Cartoon 28: Joan Laporta

(click the cartoon to enlarge)


by vizcarra

source:
avui

see more cartoons here

Laporta: "The personal attacks made me stronger"

Barcelona president Joan Laporta gave an interview to Catalan newspaper Avui.


The external pressure has been high along the years, but after the vote of no confidence the big story has been the investigation of the vice-presidents (read more here). And both the investigations as the publication were caused by internal problems...
We already spoke about it and I don't plan to comment again on this issue. Everything has totally been clarified and I support everything that has been done from within the club. I know how it started and I don't want to stir things up again.

You have said things like "I had to play dead to survive" or "At a personal level, I haven't been rewarded for all this". Good god...
You have to understand the true meaning of the phrases, not the literal one. The point is that the groups that have attacked me were powerful groups, and that they wanted to harm, to destroy, all this with very bad intentions. It wasn't only about the club model but also about my person.

In the end, they have made me stronger. All this has made me mature a lot. I have always looked forward. I don't need a feeling of revenge to motivate me. I'm motivated by ideals, dreams, that's where I find reasons to go on. Not by those misfortunes.

You've had to defend Txiki Begiristain and the position of sports director. Depending on who wins the election, do you think that some aspect of the current sports model is at risk?
I defend a sports structure with a sports vice-president, a sports director and a first team coach who all have a lot of power. Especially the last two. The sports vice-president has to support and stay in touch with the sports director because it's his task to inform the board. It should stay that way, because it has functioned well for us.

You also have to find the right people, and that is not easy. The sports director needs to speak the same language as the coach and they should be on the same wavelength. This is very difficult but we succeeded. It is essential that those positions are well-defined within the structure. If not, you could end up in situations that are dangerous for the club.

Are you saying that you think that the separation between the board and the sports executives is in danger in these elections?
In fact, I do not know it, because I have not heard any proposal besides that of Alfons Godall, who wants to continue with the current model. You must execute it well, but objectively it is a good model. It would be a big mistake to change the model, which has led us to be the best club in the world and to have the best year in history.

Many try to convince people that all this happened by accident. But nothing in life happens by accident. Of course you need moments of luck and we had them, but there was a lot of work behind it all.

In general, when you work hard, the results will come. It's important to emphasize that. The model works because the right decisions were made, because there were people who believed in it and continued it, taking risks, with a lot courage.

In all areas, we've worked hard and we have dedicated the best years of our lives to Barça and to reach the best moment in the history of the club. This structure works and I think it should be shared by all candidates. I defend it with arguments, facts and results.

In the first internet polls, Sandro Rosell had a big advantage on the other candidates, but now Godall is coming closer. That reminds you of something?
Every electoral process has its own circumstances. In 2003 we were at a bad moment, there was a turmoil and chaos at the club. People voted a real change, ours, and we started a revolution that still continues. We had to be strong, not show weakness, and adapt the project along the way. They were moments of high intensity.

Now on the other hand, Barça has rewon the prestige it deserves, because of the sports results and because of how the club is managed. We need a person who represents a quiet force. And this person is Alfons Godall.

The remaining candidates must put forward alternative sports and economic models, explain what they want to do with the foundation and so on. But I only see silence, they're not saying anything. I think that every alternative model is an uncertain adventure.

this was the second and last part of this interview. you can read the first part here.

Read more:
Laporta: "We need someone who's able to resist"
Poll result: Can Laporta openly support Godall?
Godall: "I have a great feeling of relief"

interview: xavi xirgo and jordi cortada

Laporta: " 'More than a club' is not just a slogan"

Barcelona president Joan Laporta gave an interview to Catalan newspaper Avui.


You were deeply moved at the presentation of Alfons Godall as presidential candidate. Friendship aside, did you also see the event as the beginning of your goodbye?
No, it was basically because of friendship, he's a friend who has taken an important decision. But also because, as Xavier Sala said very well, I want the dream to continue to be a reality, that this model that has made us be recognized as the best club in the world and this period that is being the best in the history of Barça can go on.

He is someone who has always been there with me. It was a mixture of the respect I have for Alfons Godall and the fact of seeing him, who is for me the most suitable candidate, take this step and to show a lot of courage.

Do you picture the final stretch of your mandate in a special way?
I take things day by day, but if I take some distance, I see a lot of good football, a lot of those games that the Barcelona fans like. And as we want this era of success to continue, I would also want, with the elections coming up, that the candidate show their responsibility.

I do not think that anyone would dare to do things that could harm the team, although with the choice of the date I also think that we have made things clear now. As for me, I take everything that comes with the peacefulness of knowing that the end is near.

Looking back at your time at the club, what are you most proud of and what are you least proud of?
Especially of the sporting decisions. To have appointed Txiki Begiristain as sports director. We also have always had very clear ideas and we have defended them in the most difficult moments, which is also when we have learned the most. We had decided to change things completely, and we did it.

We have recovered the Catalan identity of Barça, and the most Catalan Barça in history is also the most global one. As you can understand, I'm very proud about that. We have made it very clear that 'more than a club' is not just a slogan but a declaration of principles.

Those who wanted to change us in just another club should re-think things because we became the best club in the world defending to be 'more than a club' because of our football, cultural and solidary identity. Because there's also the Foundation, a pillar of the club. The soul of Barça can only be understood through the Foundation, that is developing those programs to support the most vulnerable children.

We have a team of people who believe in these ideals. With the director of the Foundation Marta Segú, chief executive Joan Oliver, sports director Txiki Begiristain, the executive of the football area Raül Sanllehí, the squad led by Pep Guardiola now and Frank Rijkaard before. And the board colleagues, especially those who helped me to lead the way.

We also asked also what you're least proud of...
Of not having won more titles. I think we still could have won more. Apart from that, although we are broadly recognized by the fans and despite all what we have done, we haven't been able to achieve that the closest part of the entourage, the part of the opposition that always has to be there, the part of the media that always has to be critical, almost by nature because another group isn’t, we haven't achieved that they would overcome, so to say, their obsession.

There are people and media that have taken such a position that they cannot say anything good about what we have done in seven years. Those people need to get a check-up. Of course we have also made mistakes, but to take positions that are so radical, so visceral, seeing all those favouritisms, personal interests and in some cases obsession... As things have gone, I don't say there should be unanimity, but we should have had another kind of relationship with these people.

this was the first part of this interview. you can read the second part here.

Read more:
Laporta: "We need someone who's able to resist"
Poll result: Can Laporta openly support Godall?
Godall: "I have a great feeling of relief"

interview: xavi xirgo and jordi cortada

Puyol and Iniesta on the elections

Barcelona players Carles Puyol and Andrés Iniesta talked about the upcoming elections for president of FC Barcelona during interviews with respectively Catalan newspapers La Vanguardia and Avui.

Puyol
"We are there to play. It's what we like. We know that there will be talk, but we have to be focused. I am sure that if we are doing good and win the games, people will talk more about football than about elections. The candidates want the best for Barcelona and we have to respect them and wait for the club member to decide."

Iniesta
"In general, the electoral process won't disturb the team a lot, but at a personal level there could be players who may be affected, because their name could be mentioned as outgoing transfer. If I could choose, I would prefer that the elections were held at the end of the season, so there won't be any distractions at all."

Read more:
Xavi and Puyol on the elections
Iniesta prefers elections at the end of the season
Iniesta and Xavi on the elections

The Pundit: Pep Lloveras on chances Sala i Martin

« Sala i Martín has been stopped for now, but he has the most powerful profile and he has Laporta on his side, so it's not crazy to think that a last-minute turn-around is still possible depending on the events. »

Pep Lloveras,
Avui

check more pundit talk

Xavi and Puyol on the elections

Barcelona players Xavi Hernández and Carles Puyol talked about next year's elections for president of FC Barcelona during interviews with respectively Catalan newspaper Avui and Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu.

Xavi
The outcome of the elections doesn't seem very clear. I think we have to make abstraction of everything. They pay us to play football and to win. We know that the papers will talk about the elections, but we will try to make them talk more about football.

Have people been unjust to Laporta? I think so. He has treated us very well, like all directors, including those who left. Laporta has always been very close to us. He's a true Barcelona guy, he's crazy, he seems just an ordinary fan. He has received criticism because that's the way we treat leaders in Catalonia, but for me he deserves ten points.

Puyol
I'm not worried about the upcoming elections possibly affecting the stability of the team. I'm sure nothing of all that will enter the dressing room. We'll be focused on our job and it will also depend on us to make sure the whole entourage of the club is calm. If things go well, I'm sure the elections will not be that important and that people will talk more about football.

Read more:
Guardiola not worried about elections
Iniesta and Xavi on the elections
Puyol: "Players will stay out of the elections"

Directors considering to leave the club

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that several directors could leave the club at the end of the presidency of Joan Laporta in June of this year in case the current board cannot form one consensus candidacy in the upcoming presidential elections.

The directors in question would not feel comfortable with the division inside the board that is caused by the fact that two vice-presidents - Alfons Godall and Jaume Ferrer - would like to run for president later this year.

Barcelona economic vice-president Joan Boix would be one of the board members who finds it difficult to choose between his two colleagues because of his good personal relationships with both Godall and Ferrer.

Both Boix and sports vice-president Rafael Yuste would, like others, also be firmly convinced that the only way to win the coming elections is by presenting a single board candidacy. They would therefore think that if that's not possible it maybe wouldn't be worthwile to make an attempt.

Catalan newspaper Avui nevertheless claims that things are already clear. All the board members that weren't explicitly mentioned by vice-president Ferrer when he announced he will take part in the elections (read more here), would be supporting Godall.

This would mean that the group of Godall, who is believed to also have the support of president Laporta, would in that case include ten of the current directors and the group of Ferrer six.

Read more:
The new board of directors
Ferrer confirms that he will run for president
The five vice-presidents of Godall

The Pundit: Pep Lloveras on leadership Laporta

« Laporta has lead the club, but he hasn't be able to do the same with his board and this has been a stone in his shoe all along the way. »

Pep Lloveras,
Avui

check more pundit talk

Benedito: "Rosell has a different model"

Barcelona presidential candidate Agustí Benedito gave an interview to Catalan newspaper Avui.


As things stand now, with a lot of media attention for Rosell on the one side and the board candidate or candidates on the other, do you think it's possible to pass the signatures' cut?
Our strength doesn't come from the media, it comes from the support of the people. There are a lot of people that support us and I am absolutely sure that we will pass the cut. And by far.

Do you consider closing a deal with others?
No. The reasons that have led us to present a candidacy are the same reasons that make an alliance unworkable. For 100%.

What distinguishes you from the continuity candidates Godall and Ferrer, and from Sandro Rosell?
As for the continuity candidates, who are the ones I perhaps know best, they have had the opportunity to make the changes we wanted in 2003. But there has been a moment when they've stopped making progress. They had the chance, but they decided not to do it. As for Rosell, I think we are talking about different models, although until now we of course don't know what his program will be.

Some accuse you of acting out of resentment for not having become a director.
There have been several occasions for me to become a member of the board. We had spoken about it with some directors, but the president has never offered it to me. I've already clearly explained the reasons for my exit. And there's nothing more to it.

Despite the fact that you've also criticised him, do you think that people have been unjust to Laporta?
He might not be the best president in the history of Barça, but he is the president of the best Barça in history. And so that's also his merit. He had a very good presidency.

Do you agree with those who accuse him of politicizing Barça?
Over the last time, Laporta has made political use of his position. I think he made a mistake. From within the club one should not do policitics. And even less for personal reasons. On the other hand, defending the club's Catalan identity is a moral obligation because it's part of the club's essence.

Are you a supporter of independence?
My team consists of people with very different sensibilities, from a political point of view I would even say opposites. And that makes us strong. My own position has little relevance. I think the future of Catalonia will only be decided upon by the Catalans. Catalonia is formed by all of us and everyone is welcome.

this was the second and last part of this interview. you can read the first part here.

Read more:
More about Benedito
Presidential candidates unhappy with renewals
Barça, a 'wonderful rarity' (by Agustí Benedito)

interview: pep lloveras

Benedito: "The outcome is very unpredictable"

Barcelona presidential candidate Agustí Benedito gave an interview to Catalan newspaper Avui.


Why did you distance yourself from Laporta after having supported him since 1997?
I've worked together with Laporta for many years. We spent a lot of hours together and we had a project we firmly believed in.

I've distanced myself from him because I believe that at a certain moment along the way, president Laporta has moved away from our model. Basic principles of 2003, elements of transparency, honesty, giving a much greater participation to the club members and other things, had been lost. In addition, one concrete thing happened, last February.

The Uzbekistan case.
His personal intervention in an attempt to sell Mallorca, with a commission of 4.2 million euros and the involvement of people who had business relations with the club, represents to me a clear breach of the minimum ethical standards the president of Barça should have. As far as honesty and ethics in management is concerned, Laporta hasn't done well. There can't be any doubt about that.

Who are you and what are you proposing?
We are a group of Barcelona fans with different backgrounds, committed to Barça and the country, with renowned professional and social careers. And when the time is there, we will talk about what we have to offer, but what I do believe is that we will present the best program of all, which will be the result of the experience and the input of many people.

Can you tell us about the basic principles?
Our analysis is that what makes us different in the world is that the club members are the owners of the club. That leads to a clear way of managing. It is necessary to promote these values and to make sure that the club member of Barça again feels he's the owner of the club. Unfortunately, during the presidencies preceding Laporta and the latter period of Laporta this way of thinking has not been followed.

Make that a little more concrete.
The promotion of the participation of the member in the management of the club. Participation in representative organs such as the assembly of delegates, the continued consultation, the feeling, the intentions, the habit, listening to the member, all that didn't happen. We also said in 2003, maybe it even was what we repeated most, that we wouldn't sell a square inch of land. They have also ignored that.

The danger for you is the polarization between continuity candidates and Rosell.
Around 100.000 club members are a member for less than five years. The participation is difficult to predict, but it will surely surpass that of 2003. You may think that more than 30.000 members will vote for the first time.

I know there is a movement ongoing, especially in the media, to reduce the debate to 'laportism' and 'sandrism', like we before had 'cruyffism' and 'nuñism'. We already left that behind in 2003, and we'll do that again this year. So I think there is plenty of room, none of the candidates can be sure of anything and the outcome is very unpredictable.

this was the first part of this interview. you can read the second part here.

Read more:
More about Benedito
Presidential candidates unhappy with renewals
Barça, a 'wonderful rarity' (by Agustí Benedito)

interview: pep lloveras

The Pundit: Pep Lloveras on media support Rosell

« Rosell is the candidate with the most media support, including that of the core of the nuñism [supporters of former president josep lluís núñez], that backs him because they are opposed to Laporta and not because of the content of his project. »

Pep Lloveras,
Avui

check more pundit talk

Cartoon 18: Xavier Sala i Martin

(click the cartoon to enlarge)


by vizcarra

source:
avui

see more cartoons here

Soriano: "I'm not part of any candidacy for now"

Asked about his rumoured participation in next year's presidential elections (read more here), former Barcelona economic vice-president and current chairman of Spanish airline Spanair Ferran Soriano has said in an interview with Catalan newspaper Avuí that he didn't yet decide what his role will be:

"At this moment, Spanair doesn't leave me any time to think about Barça, nor am I already part of any candidacy. But when the election process starts, I will try to contribute to a constructive debate because an internal battle would certainly damage the club."

Read more:
Who will be the next president of FC Barcelona?

Introducing Benedito (4) : The affair too much (2)

Earlier this month, Catalan businessman Agustí Benedito announced his intention to take part in next year's elections for president of FC Barcelona. This blog will this week give an introduction on the pre-candidate.


Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday 18 February 2009, Barcelona president Joan Laporta talked about his involvement in an attempt to sell Spanish footbal club Mallorca, which was revealed one day earlier by Spanish newspaper El Mundo:

"It's a professional matter. The company Binipuntiró, the main shareholder of Real Mallorca, has financial problems and they contacted my office to help them with the sale. We looked around and found a client who was interested and who made an offer on the condition of an audit of the entity.

It became clear that what the seller asked for the shares was a price that, according to our client, wasn't correct, so the deal didn't go through. Since this was a professional assignment, it's normal that my office receives a fee for the legal services that were provided.

Our law firm always examines if the cases we are offered don't interfere with my function as president of FC Barcelona but in this case it was decided that there was no incompatibility at all, so the conduct of my office was lawful, legal and professional.

The way the report was published suggests that my firm has tried to hide its involvement but there are legal and public documents about this since the seller had insolvency problems. We haven't tried to hide anything. But some state media are particularly fond of me.

I just try to do my job and I don't care about others trying to prevent me from doing that. I want to make a living out of my job, in an honest and responsible way, which is what I did in this case."

Two weeks later, Laporta repeated his defense in an interview with Spanish business paper Expansión: "Being the president of Barça, gives you a lot of possibilities to mix with people but not to do business.

But where's the line? In my case, I have a law firm and I assist companies, like Mallorca, that had financial problems and asked me to look for a buyer. I found one in Uzbekistan but the operation didn't go through."


Despite the explanations of Laporta, the involvement of Laporta was the reason that led Agustí Benedito to resign as member of the club's social commission on Thursday 26 February.

In a letter to the president, quoted by former Barcelona's head of communication Jordi Badia on his blog, Benedito explained the reasons for his decision: "This news has been the biggest disappointment in my life. Over the years, I have maintained my beliefs and they now prevent me from continuing with you. Despite the fact that this wasn't easy, I have been loyal until the end."

Speaking to Spanish news agency EFE, Benedito said: "What has happened is against the spirit with which 'El Elefant Blau' was founded (read more here). I belonged to the core of this movement that fought for a different Barça.

I've always stood by the side of Joan Laporta, even at the time of the vote of no confidence last summer, and I've defended him with everything I had. But now I feel that this attempt of trying to obtain a fee for the sale of Mallorca has nothing to do with the Laporta from a few years ago."

EFE claimed that Benedito had been close to be appointed as director of the club around the time of his exit but that the appointment didn't went through in the end. Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo had already reported in September 2008 that Benedito was rumoured to be a candidate to join the board soon.

Club sources were quoted by EFE as saying that they thought this had been the main reason for his decision, something that Benedito denied to the agency and in an interview with Catalan newspaper Avuí one week later:

"Everybody who knows me, knows that this is ridiculous. This just indicates they have no arguments to defend what cannot be defended. I've voluntarily worked for the club for many years.

I know that I have been rumoured to become a director, several board members told me they wanted me to join, but the president never spoke about it with me. And I thank him for not having made me a director because this would otherwise have been an even more difficult situation for me.

I have resigned because I think that the president of Barça has mislead the club members when he said last summer that he and no one from his board did business in the world of football.

And by doing that he didn't only betray a leading principle of the 'Elefant Blau' but also of our way of acting for many years. In my view, it's not ethical for a president to enrich himself in such a way. It's clear he betrayed those principles and that he lied. That's why I resign."

this is the fourth part of a five-parts series. the next part will be the video in which benedito presents himself as presidential candidate. you can read the whole series here.


Read the previous parts of this series:
Introducing Benedito (1): The candidate
Introducing Benedito (2): The man, the culé
Introducing Benedito (3) : The affair too much


picture: germán rodríguez rosas

Laporta: "Sala as president would be an honour"

Barcelona president Joan Laporta gave in July an interview to Catalan newspaper Avuí and talked about which board member could succeed him in next year's presidential elections.


You want to impose a successor.
I don't like to impose, I like to convince.

Xavier Sala.
I would want that he who succeeds me maintains the same ideology, and that his personality and his knowledge give relevance to the presidency of Barça. Someone who is recognized in his professional life. There are several people like that in the board.

With colourful jackets you cannot be the president of Barça.
It would be an honour for Barça to have a professor at Columbia university as president. That's the spirit that makes us great.

Related posts:
Sala i Martin: "I'm not too smart to be president"
Cartoon: Laporta putting successor in trouble


interview: salvador sostres

Sala i Martin: "I'm not too smart to be president"

Barcelona board member Xavier Sala i Martín gave last month an interview to Catalan newspaper Avuí.




With those colourful jackets you cannot be the president of Barça.
The soci of Barcelona is too smart to chose a president and a project only based upon the colour of a jacket.

But there are limits.
Please! I won't disguise myself as a priest. I follow the classic rule: shirt and jacket.

You are too smart to be the president of Barça.
"Too smart" is something that doesn't exist. Barça has the historic challenge of changing from a local circus into a global brand like Disney. We're a factory of dreams with the world following the art created by our team with the ball. To make this happen, we need to be among the 5 or 10 football firms who in the coming years will survive the challenge of the globalization. We have to decide if we want to be Betis or Disney. And to take up this big challenge, no one is "too smart".

We're just about business.
No. We are dreams, we are feelings.

You know a lot about economy but not about Barça.
From a very early age, I went to see the games with the season's ticket I got from my uncle. In 1979, I was at the final of the Europen Cup Winner's cup in Basel and one of my tresors is my club member's card of that season signed by Charly Rexach.

Later you gave up being a soci.
In 1985, I went to study in the United States and as I didn't have a lot of money, I didn't pay anymore for my card. I lived from a scholarship and I couldn't afford to spend a lot.

We almost feel sorry for you.
I followed the final of the European Cup in Sevilla from there, through one of those short-wave radios. Now, luckily, when I'm in Manhattan, I can see the games live while listening to Catalunya Ràdio.

Being the president of Barça is that important that you would leave Manhattan?
It's easy to travel by plane these days. If Núñez didn't stop selling apartments, I don't think I should stop giving classes.


Read more:
Who will be the next president of FC Barcelona?


interview: salvador sostres