Ronald Koeman follows the match during the LaLiga game between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at Camp Nou on October 24, 2021 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
Ronald Koeman hits out at Barcelona president
Ronald Koeman looks on during the La Liga match between Rayo Vallecano and FC Barcelona at Campo de Futbol de Vallecas on Oct. 27, 2021 in Madrid. (Photo by Diego Souto/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
Former Barcelona boss does not mince words in latest interview
Former Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman has given his first interview since being sacked from the Catalan club. He spoke to Dutch outlet Algemeen Dagblad and naturally touched on his sacking but also had some pointed barbs toward president Joan Laporta.
The Dutchman was sacked back in October of last year after a defeat at the hands of Rayo Vallecano. Xavi Hernandez took over and Barcelona have looked a different team under him. However, he has been helped by some winter signings, a facet of his tenure Koeman focused on.
“It was at the insistence of the club’s hierarchy that I agreed to the departure of certain players to help put the finances in order,” Koeman told the Dutch newspaper AD.
“But then when you see that they sign someone for €55m shortly after letting Messi go, it makes you wonder if something else was happening. Why did Messi have to leave?
Source: ESPN
Koeman did have the unenviable task of having to start the new season without Lionel Messi. The Argentinian was forced to leave after Barcelona were unable to agree on a new contract extension that fit the parameters of the wage structure handed down by LaLiga.
But there were players brought in at the behest of Koeman. Memphis Depay and Luuk de Jong were two players he wanted and Barcelona brought them in.
Despite entering the second season of his tenure, he believes he was not given enough time unlike his successor.
“They didn’t give me the time they have given to the new coach, Xavi,” added Koeman.
“It is still painful for me. I was working with a lot of injured players. Now Pedri is back to fitness, and Ousmane Dembele – you can see everything falling into place.
Source: Marca
Contrary to his claims, many would argue he was given too much time.
If Barcelona had completed its internal elections before the start of the 2021-22 season, there is little doubt Joan Laporta would have fired Koeman. The Dutchman was Josep Maria Bartomeu’s appointment, not his.
“Laporta told me a thousand times that Xavi would not be his coach because he lacked experience. But I was not Laporta’s coach. I had that feeling from the first moment. After he was elected [in March] there was no click. There was a lack of the necessary support from above.
“I really wanted to succeed at Barcelona, but I realized that Laporta wanted to get rid of me because I was not appointed by him. You won’t see me at Camp Nou for a while, I can’t do that yet. With this president, I can’t pretend that nothing happened.”
Source: ESPN
The relationship between Laporta and Koeman was frosty at best and everyone knew it was only a matter of time before Koeman was fired. Few believed he would make it to the end of the season.
The results on the pitch were simply not getting any better and the team was putting on pitiful performances.
Xavi may have gotten new players but no one can question he’s raised the level of play of players who were already there and seemed lost under Koeman. The side presses a lot better and don’t look exhausted come the latter stages of the game.
While Koeman was unlucky with injuries, it’s important to note he bottled the league the season before. They held their fate in their own hands. Had they beaten Granada at home in late April, they would have climbed ahead of Atletico Madrid. Messi put Barcelona ahead but the team then conceded twice to lose.
Regardless of how his situation turned out, he did say he was happy to see Barcelona turning things around and singled out the improvement of Frenkie de Jong.
He simply wasn’t the right manager for a rebuilding Barcelona. Whether or not he could have been the manager to turn things around had he gotten new players in January is unknown. The situation proved to be untenable towards the end of his tenure and a split was the best thing for both parties.
