Revista de la Liga looked back at the undignified end to Frank Rijkaard's reign at Barcelona.
Rijkaard departure another dark day at an 'immature club'
Revista de la Liga looked back at a sad day that saw the undignified end to Frank Rijkaard's reign at Nou Camp.
Real Mallorca came from two goals down to defeat Barcelona 3-2 at the Camp Nou in Rijkaard's final home game to end one of the worst weeks in his career.
Former Dutch international Rijkaard, 45, took charge at the Nou Camp in 2003 and won La Liga in 2005 and 2006, as well as the Champions League in 2006.
But Barcelona have not won a trophy since and the writing was on the wall for Rijkaard.
However it was the undignified manner in which the club went about it that made the headlines.
"We announced last week that the club had leaked to the press that Josep Guardiola was going to take over and Rijkaard was going to leave, said Guillem Balague on
Revista de la Liga.
"That was on the Monday. On the Tuesday Rijkaard get's told that he is going to be sacked.
"On Wednesday they lose to Real Madrid. On Thursday the chairman of Barcelona announces that Guardiola is taking over. Everyone is to blame.
"After that there was the weekly press conference where Rijkaard was embarrassed to answer questions, he was also very emotional and it was very sad. It should have been handled completely different."
Previous
While Barcelona, one of the biggest clubs in the world, should have handled this in a more professional way, Graham Hunter says that we should not have been surprised.
"They have previous," he said. "Look how Ronaldo left the Nou Camp. Look how Romaro left. Cruyff, sacked in the dressing room four years after winning the European Cup. It goes on and on.
"I think they are an immature club. They set the standards aimed at the wrong targets. You have intermittent periods of dignified behaviour and quality football. But they do not have the same high standards of the Milan's; the Bayern Munich's; the Real Madrid's or the Manchester United's.
"I will draw a direct line between the behaviour you are talking about - lack of dignity, lack of professionalism and lack of achievement within Spain and across Europe.
"I am sorry to say that regularly in football terms and professional terms they behave in an immature fashion.
Values
Guardiola, 37, played for Barca for 17 years from 1984-2001 before returning to coach their reserves in 2007. He is well schooled in the Barcelona is all about and knows what is expected.
"They are trying to reinvest the values into the club," said Hunter. They want dedication, they want passion and values.
"It takes hard work though and with Guardiola there will be fireworks. If anybody and I mean anybody does not toe to his standards, then he will blow his top.
"The two things that stand against him are his man-management skills and maybe his ability at the moment.
"I promise that you will not see him dancing if anyone tries to pull his strings.
"This is a guy who stands by his principals and I wish him all the success. He will not make wrong decisions because the president says do this or you lose your job.
"He will make tough decisions; he will look for higher standards in his players. I think he has the right mentality, but my doubts are based on the peculiar nature of this dressing room and the peculiar nature of this star-studded squad - and his ability to handle them as people."
