The Quotes: Ferrer, Benedito, Laporta, Rosell, Salvat

"Let's be honest, not all candidates believe in the youth academy. If they believe in a project based on transfers, they should dare to say it."

Jaume Ferrer


"Today, we have 1.300 signatures in our hands."

Agustí Benedito


"A company of mister Alexandre Rosell is linked with a presumed case of corruption by five public prosecutors in Brazil. I think that he should give an explanation, because this is very serious and the club member should have all elements needed to make a choice in the elections."

Joan Laporta


"My company had a contract with the government of Brasilia, who is involved in irregularities. There is no investigation against us, we have only been asked to provide information, which we did."

Sandro Rosell


"If the club needs more revenues, we should analyze if we will look for a shirt sponsor."

Santiago Salvat

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Ingla wants to appoint club ambassadors

The candidacy of Barcelona presidential candidate Marc Ingla has yesterday announced at a press conference that they want to appoint club ambassadors around the world in case Ingla wins the elections for president on Sunday 13 June.

The ambassador would be the representative of the board of directors in a region where the club has an "embassy", which can be a commercial centre or a youth academy. The cities in which the club would have a seat are Abidjan, Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Mexico, Moscow, New York, Oslo, Sao Paulo and Tokyo.

The ambassadors will be part of a new Global Advisory Council that will advice the board regarding the club's international policy and the policy in their respective regions. It will be an honorary post, that doesn't include a salary.

The candidacy already announced yesterday the name of one person that would be appointed as club ambassador, namely that of Japanese businessman Hiroshi Mikitani [picture], who would become the ambassador in Tokyo.

Hiroshi Mikitani is the chairman and chief executive of online shopping mall operator Rakuten. Mikitani is also the owner of Japanese football club Vissel Kobe and Japanese baseball club Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.

Read more:
Ingla wants global youth academy
Rosell to file lawsuit against Ingla
[picture] Japanese signature for Ingla

Cartoon 37: Electoral battle intensifies

* Ingla goes after Rosell, Sandruscu will press charges against Ingla, Laporta slices Alexandre Rosell: if the dirty war doesn't end, the member may in the end not be very motivated to put his vote in the ballot box. *


(click the cartoon to enlarge)


by caye

source:
sport

check more election cartoons here

Rosell: "I don't represent the Brazilian school"

Barcelona presidential candidate Sandro Rosell gave an interview to Catalan newspaper El Periódico.

translation: archie valparaiso

You've talked about proposing some players to Guardiola. Isn't that interfering in the coach's bailiwick?
I said we had some proposals. If they're asking whether we've got Wayne Rooney, for example, well, no. If we win the elections on the 14th, we'll sit down with the coaching staff and ask them, "Apart from what you wanted, we've got this and this. Are you interested?" And he'll be the one who decides.

You seem as if you like being hands-on, to want to be the team's general manager
I'm standing as chairman and that's what I want to be. I won't act as a coach or manager.

That implies that some players have been looked into and a commitment has been reached with some of them.
Yes, some people have been working to see if it could help Barça.

Who?
People from the pre-candidacy campaign.

And they'll be working in the sports department if you win the election?
No, not necessarily.

It's also been pointed out that you have your own sports-marketing company. Where do you draw the line between private business and Barça?
If we win, I'll sell it. Not because of any conflict of interest, but because I won't have the time. That's the essential reason. Having said that, the company is the same one I had in 2003. Those who criticise me now were perfectly happy for me to have it seven years ago, and I was the one who introduced them to people like Pelé, Havelange, Blatter, Platini, and so on. Back then it was fantastic, but now it's the devil's work, apparently.

Will you stop working or work less?
I'll work less for my companies so I can give Barça all the time it needs.

You carry the stigma of being Florentino Pérez transferred to Barça. Does that worry you or make you feel uncomfortable?
It's simply false. We're nothing alike in terms of the types of people we are. It's been proven that a decision with a consensus is always better than one made individually. And a signing is an important decision. That's how we'll work at Barça.

More labels: you defend the Brazilian school while today's Barça is inspired by the Dutch school
Look, we signed Ronaldinho, Belletti, Edmilson and Silvinho. They cost us 32 million and three of them played in the [2006 Champions League] final in Paris. And they won two Spanish league titles as well. Then, by selling Ronaldinho and Belletti, the club recovered 25 million of that. Now there are four Brazilians - Alves, Maxwell, Keirrison and Henrique - who cost 76 million. In the last match only Alves played, because Maxwell was injured, while two of them, Keirrison and Henrique, have never been seen on the pitch. And I'm supposed to represent the Brazilian school? Do me a favour!

Is Guardiola beyond all doubt?
Of course he is. And to demonstrate our confidence in him, if we win we'll be offering him a contract for our full term of office, six years. With annual renewals and quantitative and qualitative targets to be met. Because we know that's how Pep is going to want it.

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

Read more:
Rosell: "Barça is not only about goals and titles"
"Sandro Rosell" not on support slips
Rosell wants to regulate new members

interview: david torras - joan domènech

[picture] The human tower of Jaume Ferrer

A "castell" build before the entrance of the hall where Barcelona presidential candidate Jaume Ferrer yesterday officially presented his candidacy for the presidency of FC Barcelona.

Torres not willing to negotiate with candidates

Spanish sports paper SportYou claims that Liverpool forward Fernando Torres (26) has rejected an approach by Barcelona presidential candidate Sandro Rosell, who wanted to sound him out on a transfer to Barcelona this summer in case he would be elected as president.

Torres, who would have decided to leave Liverpool this summer, is reportedly not willing to talk with candidates but would be open for negotiations after the elections. After Barcelona signed David Villa earlier this month, a transfer to Barcelona would nevertheless not be an option anymore.

British tabloid paper The Daily Mirror claimed last week that Rosell would want to reproduce the Villa-Torres pairing in Barcelona. So far, there would only have been tentative enquiries, but when Rosell is elected as president he could launch a bid of more than 80 million euros. By the end of the World Cup, Rosell might have raised more funds by selling players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thierry Henry.

Read more:
Torres not rejecting approach by Rosell
Candidates are trying to interfere in transfer talks
Rosell linked with Valencia winger Mata

The Quotes: Guixa, Minguella, Soriano, Salvat, Rosell

"We will all have difficulties to get the 2.095 signatures. The decision of Laporta that didn't allow us to collect signatures at the last league game has hurt us. We'll have to wait and see what happens."

Jaume Guixà


"The only thing I would ask Txiki if he wants to continue is that he would clearly explain me how and why Henrique and Keirrison have been transferred."

Josep Maria Minguella


"I don't understand why Sandro Rosell goes to Madrid and declares there that we have a catastrophic debt while that's a lie. We have a debt of around 240 millions, which is less than our opponents."

Ferran Soriano


"Barça should not have links with countries that seem to be a dictatorship."

Santiago Salvat


"I am not against the collective sale of the television rights but only if it doesn't hurt our interests."

Sandro Rosell

read more election quotes here