The Pundit: Fabian Ortiz on Sandro Rosell

One can understand the strategy of Rosell, who sees silence as an ally, because he doesn't have the gift of speech, and even less when it comes down to speaking in public.

Fabián Ortiz,
Don Balón

Ferrer confirms that he will run for president

Barcelona assets vice-president Jaume Ferrer has earlier today announced in an interview with Cataluna radio station Catalunya Ràdio that he will be a candidate in next year's elections for president of FC Barcelona: "Yes, I will run for president. I have the will and the desire to form a candidacy and to win the elections".

Ferrer, who admitted that he was close to resigning when he found out he had been spied upon by the club earlier this year (read more here), said that he hadn't been able to find an agreement with Barcelona first vice-president Alfons Godall to present one unique board candidacy.

The 46-year old Catalan businessman, who is part of the board of directors since current Barcelona president Joan Laporta took office in 2003, confirmed that he has the support of five current board members: institutional vice-president Albert Perrín and directors Alfons Castro, Jacint Borràs, Josep Anton Colomer and Jordi Torrent.

After the radio interview, Ferrer confirmed to Spanish news agency EFE that his decision was final and that there was no way back. The news agency claims that Ferrer could launch his project as early as next Monday, which could lead to a new crisis in the board of directors and another reshuffle of powers by Barcelona president Joan Laporta.

The main reasons why Ferrer and Godall weren't able to find a deal would have been the fact that Ferrer didn't want Barcelona treasurer Xavier Sala i Martín and Barcelona chief executive Joan Oliver to continue at the club and that Godall didn't accept to include some of the board members loyal to Ferrer in his candidacy and to appoint Ferrer as first vice-president.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo had claimed earlier this Wednesday that Ferrer had yesterday confirmed during a series of meetings with his closest collaborators that he would be a candidate and that he would soon make the news public.

Ferrer was said to already be preparing the official presentation of his candidacy in the first weeks of January. The vice-president reportedly wants to keep the same club model but introduce another style of governing, closer to the club members and avoiding that the club gets involved in controversies.

Read more:
Jaume Ferrer will run for president
Godall to announce candidacy in two weeks
Vice-president Perrin confirms candidacy Ferrer

Guixa: "The most powerful candidacy is ours"

Barcelona presidential candidate Jaume Guixà gave an interview to Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu.


You are president of a penya, a Barcelona fans' club. Do you think you could have the support of a large part of the fans' clubs?
I would be the first president of a fans' club to preside over the club and that is a very exciting thought. The laportism has been distancing themselves from the penyes. There have been four different vice-presidents in charge of the social area and with none of them there has been an improvement. The fans' clubs, which are the backbone of the club around the country, are discouraged and absent.

The fact that Jaume Sobrequés [former vice-president between 1993 and 2000, read more here] is part of your candidacy could lead to think you will try to collect the votes of the supporters of former president Núñez.
I won't hide myself. For me, the reign of Núñez has brought the club very good things. He had a vision for the future on issues like the acquisition of the land, for example that of the current training centre, or the start of the youth academy... Jaume Sobrequés represents the freedom of thought. He always says what he thinks and that is his main quality. He's not just part of my candidacy to be on the list, but to work.

In 2006, you were also supported by Jordi Majó [candidate in the 2003 elections, when he finished third behind joan laporta and lluís bassat].
Yes, I contacted him to ask his advice on some issues regarding the electoral process. And although he did not want to support anyone, he saw we were acting in a serious and professional way and he gave us his support. The truth is that I have not talked with him recently, but the doors are open for everyone.

Back then, some also accused you of having the secret support of Sandro Rosell.
I have always denied that. We only wanted that there was an alternative in those elections. We had been working in the shadow for a long time, not because I was the straw man of anyone, but because we wanted to put together a serious project.

People think that the electoral battle between some candidates will be very tough, maybe even dirty. Does that concern you?
Since I wasn't part of the internal struggles over the recent years, this doesn't worry me at all. It is true that fifteen directors have resigned from Laporta's board and that some of those might take part in the elections, but we'll see what happens. We just want to present our project and some serious people.

Do you rule out any deal with other candidates?
I leave the door open to all club members who have motivation, time and resources to add to our candidacy. Barcelona people can join us.

But would you close an agreement with another, more powerful candidate?
At this moment, the most powerful candidacy is ours, really. We believe we can make it to the final vote.

And can you guarantee that you will be able to deposit the necessary bank guarantees?
Of course. Otherwise I would not have started this. I do believe, however, that this point of the statutes should be amended. There are fans with good ideas that might not have enough financial means to get involved. It is an unfair restriction.

this is the second and last part of this interview.

Read the first part of this interview:
Guixa: "The club is almost bankrupt"

Weekly Round-Up (4)

Every week an overview of the posts from this blog is published on Barcelona news site totalBarca.


Few minutes after Barcelona won the sixth trophy of the year and became the best club team in the history of football, Barcelona president Joan Laporta declared the election campaign opened: "It's true that we have always said that after Abu Dhabi it would be a good moment to start talking about club projects. Who wants to make a step forward, can speak out when he thinks the time is right."

The day before, there had nevertheless been a false start when a report came out claiming that Barcelona assets vice-president Jaume Ferrer will certainly be a candidate in next year's elections and that he has the support of several board members, one of them being institutional vice-president Albert Perrín, who confirmed the news: "I have nothing to rectify about what has been published."

>>> read the complete weekly round-up here

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Ex-coach Rexach considers running for president

Catalan sports weekly paper Gol claims that former Barcelona player and manager Carles "Charly" Rexach is considering to take part in the elections for president of FC Barcelona next year.

Rexach would recently have assisted a meeting organized by a group of Barcelona club members and important Catalan business people during which the latter tried to convince Rexach to run for president.

The 62-year old Catalan, who has mainly be working as a football pundit since he left the club in 2003, would be open for the idea but has reportedly asked for some more days to think about the proposal, to see how solid the project could be and to discuss things with his family and friends.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that the group of club members has already been meeting several times and that they want to propose a 'third way', besides the continuity candidate and Sandro Rosell.

The people behind the project would have clear ideas about the club model they want to propose and have the financial means needed. Rexach should head the candidacy but would nevertheless be hesitating to accept the offer.

Read more:
Could Guardiola be a future president?
Bassat will not run a third time
Will former super-agent run for president?

Godall to announce candidacy in two weeks

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona first vice-president Alfons Godall will announce in the coming weeks that he will be a candidate in the elections for president of FC Barcelona.

Godall would make his candidacy public during the second week of January, after he will have held a meeting with Barcelona assets vice-president Jaume Ferrer trying to include Ferrer and the board members that are supporting him in one unique board candidacy (read more here).

Read more:
Godall: "Being president would be a dream"
Ferrer still hoping for one board candidacy
Godall: "Laporta and I were a tandem"