BANGALORE: From the depths of despair in the early part of the decade, when the Catalan giants went trophyless for six years, to seeing his club rise to the top of European football must be a satisfying experience.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta indeed looks a satisfied man today. Laporta, smug to some, confident to others, surprised many when he once claimed that Barcelona was a car with three wheels when he took over in 2003 and was a Formula One car now. Not many can deny that.
The genial Spaniard, who was in Bangalore as part of a charity venture, spoke exclusively to The Times of India on the team, Guardiola's appointment and the new work ethic that has made Barca the toast of Spanish football this season. Excerpts...
Barcelona are runaway leaders in the Spanish Primera Liga at the moment, what makes the team so potent this season?
The secret of our success this season has been hard work. The team spirit is good and players are willing to work for each other. Technically, they are good. We had to make changes after last year's poor results and the tough decisions are paying off.
The decision to appoint Josep Guardiola as the coach of the first team raised a few eyebrows. What inspired you to pick 'Pep'?
It was a surprising decision to some, but Guardiola has adequate experience to be a good coach. He is a product of Barcelona so he knows the club well. He has been a tremendous player and a great leader. Some would say he was like a coach on the pitch during his playing days, so it was a natural choice.
The rumour mills in Europe are abuzz with reports of Barcelona planning on purchasing the Arsenal trio of Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie. Your comments...
At the moment we are pleased with our squad. We have a great set of players who are hardworking and talented. We have the likes of Messi, who is a genius, apart from stars like Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto'o, Xavi and Victor Valdes. We are enthusiastic about our present bunch so I cannot say anything about new signings.
Isn't there any player you would like to add to the Barca squad?
It is easy to put forward grand proposals to bring in players, but ultimately it is the coach who picks the team. The club can buy certain players but there is no use if Guardiola does not pick them!
With global icons in the team mixing with youngsters like Bojan Krkic and Andres Iniesta, how hard is it for the club and the coach to prevent certain players from feeling overwhelmed?
Again, I feel it all has to do with team spirit. All the players are equal on the pitch. During match weekends, we do not think about anything other than our opponents. We respect our rivals. That keeps us grounded.
Winning La Liga looks a real possibility for the Club given your current position. Will the focus be on European success this year?
I prefer to take each match at a time. I encourage the team to do the same. I do not like to pressure my players before matches. We will take things one day at a time.
Fast Facts
Name: Joan Laporta i Estruch
Age: 46
Profession: Corporate lawyer
Barcelona : Club member since August 17, 1974
Presidency: Elected president on June 15, 2003 and was re-elected in 2006
Achievements during tenure: Two Spanish Primera Liga titles (2005, 2006) and one Champions League title (2006)
Soruce: http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bend-it-like-Barcelona-Football-Club/articleshow/4120991.cms
Barcelona president Joan Laporta indeed looks a satisfied man today. Laporta, smug to some, confident to others, surprised many when he once claimed that Barcelona was a car with three wheels when he took over in 2003 and was a Formula One car now. Not many can deny that.
The genial Spaniard, who was in Bangalore as part of a charity venture, spoke exclusively to The Times of India on the team, Guardiola's appointment and the new work ethic that has made Barca the toast of Spanish football this season. Excerpts...
Barcelona are runaway leaders in the Spanish Primera Liga at the moment, what makes the team so potent this season?
The secret of our success this season has been hard work. The team spirit is good and players are willing to work for each other. Technically, they are good. We had to make changes after last year's poor results and the tough decisions are paying off.
The decision to appoint Josep Guardiola as the coach of the first team raised a few eyebrows. What inspired you to pick 'Pep'?
It was a surprising decision to some, but Guardiola has adequate experience to be a good coach. He is a product of Barcelona so he knows the club well. He has been a tremendous player and a great leader. Some would say he was like a coach on the pitch during his playing days, so it was a natural choice.
The rumour mills in Europe are abuzz with reports of Barcelona planning on purchasing the Arsenal trio of Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie. Your comments...
At the moment we are pleased with our squad. We have a great set of players who are hardworking and talented. We have the likes of Messi, who is a genius, apart from stars like Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto'o, Xavi and Victor Valdes. We are enthusiastic about our present bunch so I cannot say anything about new signings.
Isn't there any player you would like to add to the Barca squad?
It is easy to put forward grand proposals to bring in players, but ultimately it is the coach who picks the team. The club can buy certain players but there is no use if Guardiola does not pick them!
With global icons in the team mixing with youngsters like Bojan Krkic and Andres Iniesta, how hard is it for the club and the coach to prevent certain players from feeling overwhelmed?
Again, I feel it all has to do with team spirit. All the players are equal on the pitch. During match weekends, we do not think about anything other than our opponents. We respect our rivals. That keeps us grounded.
Winning La Liga looks a real possibility for the Club given your current position. Will the focus be on European success this year?
I prefer to take each match at a time. I encourage the team to do the same. I do not like to pressure my players before matches. We will take things one day at a time.
Fast Facts
Name: Joan Laporta i Estruch
Age: 46
Profession: Corporate lawyer
Barcelona : Club member since August 17, 1974
Presidency: Elected president on June 15, 2003 and was re-elected in 2006
Achievements during tenure: Two Spanish Primera Liga titles (2005, 2006) and one Champions League title (2006)
Soruce: http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Bend-it-like-Barcelona-Football-Club/articleshow/4120991.cms
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