Xavi Hernandez

Joan

Well-known member
damn--that's the level of scrutiny at la masia? imagine the pressure...the highly involved parents obsessing over advancement and progress....i understand its a professional academy but christ, that can't be good for the kids...

at a first glance, anyway. i hope they offer a lot of other kinds of supports. kids should just be allowed to play and enjoy

Yeah. But it's a business worth millions at the end of the day. Can only imagine the level of scrutiny these days with all the modern models used in football.
 

Andresito

Senior Member
Staff member
also the fact that many of these families come from poor countries and are themselves poor...so success in the sport is kind of existential for them...on the shoulders so to speak of the child...their hands trembling when reading these coaching reports..

Don't see why these reports would be shown in full to the player in question when he's young. Most definitely used as an internal scouting report.

It's short but concise. If they decide to talk strengths/weaknessess with a player I'm sure they'll put it in another way. They're the professionals and know the best way to approach a teenager.
 

Bobo32

Senior Member
I have tried to describe Xavi in so many posts but still no one seems to really understand.
I have had in my head a comparison to composers, where Xavi would be compared to someone like Bach, while Messi and Iniesta were Mozart and Beethoven. Not perfect comparisons, why I never posted.

But then I saw this video of Bernstein discussing Beethoven, saying that he pretty much was a terrible melody maker, but that his strength was that he always put the correct note after the former - every note was the correct progression from the one before. Bingo! This is exactly how Xavi played, never forcing a great melody, just progressing the ball correctly every time. Iniesta on the other hand painted with a very loose hand, attempting things with the outside of his foot, searching for the big picture and often succeeding just because he had a feeling for the timing and direction needed, but often playing quite lazily technically, as a genius bored by mundane tasks. They really were in some ways polar opposites, Xavi and Iniesta.

Magnus Carlsen said that Bobby Fischer showed to him that you can win by playing simple chess, this is the same I feel about Xavi, you can be the best by playing simple football.
At the same time, so much is taken for granted in football - as we saw most clearly when Ronaldinho played, the options are unlimited...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuYY1gV8jhU
 

DonAK

President of FC Barcelona
Won the Qatari League undefeated.

Will be interesting to see if he can take them to the Asian CL Final and win that too.
 

Windhook

Well-known member
The CL final is in November, but watching those tiki-taka Al-Sadd clips I must say I'm impressed. Xavi really does tremendous job introducing this style to Asia and playing with mainly local talents. If Qatar NT plays the Xavi way at the 2022 World Cup then some surprises are ahead at the tournament.
 

Porque

Senior Member
He is coaching in English too. So you would expect some of his idea's to be simplified and get lost in translation. Expecting him to be a much better manager in Spain where communication, understanding and application will be easier in his native tongue and with higher talent levels.
 

aragorn

New member
He is coaching in English too. So you would expect some of his idea's to be simplified and get lost in translation. Expecting him to be a much better manager in Spain where communication, understanding and application will be easier in his native tongue and with higher talent levels.

I think his English is well polished - unless the Qatarians are very poor at it, I don't think there's the language barrier
 

Porque

Senior Member
I think his English is well polished - unless the Qatarians are very poor at it, I don't think there's the language barrier

I agree. Just speaking on the case that it is two parties communicating in their second languages, where the communication of ideas will usually be more basic. Perhap's more on the Qatari side than his, as it is down to them to process what is transmitted.

It is a good sign of what he can do in Spanish football, if he can achieve continued success oversea's and impliment his style and a winning mentality.
 

Barcaman

Administrator
Staff member
Does anyone actually believe he accomplished anything worthy translating into European/top football?

He wasted years there learning absolutely nothing and gaining no experience. The cash though.. Yeah, gained a lot of that.

Idea is to travel, experience other coaching mentality and getting dirty with weaker team facing challenges before taking over Barca.

I am surprised as he fought his way into Barca 11 since he was 18, facing doubts and criticism, even almost sold once.

Feel like he'll fail hard when he returns here and I hope it won't t taint his legacy.
 

Windhook

Well-known member
Does anyone actually believe he accomplished anything worthy translating into European/top football?

Pep started his coaching career during his time in Qatar and Mexico still active as player. That's what Xavi did basically, played for Al-Sadd for some time to get a sense about club mentality. We could say Xavi is Pep's copycat and results are results. No translation. The fact he taught some poor Qatari players to play tiki-taka is just enough of a proof he is a good coach. What remains is the question whether he is good motivator when the team is down 0-2 to pull a comeback.
 

fergus90

Senior Member
Does anyone actually believe he accomplished anything worthy translating into European/top football?

He wasted years there learning absolutely nothing and gaining no experience. The cash though.. Yeah, gained a lot of that.

Idea is to travel, experience other coaching mentality and getting dirty with weaker team facing challenges before taking over Barca.

I am surprised as he fought his way into Barca 11 since he was 18, facing doubts and criticism, even almost sold once.

Feel like he'll fail hard when he returns here and I hope it won't t taint his legacy.

Over simplified way of judging his abilities as a coach because of the country he managed in. What’s impressive is that he can translate his ideas and tactics on to players who will typically have less talent than the ones he will be managing in Europe.
 

khaled_a_d

Senior Member
Does anyone actually believe he accomplished anything worthy translating into European/top football?

He wasted years there learning absolutely nothing and gaining no experience. The cash though.. Yeah, gained a lot of that.

Idea is to travel, experience other coaching mentality and getting dirty with weaker team facing challenges before taking over Barca.

I am surprised as he fought his way into Barca 11 since he was 18, facing doubts and criticism, even almost sold once.

Feel like he'll fail hard when he returns here and I hope it won't t taint his legacy.


What has Zlatko Dalic won what as manager before going to Gulf leagues?
Xavi worked under one of the best managers in the middle east in Jesualdo Ferreira (who had a decent career in Portugal too) and he has been taking baby steps in his coaching career. Early on he was saying he didn't even pay attention to defense during his coaching, which has changed.
Also, Qatar isn't a micky mouse league as much as you think, they won Asian cup in 2019 with a squad that was entirely made of local players. They have decent team and players right there, better than 4th division in Spain where Pep started.
That being said, I would have loved it if he moved to Europ first, maybe as assitant coach.
Regarding his success here, I am afraid about it too, he is too idealistic for modern game IMO
 

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