I'd happily take Barcelona's 'decline' over what weve been treated to the last 4 years. Another year of failing to challenge for the title beckons..
Barcelona mismanagement leading to a decline
- Thread starter AkaAkuma
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) is joined by CEO Duncan Drasdo and Financial Director Andy Green from the Manchester United Supporters Trust for a special episode on all things behind the scenes at Old Trafford including a brief history of MUST and their aims today, views on INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe so far, and the Old Trafford regeneration.
It doesn't, Mourinho will challenge for the title.
Fantastic attempt at derailing the thread.
Not at all, its relevant to the title which I think is designed to shock. Barcelona havent gone into decline, they just are no longer THE dominant force in European football. We on the otherhand have.
They have wasted the prime years of the Messi, Suarez & Neymar combination if they don't win the CL this season.
I really don't think Rakitic is up to scratch for them. He's obviously a good player but considering Barca teams over the last few years, to me he sticks out like a sore thumb. Iniesta is getting on too. They really should have tried to keep a hold of Thiago.
Every move in Spanish football is being watched too which is probably causing the dodgy bastards some issues. It's becoming apparent that Barce and Real won't be able to keep pace with the English clubs they just done have the money.
Don't be naive. They are 2 colossal clubs with fans all over the world, huge marketing deals and still get a big chunk of the overall Spanish league money. They might not dominate like before, but of course they will keep pace unless they are catastrophically mismanaged. Just look at their trophy cabinets.
Barsa will have a lean period when Messi finally retires, but they will bounce right back. Bartomeu their president has to go though. He's squandered the riches Laporta left the club and been a poor leader.
I'm not doubting the size of the club's or what they've won they are massive clubs but I don't think the finances are great especially Barcelona who have a massive wage budget to pay.
That doesn't mean we won't see a big signing from time to time but I can't see them spending like the English clubs.
No money to improve the team, they gives all to Messi and Neymar
Damning article.
Is it true MSN take a third of their wage budget?
Maybe no one wants to play for him, lol!
Real Madrid seems to have pretty solid finances. They've cut down their debt next to nothing and are spending rather modestly.
Barsa, yeah, they have more problems. But I still think they sort them out once Bartomeu is gone.
The biggest personnel mistake I think Barcelona has made is letting Thiago go for peanuts to Bayern. He was Xavi's heir.
Just wait until the next crop emerges from the academy. They'll be back on top before you know it.
- Huge wages tied up in star players
- Overpaid for average back-up players, hurting both finances and resulting in lack of depth
- Unable to recoup money from player sales
- Not replaced the likes of Xavi and Alves properly (and Iniesta too, to a degree)
- Natural decline (i.e. difficult to maintain the kind of dominance they had, for ANY team)
Collectively I would say these are the reasons why they are not quite the team they once were.
Why? That trio already won the CL.
I don't think winning just 1 does justice to that collection of talent in its prime.
I have to disagree, that's an insult to their opponents particularly Real Madrid, Atletico and Juventus. That trio has no claim to win more.
Fabregas was expensive and not good and Thiago had a low clause because Luis Enrique didn't use him enough.
The board, they were moving away from the Cruyff model and using La Masia. Everything since has proven Thiago was just the beginning
Well, Real Madrid won 3 CL's in the last 4 years. However it's not necessarily because of their front trio but more because their squad is fairly balanced while Barca's defence/midfield is clearly a bit inferior so I think saying MSN should have won more is slightly harsh on them.
In my opinion Barcelona will be better off without one of the members of the front free, they need to allocate the wage in other places and they need to play with eleven players instead of focusing on the front three.
Do you know or understand their plans? From the outside the current board seems clueless.
They want to make money, they are corporate stooges and not football people much less fans of the club. From a sporting perspective they are interested in buying & selling which they don't do well either. There's been unsuccessful motion to censor the current board but it's a harbinger of things to come, no way Barto et al make it to the end of their term
Come on then you bastards!! Come and take Coutinho you fecking cnuts!! 
What's that? You're fecked? Good.
Sorry had to get that out. Southampton fans probably feel the same.
What's that? You're fecked? Good. Sorry had to get that out. Southampton fans probably feel the same.
But a very good team with a strong identity/legacy will make more money than what they are doing. There is a mystic around Cruyff and La Masia, it's stupid for Barcelona to distance themselves from it.
Seems obvious to many, not just a minority of the club members who have been vocal since Rosell/Bartomeu were elected. But there are a lot of old socis who perhaps tired of Laporta's flirtations with politics and bought into the smeer campaign (Also Rosell/Bartomeu) against him for alleged financial losses/theft that Joan was ultimately vindicated of in court.
Cruyff was diametrically opposed to corporate whores like Rosell & Bartomeu who are not motivated by the virtues of the club - they seemingly are intent on going in an opposite direction. The degradation of La Masia, the cornerstone of the club really speaks volumes.
This is only a part of the famed entorno
The wages are net, not gross. Quite usual in Spain and Italy.
That is why I was not really afraid that Thiago would leave Bayern. His mates from his Barcelona time (I do not mean the ones in the first team, but even there corner stones like Puyol and Xavi) have all gone elsewhere - apart from his brother and I do not know if he will really be their longterm as he might not get the playing time.
I'll be interested to see how Semedo does for them. A lot of Mendes recent transfers have been hyped up only to fail.
Alli and Kane say hi.
Clearly you do not follow the economic status of football.
This will never happen. They will be lucky to even stay remotely within reach.
The PL's revenues are double that of La Liga and this is not projected to change. If anything, I think the gap will increase.
FYI I am fascinated by the financial side
Of sports and follow this closely.
We've just signed Semedo which excites me beyond belief.
Now all we need is a creative midfielder, losing out on Ceballos hurts especially given how stacked the Madrid midfield already is.
If we do not sign a new midfielder, I want to see Roberto move into midfield along with Rakitic. They are both box-to-box midfielders (which arguably goes against our philosophy) but they both have underrated technical ability. Roberto in particular is a good dribbler and good at carrying the ball forward.
Someone like Coutinho or Eriksen would be a dream signing though.
Now all we need is a creative midfielder, losing out on Ceballos hurts especially given how stacked the Madrid midfield already is.
If we do not sign a new midfielder, I want to see Roberto move into midfield along with Rakitic. They are both box-to-box midfielders (which arguably goes against our philosophy) but they both have underrated technical ability. Roberto in particular is a good dribbler and good at carrying the ball forward.
Someone like Coutinho or Eriksen would be a dream signing though.
Speaking of Semedo, why didn't we go for him? Seem to recall we were quite interested in January.
True, either you're good enough to win it (which they did) or you're not. On paper they're good but football is about 11 players and subs, not just a front three.
No. Moved to RB to make sure he was on the pitch
Seri and it can still result in accomplishing off-season tasks. Somehow switch Munir back for Paco and job done
Replace the names by Scholes and Keane and what have we here
The two stories fail to line up when you take the effect of Sir Alex into account. Similar symptoms, different root cause.
He's much better in midfield, in fact the sad part is he was showing such promise and ability but suddenly Alves was gone and he was converted. He's football intelligence made it possible but in midfield is where he shines, for example he was a starter in the 4-0 win against Madrid at the Bernabeu in 15/16 and tore Madrid open with forwards run and one of them resulting in an assist to Suarez.
Big blow for Barcelona. They've lost a key player, looked like fools kicking up a fuss by trying to report PSG to La Liga and UEFA. Might not have time to find a suitable replacement, the squad's confidence will have taken a hit. Looks like Valverde has a big season ahead of him.
What happend to their youths? Didn't they have an asian wonder kid playing on the wing?
Hilarious: Give a player a ridiculous release clause that you don't expect anyone to pay, club meets clause, grass out said club for FFP reasons, the deal still goes through 