Godall: "It's a team project against ego projects"

Barcelona first vice-president Alfons Godall gave an interview to Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu.


How do you see Ingla?
With a conciliatory spirit, positive, eager to unite and not exclude anyone, which allows me to reconnect with all the people who worked for my candidacy and see if they want to have a role in this one. In addition, he is very motivated, he is a big Barcelona fan, a football fan, and he has always had the serenity not to let himself be influenced. He has a clear structure of the club in his head and the campaign, the project and the Barça of the future are also very clear to him. He has convinced me. His merit is to have united all of us. Without him, this candidacy would not have been possible. He has contributed to the construction of the current project during the arrival of Pep Guardiola since he was sports vice-president at that time. Both him and all of us want to put our experience at the service of the Barça of the future.

Why did you join the candidacy of Ingla and not the one of Ferrer?
Because one of my main ideas as a candidate was trying to add Soriano and his people to the candidacy. They have had an important role in the developping of the current Barça project. The bases of the 'virtuous circle' were established by Soriano. This economic restructuring was made possible thanks to the work of Marc Ingla who was in charge of merchandising, opening new markets, exploring possibilities, setting new goals, modernizing the club, giving value to the sponsorship of the club and a series of decisions he took. Albert Vicens was able to add prestige, he was a careful director who represented the club with dignity and never wanted to be in the limelight. These are skilled people who know Barça very well and still have a lot left to do.

Laporta and Jaume Ferrer have collided many times because of differences of opinion. Do you think that their candidacy is artificial?
I think it's inconsistent. I cannot believe that Jaume would end up facing Rosell in the elections, because I think they are very similar, both at a personal level as in terms of their entourage. I have always thought that both would difficultly end up being opponents. Besides that, he has now taken up the role of continuist when Laporta had thought about other possibilities before, it all seems inconsistent to me. I have nothing against Jaume. He has been a good fellow board member and he has been there during all those years, but I'm not convinced by his project nor by his campaign team that should materialize a solid project.

But do you think it's at this moment possible that Rosell and Ferrer could make a deal?
Both are part of the entourage of the Pujol-Ferrusola family [jordi pujol is a formar catalan president]. Alejandro Echevarría [former brother-in law of joan laporta] has a role in that group. Albert Perrín too. People, in short, who have the need to feel that they are part of the electoral process, because otherwise, they know that they will be out of the club. What if Ferrer would arrive at the final electoral stage and spend a large budget - because that is needed - to face Rosell, whose entourage is kind of the same... Frankly, I think it is difficult they would be rivals. I think a previous deal is possible.

What is also said is that Jaume Ferrer could end up making a deal with Ingla...
I don't rule out anything. I know that Marc is a person of harmony. But if he joins, it will be to come and support, taking up the role that Mark believes is best for him.

Ingla, Soriano, Vicens and Godall. You are "the four tenors" against two personalities?
Yes, but it won't only be that. It's a team with a candidate. And with interesting people behind. It is important to add new blood. There will be new people with a lot of ideas. It will be the project of a team against individual ego projects. The project of Sandro Rosell is again a self-centred one, in which everything turns around a candidate.

The difference between your candidacy and that of Ferrer is that you both guarantee the model, but that he does it with the support of Laporta and you don't?
Not only that. We recognize the legacy of Laporta. But now we need to talk about the future of Barça. The big difference will be that those who go with Jaume don't have a past in this Barça, they will have been two years or less at the club. While we were at the club since 2003, that is a guarantee of knowledge.

What will your role be?
I want to have an active role and I'm at the disposal of Marc.

If you win, you will again work in the social area?
There will be novelties. We will bring our experience to the table, but also new concepts. I am thinking about making innovative proposals regarding the club members, in terms of new services, new ways of participation...

Based upon your experience as a Barcelona supporter and a director, which two candidacies will end up fighting for the presidency?
Right now I see a bipolarisation Ingla-Rosell.

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

Read more:
Godall and Soriano will be vice-presidents Ingla
Ingla: "We are the real continuity candidacy"
Godall confirms he is part of Ingla candidacy

interview: ferran correas - ramiro martín-llanos

Who are the people behind Jaume Ferrer?

On his profile page on social networking site Facebook, Barcelona first vice-president Alfons Godall has explained why he doesn't understand the support of Barcelona president Joan Laporta for assets vice-president and presidential candidate Jaume Ferrer:

"Ferrer is driven by three engines. The entourage of the sons of former Catalan president Pujol [note: jordi puyol - picture - was the president of the catalan government from 1980 until 2003], the former director and former brother-in-law of the president [note: alejandro echevarría, click the "echevarria" tag below to know more] and the current board members who couldn't accept being left aside by my candidacy. The first two engines are clearly anti-laporta, respectively for political and personal reasons."

Read more:
Ferrer denies support former brother-in-law Laporta
Barcagate: The Ferrer report
Godall doesn't believe in Ferrer-Rosell duel

Ferrer denies support former brother-in-law Laporta

Asked about the rumours that former Barcelona director Alejandro Echevarría (picture, on the right), the ex-brother-in-law of Barcelona president Joan Laporta (read more here), is supporting his presidential candidacy, Barcelona assets vice-president Jaume Ferrer seemed to say in an interview with Catalan radio station COM Ràdio that Echevarría isn't part of his team:

"That's not important, that's irrelevant. Alejandro Echevarría was a colleague within the board of directors and we kept good relationships after he left. I think I can call him a friend. About some things we think very differently, about others we think the same.

He's someone who alwasy acted very good towards me, it's someone who I talk to about a lot of issues but he isn't linked with FC Barcelona anymore, he has distanced himself from the club and so in that perspective he's irrelevant."

Alejandro Echevarría, at that time still the brother-in-law of Laporta, joined the Barcelona board in February 2004. On 20 October 2005, he left the club after accusations that he was a member of a foundation dedicated to the life and works of former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco (read more here).

Read more:
Former brother-in-law Laporta reappearing on stage
The Board Movements (2003-2009)
Former vice-president Franquesa to support Ferrer

Former brother-in-law Laporta reappearing on stage

Catalan sports weekly paper Gol claims that Barcelona treasurer Xavier Sala i Martín has tried to convince former Barcelona director Alejandro Echevarría to join the candidacy he will be part of in the upcoming presidential elections.

Sala i Martín and Echevarría, the brother of Barcelona president Joan Laporta's ex-spouse Constanza Echevarría, are reported to have met at the Luz de Gas night club in Barcelona but after the talks a deal wouldn't seem likely.

Two Catalan sports journalists, 'Diego Valor' and Alex Santos, meanwhile claim on their respective blogs that Echevarría is in the background supporting the candidacy of Barcelona assets vice-president Jaume Ferrer.

Alejandro Echevarría, at that time still the brother-in-law of Laporta, joined the Barcelona board in February 2004. On 20 October 2005, he left the club after accusations that he was a member of a foundation dedicated to the life and works of former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco (read more here).

Read more:
The Board Movements (2003-2009)
No deal after new Godall-Ferrer negotiations