, who dont know a donkey's dick about football said how impressed they were with that initiative. its not something im amazing proud of, being blaugrana for many many years before, but i guess its kinda nice. in any case it was a great innovation

and obviously i didnt mean China as a country were giong to sponsor us, just rushed wording. china wanted to sponsor the shirt via the olympic committee

i have to say though in this football day and age, where commercialisation is rife amongst clubs, barca have done well to hold out so long on shirt sponsorship and in the end choose UNICEF and even pay them to carry their logo...let's face it - the more revenue a club can generate the better they become in terms of investment in players and facilities and barca have impressed with their quality all these years without something plastered on their shirt - principles eventually suffer no matter how prestigious their club's history is and it may be inevitable that barca will replace UNICEF with Samsung or Carlsberg or AIG...

U got it wrong blaugrana boy, Laporta said they would land the biggest contract ever (around 24 millions per year during a 5 year contract), but that was a bunch of crap, numbers werent anywhere near Real Madrids or Juves contracts (by that time sponsored by an oil company) and thats why they declined the offers and went for UNICEF, that I guarantee you.

I do have 2 say its true people didnt want a sponsor on the shirt, we didnt have any for 106 years and Barcelona has always had this "image" of fighting against the system, and accepting to wear a logo on the strip would be taken as becoming part of it (u know, capitalism, money, betraying ur values & principles)

Barcaman, I doubt Barcelona will do that, despite paying 1 million euros every year to UNICEF, the propaganda the club gets from doing so is way just incredible, now everyone knows cules as the "first" football club to ever do so, and thats something money cant buy.

Yep Liam is right Laporta wanted a huge sponsorship deal, which was understandable at the time but that would of been selling out the clubs traditions. I remember Red Bull and Toyota being mentioned. Liam wasn't the Beijing 2008 being mentioned as well? This move really frustrated me loving our clubs traditions and being socialist, anti-capitalist as well it was even worse. It's a sense of pride with out the sponsor but the TV3 logo has put shame to that anyway. An interesting point was Laporta at the beginning of the presidency said Barca needs to become a modern day corporation to compete with the rest of the world. In some senses right but in a lot of ways wrong.

I know Laporta has been wrong on many occasions over the years, but I'm sticking with him because I feel it's for the better of the club.

Liam,

Just ask yourself, would you still be making the same argument today had we won the league and progressed at least to the championship game in the champions league last year?

If you answer yes, then you are honest and I respect and value your opinion but if your answer is no then you are simply a politician writing nice dissertations on the forum!!!(Which are fun to read btw)

JLaporta does not put on the uniform...get a grip. It is coaching, player management and team dynamic that win championships not who is president of a club.Of course, some of the decisions the said president makes have an impact on the team and organization overall but we didn't do well last year because we weren't good enough on the field!!! Punto Final!

I think success was mainly Laporta, he was the one who brought in Ronaldinho and because of Ronaldihno magic, Barca became the greatest and most talked about club ever during it's glory seasons. I remember watching a match with Barca and Real Madrid and when Ronaldinho did his magic and scored all the Real Madrid supporters in the Bernabeu stood and applauded him, my concern is Barca should be doing more to treat their greatest players better just like other clubs, Barca has turned into a power struggle club WHERE IS THE LOVE? where is Rivaldo greatness? Romario greatness? what happen to our history? Laporta should leave but he decide to stay, if he gets re-elected in 2010 all who vote for him don't love FCB. FCB is written in my blood in my heart. I LOVE YOU BARCA. we need to develope an history and heritage about our club lets unite, treat BARCA with love. Ronaldinho is not in his best form but i think stress has played it's part. Can someone tell me the real problem with Ronaldinho? Is he currently the worst player on earth? If he is not something is wrong. When Ronaldinho leaves Barca will he be remembered as one of the barca greats? Remember when checking the history of a club, trophies talk and also great players. Players lives on more than even the past presidents and coaches