QUESTIONS

1) Why, if the Club has so high value according to Forbes, is it not possible to find a global sponsor for sections?

2) Why is this complaint about player salaries when is this Board that has made most signings and contract renewals?

3) Why a top executive of the Club (Emili Sabadell), says that there is an agreement with the ticket resale business "ViaGogo" and Faus and Cardoner Executives say that there isn't?

4) Why, if the tickets at ViaGogo Club are coming from members nothing is done about them, both at Club level and going to the Police?

5) Why the Club continues having Deloitte as auditor if they had to redo the accounts of the Club after leaving the previous Board, since they were not right?

6) Why were the accounts redone if the auditor (Deloitte), gave them as favorable?

7) Why is there a man who takes 1.2M€/year for doing nothing (said by himself), and the Board does not act rescinding the contracts?

8) Why are there players that are signed and who are injured and we do not know the recovery time?

9) Why, if the Grassroots is so successful, the heads of it (Amor and Puig) are changed?

10) Why does it work so bad the Technical Secretariat (Scouting/Recruitment), of the Club?

11) Why are scouts from Liverpool, Fulham, PSG and Bayern working at 200 km. of Barcelona and Barça is not?

12) Why it is not said who is responsible for the "administrative mistakes" in the FIFA case?

13) Why was spoken of "black hand" in the case and FIFA, has finally acknowledged it was a problem of ours?

14) Why has lowered the number of season ticket holders from 99000 to 84000 when there are members still waiting for a seat in the waiting list?

15) Why is that the Club, so, us, the members, who have paid nearly 1M€ in attorneys when the Board has led the former to court for mismanagement?

16) Why are there members with 35-40 years old at the Club who have never been commissioners and others, with 10 years and they have been 3 times?

17) Why do almost in any operation appear corporations linked to Executives of the Club?

18) Why are not explained ALL terms of ALL the concessions the Club has (Shops, Restaurants, Catering, etc)?

19) Why do you talk about the demands of UEFA (Hospitality, etc.), to justify the reform, when the existing legislation in this regard says very little about the subject?

20) Why the reform of the Camp Nou, when it was not in the program?

21) Why an Architectural Competition for the reform of Camp Nou is convened if, as Mr. Faus said, there is already a project made ​​with measurements and budget?

22) Why he tickets that are offered for sale says for example, "Gol Nike Sud"? When has been this authorized?

23) Why a club that talks about transparency makes almost all its contracts confidential?

24) Why is there so little respect to other members and it is not respect what the statutes say when the General Assembly approve matters that are not in the agenda?

25) Why do you not leave?

Jordi Pascual

You can follow me on Twitter: @JordiPascualP

TINKER, TAYLOR, SOLDIER, SPY

My colleague Matttew Whitehouse (@The_W_Adress) has asked me to do a review of his latest book: "Universality/The Blueprint for Soccer 's New Era". This has taken me almost 40 years ago when I received as a gift "Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy" by John Le Carré. It was the first book I read by this author and I enjoyed it. So much so that I've read it maybe 20 times and it made that I bought almost every book by this author.

Beyond the story told by Le Carré (fascinating), which I liked and still like what is his way of linking the past with the present circumstances ​​and possible future events. This is what Matt has done. He explains what was, what is and where we are going.

Curiously, or maybe not, is that, coming from cultures (both general and football) as different as the Anglo-Saxon and Latin, I agree almost entirely what Matt says. While it is true that the paths followed are not the same, so perhaps cultures, which makes the arguments employed are different, I subscribe the conclusions he reaches.

As Le Carré makes in the book there is a main protagonist George Smiley-Pep Guardiola. But, in the same way, there are plenty of supporting actors to help understand what is, and what happens: Ferguson, Mourinho, Queiroz, Benitez, Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Beckham, Scholes, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets Alonso, Drogba, Laporta, Florentino Pérez ... all play some more or less important roles to help understand what happened in football in the last 15 years and, what it seems to come.

But there are more similarities: Smiley is not the classic spy, nor is a classic coach Guardiola. Both are looking for something that does not exist: perfection. And, this means innovating and daring. And of course, sometimes you're wrong and, when done, is very sound way.

Matt, as Le Carré, makes us an analysis that starts in the past, in the late 90's. Based on his knowledge of English football, he explains why the English dominate European football, at club's levle, appearing again and again in the Champions League finals, until, suddenly, it's over. What happened? Well, very simple and very complicated at the same time. The players have changed, because the game and so requests, and England has not seen it.

Today's players are (should be) much more universal (polyvalent). No longer are useful the wingers who can only focus on running and crossing or center backs that only reject the ball or central midfielders that only stop balls. Now, the wingers have to cross, open field and finish. The center backs must know how to go out with the ball under control and the central midfielder has to cut, keep the ball and distribute the play.

And while there are players which by their nature will never be play some roles, the fact is that the more "records" are mastered, more options to play. If today I don't play here, I play there. Simple.

Matt also puts in evidence, clearly, one of the "myths" of football: the systems (formations). As said by I do not remember who, 1-4-3-3, 1-4-4-2, 1-3-5-2, etc. they are nothing more than "Telephone Numbers". What matters today are the movements of the players, but especially of the ball. This is who sets everything. And players need to adapt and change position constantly. Universality. Mobility.

The book makes an exhaustive review of English football and its "evolution?" in recent years, but, as Le Carré does, he tells us what Brazilian, German or Spanish have done. All environments must be understood to know what to do with yours. New ideas, new concepts, new ways of understanding football. Everyone appears because everyone has a contribution to make. The pressing, the zonal marking, superiority in midfield, keeper-players ... all things bring something. And everything becomes more universal, more functional, more versatile. And the word "team" dominates. Teams work for the stars, but the stars work for the teams. Before, no.

It is explained the importance of the wingers with "wrong-footed leg". Robben or Messi playing from right to left. Ronaldinho and Cristiano Ronaldo, from left to right. Of a wingers that are non-wingers in the sense of making crosses to be finished. But wingers that give a lot of width to the team. And a center forwards who are not static expecting a cross to finish, that come to midfield to create superiority, scoring goals, but also assisting. And the "box-to-box" midfielders, that were a players which only used to run. Now, a "box-to-box" has to do many things. If not, you are lost.

As John Le Carré, Matt Whitehouse teaches us that you can only anticipate or think about what will be in the future if you know and analyze what happened in the past and what is happening today. As I said before, different cultures lead to different interpretations, but at very similar conclusions. And football is universal. Everywhere you play with a ball. The want who knows what to do with it has many (all, probably) chance of winning.

Buy the book. You'll love it.

Jordi Pascual

You can follow me on Twitter: @JordiPascualP

THE AMERICAN PROBLEM

The success of the USMNT in the World Cup in Brazil, where they were eliminated in the second round by Belgium, after finishing second in their group behind Germany (champion), and ahead of Portugal, with audiences of millions on TV and, too, with thousands of people on the streets watching the matches at stadiums or other sites become the pose of the eternal question: Why the US can not produce great figures at World level and, reach semifinals (eg) in a World Cup?

 US has two very important things when it comes to becoming a world power. On one hand, more than 4 million registered players, with a high percentage of young players. Moreover, the money, which always helps.

Now when we talk about money we need to consider one thing. In America everything is done face to benefit. If there is no profit, there is no activity. And here is where the first change should be done. Football must stop being "business-oriented" and become "sport-oriented" And this includes those who organize competitions. I understand that they have to go to a system where everyone is in and this includes both, adult soccer and grassroots. That is, 1st Division, 2nd, 3rd, regional categories, etc. But everyone inside and to play here or there depending on your sports results, but not that you are not admitted to the MLS based on an expected turnover.

But if the thing worked in this way only at adult level, we could even give it as good. The problem starts at grassroots football. Thousands of Clubs and thousands of Coaches are engaged in it professionally (full-time), which does not happen in any other country in the world. The Clubs of the Spanish league (for instance I know quite well) just now are beginning to have their grassroots coaches live exclusively from football. And just a few. Not all, not even close.

This means that if a club has 10 coaches, plus administrative part, plus this, plus that, imagine what the parents are charged for children to play football: 500$/month, 600, 700 .. 1200. Not to mention when the kids are going to play a tournament at the other side of the country and must be paid airplanes, hotels, etc.

It should be clear that the problem is with the system itself. Not the coaches. As more coaches you have that work full time, it means more and better work can be prepared to make. In Europe, in general, the Coach is linked to a Club. No coaches do 3 hours a week at this Club and 3 more in another. This is given by the fact that there are a lot of completely independent leagues, and if I do not like this league, I'm going to play a different one. This is where, I think, the USSF (the Federation) should come and find a way that everyone can participate, because, on the other hand, having such high fees makes many children do not have access to play football in many of these clubs. And, this also means that, when looking for children for the several National teams, often do not know where to search for, as we said: excess of leagues, traveling, tournaments in one place and in another, etc.

As the organization is based in Spring, Summer, etc. and, not full seasons, we also find something different. A child playing in a club in autumn and spring in a different one, because, most are short leagues (10-12 games).

In addition, we have the tradition of College sports in USA. Like other sports, football in general, has its time. Most, autumn (September-November), although there are states where it is spring (March-May). This means that in 8-10 weeks the teams will play 15-16 games and also if they are playing in High School or College, they obviously can not be playing in his club (training and matches at the same time, etc.). I understand that one of the priorities is to define whether a "Club model" based or "HS/College model" based, because they are totally different concepts. But whatever the model chosen should be based on a model of 30 league games per season (yearly), plus the finals. But, it's not to try to copy models, if not to have it adapted to the particularities of a country of vast extent and very different population and climates.

Personally, I understand the "club model" is the most appropriate, because it is what allows for a Philosophy and a way of working from the youngest to the 1st team. Same for everyone. One of the things I see, in general, is that each team from the same Club operates more or less autonomously, where the coach decides the methodology of training, how to play, etc. Even, sometimes, the same coaches are looking for sponsors, ways to travel, etc. It is the Club who should provide this.

In short, it is, in my view, to seek a more rational model, from the USSF itself, which allows everyone to compete and go up the stairs in the football pyramid. With a good organization, at the level of Clubs, Leagues, etc. the rest can start thinking seriously that any day, USA will be World Champion in football. Because there, when they propose something, they do it. They have not been proposed yet.

Jordi Pascual

You can follow me on Twitter: @JordiPascualP

THE ART OF SPYING (& II)

I spoke a few weeks ago about Scouting at level teams, watch their movements, their tactics, set-pieces, etc.

Now I will talk about players. How can we see that a player is good/useful for our team?

The first thing to do is to distinguish between two types of scouting. One is that when the clubs are looking for a certain player for a given position. The second is people who are dedicated to seeing players (even working for a particular club), without any specific position on the pitch.

In the first case, since there is no perfect player, you have to find the closest thing to what we want and sometimes we have to decide which features are more important than others. I will not go much more in this part, since we are talking about a scouting "made to measure".

We go to the most usual. Going to see (live or on TV), football players. What we have to look to decide if a player is or is not a good player? Well there are many things, but for me, the most important is speed. But speed does not mean just being faster than the others running. In fact, we can distinguish 3 kinds of speed: the "physical" speed, "mental" speed and "action" speed.

The "physical" speed ​​is what we have said before. Fast player. The arriving before the opponent to the ball, either attacking, and defending it. This player is always interesting, because we can always teach him to play. Whether running from the flank and crossing, either to arrive before the striker to a long ball. Cristiano Ronaldo, Bale, Jordi Alba, David Luiz may be examples of such players.

The "mental" speed is the one which allows the player to do things before anyone else. Usually they make play their mates, because they usually give the ball ready to be played well. You will recognize these types of players easily, since they are always with the head up, scanning the entire field to see where the ball can go. They are players who are always where they are supposed to be, sometimes to cut and retrieve a ball, sometimes to make a decisive pass. Xavi, Pirlo, Riquelme, Gerrard or Busquets are players who fit this profile.

Finally, we have the "actional" speed, the executive, the player that makes the actions at a very much higher speed than the rest, either to shoot on goal, either to dribble an opponent, either to change the orientation of game at first touch. Messi, Iniesta, Robben, Ibrahimovic and Rooney would be players in this style.

However, what is common to all these players, that do different things, playing in different parts of the pitch, which don't have the same functions in a football team? Well, these players are "different", ie they do different things to what we can consider "normal".

Cruyff once said that with 5 meters of space, any player can make a pass 30 meters away. It's about to make this happen when you have the opponent close to you. It'a about dribbling opponents changing 3 times the pace on 20 meters. That is, it's not quality "per se", but quality at high speed; this is what distinguishes some players from another. And when we speak of "decision making", we talk about the same. About the player that, as far he will receive the ball he knows what to do with it: running with it, short pass, long pass, etc.

But that's not all. To do it right, it's not just to look at what a player does. Must see what the player can do. What does this mean? It means to study the characteristics of the player and see if its features can be used for other functions. A winger, could play as central midfielder? A center back, could he play as attacking midfielder? And so, with all players. In fact, an it is not always done, the reports should include, further than all the points of the players, all their options. Many times players are signed without knowing exactly all their potential.

But, as all activities where there is the human factor, the scouting is not an exact science. The "nose", the intuition, makes a lot, sometimes, when you are spying players. You see a player who has done nothing for most of the game and, in a play he decides it, either with a shot, with a dribbling, with a pass. Or, even if not decisive, but when nobody expects it. As mentioned before, the "different" player.

We still have the goalkeepers. What is the first job of a goalie? Stop balls. Therefore, this is what we have to look. If you do this or that, but does not save goals, no good. Then we go to the aerial game, or foot play, or this or that feature. But first, to stop the balls. And, do not forget that the goalie who makes a great save, but concedes a goal after the rejection, it is very possible that he has saved badly. It is not just saving the ball. It is to save the ball and the opponents do not have a second choice. Remember that good goalies win games, but the great goalkeepers win championships.

But also with the goalkeepers, they must be fast. Fast to put a hand, to get back into position after a long ball rejected, fast to go to this long ball. The one that is not fast is no good for football.

Jordi Pascual

You can follow me on Twitter: @JordiPascualP

MODEL OF CLUB

One of the last (or perhaps not), debates about Barça is on the "Model Club", understanding this as the way to manage it beyond what its sports policy. Personally, I understand that:

1) You can not compare the model Club in USA (MLS, NBA, etc.), with European models (Manchester City, PSG, Milan, Zenit, etc.), and these with Barça.

2) The first are models that use sport as a tool for business. Leagues are closed, which can be reached only by economic merits.

3) There are not lower levels with promotion and relegations. A case such as here Llagostera (From 2nd Regional Category (8th tier), to play for promotion to 2nd Division in 10 years is impossible).

4) League gives franchises. If there is no business, the team is sold and/or goes to a different city. That is to say, it is not the Clubs that are organized to create a competition, but it is the competition that creates clubs.

5) For the same reason, grassroots has a very different structure. Basketball or Ice Hockey teams have no grassroots (Academies). Football has, but with a very different concept.

6) In Europe, most clubs are owned by an entrepreneur or business group (similar to USA). But here, the Leagues are open and you go up and down of category based on sporting merit. Very important: If you are in these TOP categories (in Europe), it's because you win, not for the money you may have.

7) These owners provide sponsor for the clubs and so often, they have a say in all decisions.

8) All these clubs have fans and season ticket holders, but generally have no power of decision over the operation of the Club.

9) And here is where Barça is different. Barça has 150,000 owners. Its "socis" (members). The President and the Board are elected by them. Anyone does not name them.

10) According to Regulations (several), Barça is a "non-profit" company, ie, that its benefits do not return directly to the owners. This means that profits should be reinvested in the Club. Second big difference.

11) Therefore, the only "benefit" of the owners of the club is to win the League and the Champions League. Nothing more.

12) Any management model that can be made at Barça should aim to win trophies, not money.

13) Obviously, they must apply the management techniques, marketing, productivity, etc. that can be applied to any "normal" company, but without forgetting what the main objective is.

14) It is not important that the club wage bill represents 70% of the budget, provided that the methodology used is the inverse of the current.

15) This means that instead of Budget = Necessary Wages + Expenses, it has to be Budget = Necessary Expenses + Wages.

16) This leads, as it has been sometimes said, to seek new forms of income that do not involve the entry of "owners in the shade" or to lose control of the club by the partners and that will maintain the necessary payroll.

17) IT is not "More income = more profits"; is "More income = more reinvestment".

18) And it means that "La Masia" should be more productive than ever. Players who do not reach the 1st team have to be sold at a good price and not as at present.

19) And not to say that "La Masia" should be a moneymaker. The first and main objective is to produce players for the 1st team. This and no other.

20) We must not forget the social meaning of Barça. By the fact that there is no economic benefit, we can not eliminate sections with many years of history.

21) A Club with 500M€ budget can not fire out an amateur section that may have a cost of 250K€/year.

Always remember: Who loses the origins, loses identity, and we can't allow it. We can not forget who we are nor where we come from.

Jordi Pascual

You can follow me on Twitter: @ JordiPascualP

THE ART OF SPYING (I)

One of the most challenging tasks in football is the scouting. There are basically two types. One is to watch the opposing teams to know what they do and being able to counter it the day we play against them. The second, is about players. I will talk about  the first, and I'll leave the second for an upcoming entry.

Today there are many applications that allow us to analyze a game and do a quick summary taking those plays that interest us. Even include word processing that allow a good presentation of the game in question, and that players know what they are going to "find" in this game.

This, however, has two problems. The first is that such programs are often expensive and not all the clubs can afford them. The second is that in lower categories and minor league games may not be recorded and, therefore, this is where involved, very directly, the work of the scout.

What are the steps to follow? What should we show our coach? What I'll put now is just a model.

1) Data of match: Teams, day, hour, competition (League, Cup, European Competition, etc.), weather conditions (temperature, rain or shine, wind, etc.) and pitch (short grass, high, artificial. Wet, dry, muddy). Spectator attendance and types thereof (Silent, babbling, respectful, aggressive, etc.).

2) Lineups and substitutions. Minutes and reasons (injury, fatigue, tactical substitution)

3) Systems (formations) used, with variants (because injuries, expulsions, substitutions, substitutions of opponents, etc., and when they have been applied)

4) Analysis of the team when attacking. Combinative, direct. Building up from the back. With long kick from goalkeeper or a defender. Short or long combinations. Use of the wingers or full-backs. Striker static or mobile. Crosses. Their types. Second plays. Movements to create spaces. Key players in the building of the play. Positioning of the team at the end of play.

5) Analysis of the team when defensive transition. Type of transition. With attempt to recover the ball once it is lost or not. If the attempt, which players and how it is done, and how the rest of the team retrieve. If not done, how is the retrieve of the team after the loss.

6) Analysis of the team when defending. Zonal, individual, mixed, combined. Gap between lines. Which players follow to who. Who never follows. How they close the pitch. How they pressure the ball holder. In which (flanks, center) areas?. Support.

7) Analysis of the team when offensive transition. Going out safety. Going out long. By the flanks. By the middle. How many players. What they do those who do not participate.

8) Analysis of lines and players: Goalkeeper. Defenders. Midfielders. Forwards. Reserves. Strengths and weaknesses. High balls. Ground balls. Short or long spaces.

9) Set-pieces. Kickoff, throw-ins. Near own goal. Near opposing goal. Fouls. Own half. Opponents half. Side fouls. Centered fouls. Corners. Number of players participating in the plays. Defensive surveillance.

10) Other points of interest.

Obviously, this must be accompanied by the necessary graphics where all these circumstances can be seen. As we said, many of these matches do not have video of it, so the coach should have as much information as possible from the scout view. Moreover, this report should be long enough to give the most information, but concentrate enough to not do heavy reading. Remember that this information is transmitted to the players, and if the coach can not assimilate all that is said, hardly able to communicate to the players and prepare for training the necessary actions.

You should also think that not all coaches are equal and not all want the same amount or the same type of information. Some want to know more about how they defend than how they attack. Others want a lot of information about set-pieces, etc. It is very important, when making a report of this kind, to know what the coach wants and at the same time, what we can consider the most important.

Like almost everything in the world of football, scouting and analysis of the opponents has become another one specialty. And, it is very normal that many coaches have in their staff someone responsible for this work. The more we know of the opponents, better for us.

John Le Carré made an art about espionage in his books. These "spies" of today continue to give information that is used for winning and losing wars ... in football, fortunately, though "Football is not a matter of life or death. It's much more important than that."

Jordi Pascual

You can follow me on Twitter: @JordiPascualP

THE TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGING

This is what the song of Bob Dylan said, referring to all political and social changes of the 60s. If you look at the world of football, is also applicable. A few years ago, most of the clubs revenue were by membership fees and the sale of players. This has changed. Today the Clubs receive large amounts of television rights, selling T-shirts and other things.

Some of those listed as possible candidates for future elections to the presidency of Barça (it should be 2016) have said, in social networks, that the Club needs a renovation as it relates to marketing strategies and similar. That is needed a renewal of their management structures. It's not me, that I have no idea about these issues, who will tell you about the direction of this kind of stuff. If it is more important 3vminutes on TV or send a player to advertise anywhere in the world. If there must  be 1 General Manager and 25 Working Areas or only 18.

Something very important is the club model. Few weeks, at one of the presentations for the Reform of Camp Nou, Vice-President Javier Faus spoke of hospitality revenue in different clubs around the world. Compared with Madrid, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United in terms of number of seats and revenue. City, United or Arsenal are clubs that have a single owner and are in football for many different reasons. The day they get tired, they will leave. It's that simple. Bayern is a mixed model and Madrid, despite being a club like Barça, operates in a more presidential manner here . But they want to be like them, and to have the same as them , forgetting that we are different. It seems that the economic remedy is hospitality (representing less than 10% of the total budget Club). Hospitality, Marketing, Ticketing, etc. Remember all one thing: the owners of the Club are the "socis", not the Board.

Barça is special. There is no, as we said before, an owner with more or less millions into the pocket. Here there are 130,000 owners. And those who run the Club (The Official we were talking a bit ago), are not professionals. As itself, this is not a problem. The problem is that they have no idea. They speak about "market prices" to refer to those and other questions when the only market they know is the store in the neighborhood where they buy the newspaper and the baguette. And of course, these have fixed prices. They are not debatable. Pay and return home.

This leads to one thing that has not changed for many years and has to. Historically, the club has been a buyer Club. But we have not yet learned to buy. To sell, we still do worse. We pay what it's needed for a player for the simple fact that the seller Club is waiting for us ("it's Barça and, as they like the player, they'll pay what we say"). It has worked in many cases and it appears that still works. To sell, reverse option ("we are not interested, therefore, whoever comes will be able to take him").

It is not, of course, to turn the club into a Corporation and make the Directors professionals. No, although I am sure that is their dream, for many of which there are now. It's about these executives know about football. And they do not know. Today, they like the player scoring three goals; tomorrow the defender that cuts two key plays and, after tomorrow, however the goalie that saves 5 occasions playing against Barça. It seems that, if there are 60M€ to sign, these have to spend, no matter how.

And this is related to the subject of the Technical Secretariat that I have said more than once. A club like Barça can not go around without all the player data, both technical and personal, including salary, hobbies, etc. Today for today, it  seems there is nothing. I spoke in a previous post (It is not that (II)), about the need of having a Scouting system much more useful.

Previously, there was no resources as now. Having footage of players was quite difficult and one should trust what  a friend who was in that country where there was an interesting player or player's agent in turn. And you had to pay what you were told, without knowing for sure if you had bought a Ferrari or a second hand 600 (NA: Spanish equivalent to Fiat 500). Today, it is not. There are images of almost all leagues in the world and, the most important show all the games on TV. When you buy, you know what you're buying and, theoretically, you should know the price. But it does not.

Everything I've said so far, goes around the so spoken as "renewal" at Barça. It seems that it will take I don't know how many players. And, as needed, we will pay what we will be told (or more, if we add Foundations of players, contracts of Scouting and other miscellaneous expenses. Said that is the new model of contracts made ​​in the world. That is, to sign a player, we need to hire, one way or another, all the family and friends). I can understand that there are incentives for this or that player to come. What I don't understand are thee 400k€/year for Scouting as "market price". By the way, have there been reports to justify this amount?

As I can not understand that a reserve player in a team and, which will not go to the World Cup because "competition is very tough (NA: With teammates)" according to what a reporter said today, with only 20 years old and that has not won anything yet, worth 35M€. And in this operation a player of the same nationality, who is a starter at Barça and will go to the World is included. And like this, the examples that you want. And the opposite. Players who go out for 4$ hard "because we will save very high wages".

There is a second part. La Masia. Do you remember this about "La Masia is not to be touched"? Well it seems. Except Masip, no other player will be promoted to the 1st team this year. And I wonder if, with so many people filling their mouth with this about  Barca "B" is 3rd in the 2nd Division, or that the U-19 is the Champion of UEFA Youth Champions League, isn't it strange that no player can go to the 1st team?

But as we have to sell illusion after a bad season where, for the first time in many years we have not won any of the major titles, we will pay whatever. And giving away players "to lighten the wage bill", as I said before, players that the media have been said that they are not useful. All obviously to prevent people stop looking at the pitch and look at the VIP Box. And they will go into discrepancies about if the one that has to sign is this or that one. I explained also in the same mentioned entry, how this part should run.

The times they are a changing, but it seems that many have not seen it yet. Or worse, they have only seen one part: the business. And increasingly, it seems that only the business they can do with the money of others. They have not understood that this is neither the NBA nor the MLS. There, they do sport starting in business. A League is created and franchises are spread. If you lose, you don't go down to 2nd Division. And, if the business fails, the owner sells the Team and it is moved to a different city, looking for business. Leagues here have a different starting point: from sport, they try to do business. Originally, business for the club, to sign players or build new facilities. Now, it seems that business for the pockets of some, whether or not owners.

The times they are a changing. Let's see if we change the ways of proceeding.

Jordi Pascual

You can follow me on Twitter: @JordiPascualP