”We have the best manager in the world for another season”
David Puig
FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta was clearly happy that : “the best manager in the world will be with us for another season. Pep has the guarantee of the club and we have his word – that’s solid”.
Joan Laporta was well satisfied with the agreement with Pep Guardiola to continue as first team
manager for another year and commented: “it’s an honour to have the best manager in the
world with us for another year. I spoke to Guardiola yesterday evening and he told me he was
willing to stay on for at least another year in charge. Pep has the guarantee of the club and we
have his word – that’s solid”.
Contract to be signed after 1st July
The President announced that the new contract would be signed with the
newly elected president in July: “the new president will establish the conditions of the deal
after July 1st. Our intention was to renew the deal, but he made me see that it might be better
this way”.
Thanks to Begiristain
Laporta also thanked the effort s of Txiki Begiristain who spoke to Guardiola’s
representative in May, before any titles were won, to offer him the new deal: “that started
the ball rolling in a process that has finished today with the aim of strengthening our sporting
project”.
Txiki satisfied
Txiki himself also expressed his satisfaction with the news: “we are all very
happy. It was very important that the manager who’d guided the team for the last 18 months
stayed on next season. We had hoped to a longer deal, but we understand completely Pep’s
reasons”.
Txiki Begiristain refused to be drawn on his own future: “I’m this
President’s man and I don’t want to talk about anything after he’s left. The most
important thing is to leave everything in place and that the majority of the group around the
manager stays on. I won’t rule out staying on – I’ll be giving it some
thought”.
Images: Miguel Ruiz (FCB)
To view this content you need the latest version of the Flash Player
Elections played no part
Joan Laporta denied that the upcoming electoral process had influenced the new deal with Guardiola:
“the elections are independent from the deal. We had the responsibility that the club was
clear he would be next season’s manager. I’m relieved by the agreement and if I was to
put myself in the candidates’ shoes, I think they will be happy to know that the
manager’s job is sorted and that they can concentrate simply on establishing the conditions
and the duration of the contract”.