Okoro Daniel O.
Xavi Hernandez’s return to Camp Nou.
Just through watching him [Xavi] sign a contract as the new FC Barcelona head coach via a live stream on FC Barcelona’s page.
First of,
It’s a pleasure to have our legend back to Nou Camp. I knew he’d come back someday, but never knew it’d be this soon. In his words; “it’s not a goodbye…”, so yeah, no need for ‘welcome’.
Now back to play,
Xavi would survive Barcelona without Messi more than Ronald Koeman ever does, both with (and without) Leo. Yeah, you heard me right.
****Drumroll****
I know you’ve read couple of articles out there, all pointing to how Xavi wouldn’t ‘glow’ using the current squad coupled with the current condition at FC Barcelona, and how his experiences as a coach were only gotten from Qatar where the pattern of football aren’t as tough (or competitive) as that of the top 5 leagues’.
In the same vein, I ran into an article that plotted a curtail that “Guardiola’s success as FC Barcelona coach was because he had a ‘deadly’ squad, and that any coach could easily succeed with such squad.” What a joke that was.
The same article, however, did also make references to Ronald Koeman‘s tenor at FCB, and how he couldn’t thrive…
Let’s start from here, yeah, the Ronaldo Koeman part.
FC Barcelona has relieved Ronald Koeman of his duties as first team coach
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 27, 2021
You see, way before Ronald Koeman’s announcement as the new FCB head coach, I’d predicted his Camp Nou comeback as a bound to fail project. This because, I’ve watched couple of games he had while in Everton, gosh!, FC Almeria won’t even dare to sign such a director.
This is to show you how terrific he was. His style of coordination, everything, poor! Enyimba FC would even flog his ‘then’ Everton side, no pun intended. Same Everton he almost ran into relegation?
Wouldn’t like to dive deeper into how he successfully catastrophe FCB into a sinking ship, and trying to turn the club into Netherlands FC, gave Luis Suarez away, and brought a ‘dying’ Luke De Jong as part of his supposedly “project.” You know the story already, so let’s not talk about it.
In a nutshell, Ronald Koeman wasn’t supposed to be a coach at FC Barcelona in the first place.
👔 A new era. pic.twitter.com/zCZFvEcAyI
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 8, 2021
Now back to Xavi,
After Ronald Koeman’s dismissal and news of Xavi’s return circulated the media, these exactly were my words;
“If I were Xavi, I’d turn FC Barcelona’s proposal down, and instead, gather more experiences to my sack first before returning back to Camp Nou. Same way I wouldn’t recommend Steven Gerrard’s return to Anfield anytime soon. Frank Lampard, and clueless Koeman can explain better.”
But after a while, I retorted. Possibilities of Xavi’s survival at the club then began soiling in. Here’s why;
Xavi won’t play the same pattern of football as Ronald Koeman’s. Take my words on this, he definitely won’t!
Benching of playmakers for favorites would reduce. Koeman doesn’t even have a static starting XI.
Xavi as a player was more like Carles Puyol, they don’t take shii. As a coach, I believe he’d do better.
Forget experience, he’d thrive! Guardiola’s first coaching job was at FC Barcelona B before the main team, yet he survived.
He’d definitely bring changes to the squad, both by signing new players and letting go of incapable ones, and this team will grow.
The Xavi Rules: pic.twitter.com/rJYtqD6u4m
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 8, 2021
Meanwhile, will Xavi’s reappearance expedite the progress of change at FC Barcelona? Is Xavi the new Guardiola of FCB? Well, I’d say…
We’ll see!
But please, reduce the rate at which you expect ‘immediate’ magic. Be pessimistic too, e get why.
Finally, Memphis Depay or Ansu Fati? Ansu Fati over Depay any effing time!!!
Welcome back to FC Barcelona, maestro, Xavier Hernández Creus.
Until next time (after the international break), #KeepStayingSafe, y’all!
Adios.
Below are words from Xavi during the contract signing on 08/11/2021;
“I am very excited” he said. “I want to thank the club and everyone here. You have given me goose-bumps. I just want to say one thing. We are the best club in the world and we will work hard to achieve success. We can’t afford to draw or lose. We are Barça and we have to win every game.”
He added that “you don’t know how touched I am. We need you, especially through bad times. We are in a difficult situation as a club, but now we have to think only about what’s good for Barça”.
