The Cycles Of Success And Failure
Wednesday, 30 April 08, 06:27 PM · Comments (29)
In football today it seems increasingly difficult for one team to dominate Europe for very long. No team has won back-to-back European Cups since AC Milan in 1989 and 1990, while in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s it was quite common for one team to do this (Real Madrid 1956-1960, Benfica 61&62, Inter 64&65, Ajax 71-73, Bayern Munich 74-76, Liverpool 77&78, Nottingham Forest 79&80). Interestingly this has coincided with the new format of the Champions League and perhaps more importantly with the post Bosman-ruling era and the age of the millionaire footballer.
In modern football there seem to be a few basic ingredients to achieving success. Obviously you need to have talented players, but as we have seen with Madrid's 'galacticos' and Barça's 'fantasticos' it is not as easy as simply buying up the best players. In football it is also vital to have a high level of motivation, hunger and desire, confidence is also essencial, as is unity. When Barça were at there best in 2004 and 2005 these ingredients were all there, but as has happened at other teams it seems to be practically impossible to maintain them.
To understand why, we need to try and understand the modern footballer. Of course there are many different types of player but it seems that it is often more difficult for the foreign stars to stay focused on football. Once they have earned a few million the hunger can disappear. At Barça in recent years we have seen many Brazilians come and go, they usually seem to start brilliantly before fading out the longer they stay here. There have been suggestions that some of these players get distracted by the night life in Barcelona and this eventually affects their game.
It is probably true. If we take the case of Ronaldinho, he claims he behaves no differently now than when he arrived at Barça. No-one can blame him for being tempted by the girls and the parties, afterall you only live once and as a goofy teenager Ronnie probably had girls laughing at him more than anything else. How great it must feel when you achieve a bit of success and suddenly you have top models falling over each other to get near you. At first this makes no difference to your game but as time goes by and you don't look after yourself so well you begin to lose that explosive speed you once had, you realise you can't walk past opponents so easily and then your confidence starts to suffer. It can happen so easily to any of the top players and it is almost impossible to get back to the top unless you are very strong mentally and you are able to change your lifestyle completely, which sadly is not so easy to do.
It would be great if all players had a steady relationship and a good family life with parents who advised them well, etc. Unfortunately, it is more complicated for players who come from abroad. It is not just the Brazilians of course, we all know the case of Maradona while other talented youngsters like Patrick Kluivert found they couldn't combine the lifestyle with a career at the top for very long.
So, what can a club like Barça do about it? Well they need to learn from their mistakes. I do not agree that it is a matter of having a stricter coach. Frank Rijkaard has always treated the players like adults and allowed them freedom in the personal lives. For three years the team played some fantastic football with Rijkaard, the problem is he didn't know how to react to the players who began to abuse their freedom, he has also made the mistake of showing too much loyalty to the players who brought the earlier success. Rijkaard should make way for someone else now but more importantly the players who have lost their hunger for success should also go. In the future Barça should resist the temptation to offer long contracts to the foreign stars, unless it is clear that they are completely professional in their attitude.
This brings me to unity and team spirit. In any profession if you work hard it helps if you feel valued and appreciated. It must be hard for some players who always give 100% to see others, who earn a good deal more than they do, not giving it everything. And when I talk about giving 100% I am not just talking about on the pitch for 90 minutes, I am talking about giving 100% in their everyday lives, how they train, how they eat, how they rest. For a team to have unity players need to see that their team mates, especially the highest earners, are totally committed.
At Barça we have some tremendously talented players who do give their all for the team. There do need to be some big changes but I'm afraid I think the fans who are calling for Laporta's head are making a mistake. First I believe he has done a pretty good job to turn the club around after the terrible Gaspart years, and secondly he has been voted in until 2010. I cannot see him resigning for a few protests, so for the sake of the unity I was talking about we should all support him and if things don't improve he will get voted out in 2010. I also believe Txiki should stay for now, it is time for change but not for revolution. Rijkaard should be warmly thanked for doing a good job, he will be remembered in the future as one of the best Barça coaches in our history. Unfortunately, I am not crazy about any of the candidates being talked about, but if I have to choose I'd go for Pep Guardiola as I think he understands the club, he will continue with an attacking style which we all want to see, but he will also bring passion, hunger and desire back where we need it: in the changing room.
I'll talk more about which players should leave in the near future.
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Whether he comes or not, Mourinho will definitely not SPLIT the club. He's a fighter who unites players.
Nic this was a really great post. You've consistently impressed me with your blog and I agree with a lot of your ideas. I think Barca needs some talented youngsters who have a lot of potential and are eager to prove themselves. For a player like Henry who has already established himself as one of the best in the game over the years, what is left to accomplish? If he were to retire today people would always remember him as a great player...I guess what I'm saying is we need to bring in some younger players who are hungry for titles, a legacy, and want to be endeared to a famous club like Barca. I also agree that Rijkaard should be thanked...even though this season was a bummer you can't take away that CL victory from a couple years ago, and I think we all need to remember that. A lot of people seem really upset with Rijkaard, Laporta, Ronaldinho, etc. but I think this is when we should all be throwing our support behind the club, not attacking it. Remember, guys: tots units fem forca!
Sorry that this was so long but I just wanted to get all this out there.
Totally agree with you Nic. Laporta should stay. If anyone has pushed the Barca emblem to be "Mes que un Club" it has been Laporta. Both through humanitarian efforts as well as sporting achievements.
I agree with you on your assesment on the Rijkaard situation. He has done a fantastic job in the past. But complacency has set in and he doesnt seem as "hungry" as he used to be in term of pushing the team toward success. I think Pep would be a interesting choice. Reminiscent of Brazil's selection of Dunga of coach. Inexperienced at the top level -- but certainly one of their own. And one who understands the system, the shirt, and the crowd. No one else can really fit the build. (Maybe Lucho ... but he has no interest in coaching as far as I know).
And you know Cruyff has about to take the helm of Ajax a couple of months ago. I am sure he can help out Pep in any way he can -- given that he has his hand into most things Barca.
I've stated before that I think Mourinho is a great coach but I also think he is not the right man for the job. Uniting the club is not just about keeping players happy (though Mourinho had problems with some players such as Ballack and Shevchenko at Chelsea) it is about the fans and the press too. There are too many who are not prepared to forget his actions when Barça played Chelsea in 2005.
I really don't like Chelsea but I have to say it is quite amusing to see an unknown like Avram Grant take over and rescue their season after everyone wrote them off when Mourinho left.
As for Clemente - whoever said it has got to be kidding.
Indeed. Mourinho was here once. And once is enough. He has said too many things about Barca and our players to be able to take a manager's role. He has essentially ruled himself out by claiming that the Camp Nou is like a Opera Theater and Players like Messi are actors (divers)... etc.
Quite frankly, almost anyone could have won the EPL with the amount of $$$ Abramovich dropped on Chelsea over those 2 years.
If anything, and anything at all, you should look at the work he did with Porto. and that was Building a team around Deco. Defend to the tooth and nail. And kill anyone who made a mistake. Because grinding out 1-0 wins and 0-0 ties = points.
This will not work in Barca. It would be like forgetting about 100+ years of history and playing ideology just to hire the flavor of the month.
nice article nic. i understand the cycles of football and no one wins forever. but in our case its been so unexpected. in theory our team just improved. we've developed two great young talents and then acquired the likes of henry and abidal who in the past and rumour had it, respectively, were great players. roni was also hitting his prime age and were several other players. it didnt feel like our cycle should have ended.
but the past is over. time to move on. in my opinion spain is there for the taking. no time is showing themselves the dominant force. and really only madrid and barca look to be the two at the top. sevilla have flaked out and villareal are not consitent enough and lack depth and that bit of extra quality.
on the managers. oh my word, when i think about it or talk with people my head feels like its spinning. i constantly change my mind. honestly, during one discussion with friend i change my mind 5 or 6 times. sometimes mourinho makes perfect sense and i want him. but then i think about his antics and just how he was at chelski, and i use to LOATH him. great point about splitting the club, i really feel there will be those happy and those upset, and little middle ground. i dont think he will play negative football, thats one thing im quite sure about. but i think he may suffle the squad around too much and the fans will get upset. not to mention laporat doesnt seem warm to him, but soriano and others are. if not him then pep is for sure the choice. he is a legend and that will transfer to the players i hope. whoever suggested clemente, wow, that almost made me fall of my chair.
and the new players, another tough one. i really dont want to get into the millions of those on the shortlist. for sure out i want henry, abidal, deco, thuram, ezquerro, gudi. i want roni to stay if there is a new manager, i think he could change him. and him at his best is irreplacebale. plus messi loves him, and keeping him happy would be good. to bring in: i would love diego. thats for sure. otherwise i think we should concentrate on winging attackers. etoo needs to improve his form, and i think he can. we need to give him his role as number one striker and let him have it. he can deliever the goods.
but im just going to let it all play out. thinking and reading all the rumors is just too difficult. i really dont know what is going to happen, no one really does, just got to hope it will be all for teh best. and those putting any sort of blame on laporta is jus stupid. he has been brilliant for the club, from start to now.
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Nic,
Just getting my voice back from the game last night at Old Trafford
Agree with your assessment of Rijkaard, he should be thanked, be warmly remembered for he has represesnted the club in an impeccable manner and also provided one of the greatest teams seen in European football.
On to Laporta, who I have been critical of, no he will not resign, but what he needs to do is give leadership and direction, this he has not done of late. Yes the club is in a far better state now then when he was elected... but we are at a pivotal point in his tenure.. the decision on who will re - place Rijkaard is such an important decision.
Moving on to that question, on the bus home last night the Penya Blaugrana Londres were discussing this, as you can image the debate was pretty heated. There were two camps... of whom the majoirty wanted Mourihno and a small minority who was adamant that he was not the man... his appointment would split the club... The view on Guardiola was perhaps the appoinment after the next! other names mentioned were Scholari, Clemente... but none that really sprung to mind..
Important decisions lie ahead..
brian kerr for barca manager! seriouslly though - i agree with john - rijkaard can only be commended for his achievements with barca given his not-so spectacular managerial career beforehand! all we can do is look to the future - repair whatever's broken and just hit the ground running into next season! we need to build around puyol, milito, yaya, xavi, spf-50, messi, bojan and, hopefully, eto'o and reinstate barca as european champions! come on chelsea!