Ferrer: "We want to convince Txiki to stay"

Barcelona assets vice-president and presidential candidate Jaume Ferrer has opened an account at online question service Formspring. This blog will follow the account and keep you updated on the questions and answers published on there.


Shouldn't the reclassification of the Miniestadi be stopped?
We're not talking about a sale, but about a way to make the club richer with the reclassification of an area that can be given a new residential value.

You talk about continuing the project but with a change of style. How will that change become concrete?
Basically you'll see it in the relations with the institutions and in the efficiency. Also in the discretion, because I don't think the president of Barça has to appear in the press every day since for me, the most important people are the players. The directors should manage things and we often need to work in silence.

The social projects that the club has developed make me feel proud. And if I'm not wrong, the agreement with Unicef finalizes in 2011. What is the probability that the deal will be renewed if you are elected as president?
We also want to be more than a club in the world and we achieve that by continuing to wear Unicef on the shirt.

Who do you want as sports director?
We count on Txiki Begiristain and we want to convince him to stay. He has done a good job as head of the technical department and we believe in this model of sports management that is based on his position, in addition to the coach of the first team and the head of the youth football section, and that has given us so many successes.

There is a condition in the statutes that says you should have your legal residence in Catalonia if you want to become president of FC Barcelona. As a Majorcan catalanist, I want to ask you if you don't think that the catalanism of Joan Laporta is becoming a little xenophobic.
The club must and will not abandon its Catalan identity and what we need to do is recover the good relations with the institutions. On the other hand, it is also needed that a member from here, from Mallorca or from Cadiz should feel equally comfortable.

Read more:
"My project is totally innovative"
"Focus on America, Asia and Africa"
"I'm the current management without Laporta"

Ferrer: "I'm the current management without Laporta"

Barcelona assets vice-president and presidential candidate Jaume Ferrer has opened an account at online question service Formspring. This blog will follow the account and keep you updated on the questions and answers published on there.


As president, will you get involved in politics? Will you use the media coverage the position brings along to comment on non-sports related issues?
My involvement in politics is limited to my concerns as a citizen. I don't think that the Barça president has to get involved in politics and if I would end up being the president of the club I will not do that, nor will I ever take part in a demonstration. Barça should not be an instrument of anything.

What do you think about the atmosphere at the Palau when the different sections are playing and what will you do to improve it? And will you only talk about football or will the other sections also have a place in your program?
I have been the person responsible for the sections and as the current head of the handball section it is clear to me that not only football has to play an important role in the club. The sections are very important and to improve them we need to build a new Palau with a better visibility and a larger capacity.

I think that, rather than opening football academies outside Catalonia, it would be good to have one in Girona, Tarragona and Lleida [capitals of the three other catalan provinces]. I know that there are a lot of young people who cannot attend a football school because of financial reasons.
Our academy already counts on young talents from different regions, like Fontàs, Muniesa, Dalmau or Bartra. The first three are from the province of Girona and the last one comes from the region of Tarragona. That's part of the role of our own youth academy. Those from outside Catalonia have the task to look for future stars in an international environment. All this with the final goal to have a team on the pitch that includes players from our own academy and players with international fame who make the difference.

I'm a club member of FC Barcelona and I would like to know which three things you would improve, things in which you think the club did not act properly and that you now, with the experience you have, would change?
Basically, I think we have to put all our attention on improving the social area of the club. We need to have a club that is closer to the member, that gives an answer to their concerns, that makes things easier for them and that allows them to particpate in their capacity of owner of the club. It is clear that the economic and the sports area are functioning well and we can only strenghten them to continue making Barça known around the world as more than a club.

I would like to know a bit more about the difference between your project and that of Godall, because I don't see things clear.
It's very simple: Jaume Ferrer is the current management without Joan Laporta, and Alfons Godall is the current management with Joan Laporta.

Do you think a unification of your candidacy and the one of Godall is possible? And with the candidacy of Rosell?
This is not the moment for pacts and I didn't consider any other option than that of leading an own candidacy.

Read more:
Ferrer: "The homegrown players are the basis"
Ferrer: "Efficiency, discretion and renewal"
Ferrer: "My project is totally innovative"
Ferrer: "Focus on America, Asia and Africa"

Ferrer: "Focus on America, Asia and Africa"

Barcelona assets vice-president and presidential candidate Jaume Ferrer has opened an account at online question service Formspring. This blog will follow the account and keep you updated on the questions and answers published on there.


Who will in your candidacy assume the vice-presidency in both the sports and the economic area?
The formation of our team is very advanced, but we'll comment on these issues once the elections are called.

If you were president, would you continue with the reform of the Camp Nou exactly as planned by Foster?
The remodelling of the stadium is necessary because the Camp Nou has to fit the needs of the club member. This would also allow us to compete on an equal footing with the best European clubs.

We all know that, sooner or later, the Palau Blaugrana will have to be remodelled so that there would be a capacity of ten thousand people. How will you encourage the Barcelona supporters to go to the Palau if there is now an average attendance of only five thousand spectators?
I think there is enough demand to be able to fill a larger Palau and if we have more capacity we can also improve the supply of tickets.

Who will win the elections?
I respect all candidates, but my own objetive is to reach the presidency of FC Barcelona.

It looks as if the candidacy of Sandro Rosell thinks to cancel the position of sports director. With which model do you identify yourself more, with what he may propose or with what will probably be put forward by Alfons Godall?
Our project will defend the same model that has given us so many successes, which includes a sports director, a coach and a head of the youth academy. We want a team of players that came through the youth teams, plus players from around the world who can make the differences.

It seems that candidates like Alfons Godall and Sandro Rosell have recently discovered basketball... [godall and rosell assisted a couple of weeks ago a basketball game] What do you think about this?
I think it's great, it's never too late. As far as I'm concerned, I'm already assisting the games at the Palau for many years, not only the basketball games but also those of hockey and handball.

Will you continue with the Foster project? What is the current situation? Will the whole stadium be covered?
We should re-think the Foster project so the costs are more reasonable, but in any case the project should include to cover the whole Camp Nou.

What do you plan to do for the internationalization of the club?
Today we have already achieved that the FCB brand is global and what is needed now is that we go more into depth through media platforms, new markets, especially in America, Asia and Africa.

Read more:
Ferrer: "The homegrown players are the basis"
Ferrer: "Efficiency, discretion and renewal"
Ferrer: "My project is totally innovative"

Ferrer: "My project is totally innovative"

Barcelona assets vice-president and presidential candidate Jaume Ferrer has opened an account at online question service Formspring. This blog will follow the account and keep you updated on the questions and answers published on there.


As a club member without a season-ticket, I want the next board to give a 50% reduction on the price of the tickets offered to members without season-ticket instead of the current 20%, which is not enough.
We agree that we should give more facilities to the member that has no season-ticket so he can come and watch the games at the stadium. The reductions will be bigger.

Would you support the creation of an 'animation stand' at the Camp Nou, like there was the "Youth Stand" in the nineties?
Of course. We want to stimulate the animation in the stadium and we should see what is the best way to do it. We will soon present new proposals to encourage this.

Do you think the club can gain 1.000 millions a year as was stated by Godall?
That would represent a yearly increase of 17 or 18%, something that is possible for Barça. We could be talking about 800 or 900 millions.

Will someone like Mr Soriano or another popular figure be part of your candidacy? Couldn't Mr Borras [current director] take up the role of Mr Casaus [former vice-president responsible for the social area], but then in a good way?
Our candidacy includes people of the board of directors, who believe in the current sports and economic model and want to strengthen that, but we will add new people because this will certainly enrich our program. We want people who believe in our project and Mr Borras is one of them.

Do you think it is ethical to continue as vice-president given that you have already announced your intention to take part in the elections?
All opinions are respectable and I understand your point of view, but the statutes of the club clearly indicate the day we should resign.

Do you exclude a deal with Sandro Rosell?
I can assure that I will get to the end alone. Despite my good relationships with Sandro Rosell, as well as with Alfonso Godall, my project is totally innovative.

You think that Laporta has been a good president for Barça?
Joan Laporta will go down in history as one of the best presidents, as happened with Miró-Sans, Núñez or others.

Why did you stay on after you were spied upon?
Continuing at the club was an act of responsibility. Otherwise it would not have been possible to give continuity to the model that led us to win everything.

Read more:
Ferrer: "The homegrown players are the basis"
Ferrer: "Efficiency, discretion and renewal"

Ferrer: "Efficiency, discretion and renewal"

Barcelona assets vice-president and presidential candidate Jaume Ferrer has opened an account at online question service Formspring. This blog will follow the account and keep you updated on the most interesting questions and answers published on there.


You had already decided to run for president of Barça when you, after some doubts, ended up supporting the board after the vote of no confidence in 2008?
No, at that moment my position was simply an act of responsibility. President Laporta was motivated to continue and I decided to support him, accepting all the consequences that could have.

Do you think that the Catalan identity of Barça is crucial in the club's identity? If you think so, what role should Barça play within the Catalan nationalism movement?
Of course it is. Barça should always support the Catalan institutions, but never be used as a political instrument.

Don't you think that the president of Barça, as representative of a global club, should try to "take care" of the fans outside Catalonia? I think there have been some statements that should be avoided...
Without forgetting that we are a Catalan club and what we represent, we must keep in mind that not only people living in Catalonia are club members or fans. We need to accommodate the fans outside of Catalonia and try to make them also feel comfortable.

Who will be the sports director? And what will be your transfer policy? Will the youth players continue to be as important in the first team?
For the position of sports director, I continue to believe in Txiki Begiristain. I think he has done an excellent job and as far as I'm concerned it just depends on him wanting to continue. The transfer policy should not be dictated by other people than the coach, Josep Guardiola, and the sports director. And the first team should obviously be fed, as far as possible, with players of the academy.

Do you completely rule out a deal with Alfons Godall, Agustí Benedito or Ferran Soriano? Because you are all heirs of the best Barça in history, and the battle against Sandro Rosell will be very tough.
My candidacy continues to have the doors open, but I think that now is the time for everyone to make their program public.

Could you define your project in three words?
Efficiency, discretion and renewal.

What differentiates your project of that headed by Alfons Godall?
My candidacy is an innovative one that besides wishing to strengthen the economic model and the sports model, also wants to provide a breath of fresh air. I believe in the current model, but I also believe that the new president has to stay away from self-centeredness. The president of Barça has to limit himself to his job and let the professionals do their work, appear less in the media and make sure that everything functions in an efficient and discreet way.

Who will be part of your team?
As you already know I have the support of board members Albert Perrín, Alfons Castro, Jordi Torrent, Jacint Borrás and Josep Antón Colomer. There are also other new people who will bring fresh ideas and whom you will get to know soon.

Shouldn't the club give a little more importance to the other sports, especially basketball?
Without any doubt. During those years I got to know the other sports because I was responsible for the handball section. The club is not just a football club. Basketball, handball and roller hockey, plus the other sports, are also very important to us. Moreover, I am a big basketball fan and when it's possible I always attend the home games.

How will the support of Laporta for the other vice-president affect your campaign?
As a club member, Joan Laporta is free to support who he wants, like every other member who will be able to express himself the day of the elections. I have already said on more than one occasion that because of their friendship it is normal that Laporta supports Godall.

Read more:
Ferrer: "The homegrown players are the basis"

Ferrer: "The homegrown players are the basis"

Barcelona assets vice-president and presidential candidate Jaume Ferrer has opened an account at online question service Formspring. This blog will follow the account and keep you updated on the most interesting questions and answers published on there.


How would you explain that all pre-candidates that have come out so far have been part of the board that won in 2003? It gives the impression that a position in the board is very important when running for president.
It is true that most people who are taking part were members of the board of directors in 2003. I sincerely believe that the important thing is not where the candidates come from, but to make sure that there is a wide range of candidates so that the members have many options to choose from.

As a member of Barça, I have my doubts about who to vote for. My suggestion is not to continue with Txiki as sports director and this will be one of the key points when deciding my vote.
Our plan is to strengthen the sports model that has led us to win six cups while playing excellent football. We believe that the club's technical department and the staff of team have demonstrated that they are a guarantee to keep on being successful, so at this moment we would like to continue with the current technical staff.

Some people think that the fact that there are two candidates from the board of directors is a strategy organized by the board. Can you assure that you will never make a deal with Godall and that you won't step out of the electoral process before the end?
What I can assure you is that I will be the person who will lead my own project. Although we are of course open to any member who wants to join our team.

If you were elected president of Barça, and I hope it will be like that, which player would you like to sign?
We believe that now is the time to talk about projects rather than about signings. In any case, the decisions on the transfers should be taken by the sports director and the coach.

Would you strike a deal with Sandro Rosell?
I think that we are now in the process where the pre-candidates have to prepare their projects and make it known to the public.

Like all of us, you probably want that Guardiola continues, but if he doesn't who would be your first choice to coach Barça?
Last week we received the excellent news of the renewal agreement between Guardiola and the club. For us, his word carries much weight and therefore our first choice is obviously him.

Do you think that the billionaire transfers (Kaká, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic) are needed in modern football and that Barça has to adapt to this, or are you totally against it?
We believe that the basis of first team have to be players who were formed at the academy and the youth teams of Barça. The international players we bring to the club have to be top level players who add some extra quality.

Read more:
A first look at the project of Ferrer
Boix will not choose between Godall and Ferrer
Former brother-in-law Laporta reappearing on stage