Pep steps down - Tito Vilanova will be the next Barça coach

So it's 99% certain now that Pep is leaving, and the confirmation will come in a press conference in around 1 hour's time. Who do you think should replace the greatest coach in Barça's history?

My vote goes for Bielsa. He's the closest in terms of playing style, will not disrupt the squad structure too much, knows the league now, has achieved great things with Athletic in the Cups (though needs a bigger squad to make things work in the league), and has connections to key players like Messi and Alexis. Downsides of course are that he's a bit crazy, and has a shouty style which may not please some of the experienced winners in our squad. But compared to the other options out there, he's probably the best choice.

Agree on Bielsa, at least from the coaching / tactical standpoint. It remains to be seen if he can handle the other tasks asked from a manager at a big club. At least I expect him to have more of a natural authority than a young coach like AVB would have. Guardiola was young, too, but had the history at the club he knew inside out, big difference to an 'outsider' like AVB. And I really don't think that the established players playing for Barcelona who won so much silverware over the years will be that much easier to handle as the Chelsea bunch.

Either way, it is an end of an era and crucial decision for the club. But no matter who will take over, Barcelona will continue to have one of the very best (and most expensive) squads in Europe and will continue to be a force. If that dominance continues remains to be seen.

I voted Bielsa,if he wants the job I think he deserves a shot of managing the best team in the world,look what he's done in just one season with us(Athletic),imagine what he could do with much better resources.

If this was last year I wouldn't mind giving AVB a shot,but after Chelsea his confidence must be really low.He needs to go to a club with less pressure and more room to experiment before he gets to manage a club like Barca.

I don't really know the other managers you have listed,I don't think Enrique is doing very well with Romas is he? With the players he has he should be challenging for 3rd.

It's really starting to sink in now,Pep leaving will be very emotional,I think he will come back one day though.

Blanc is overrated and not suited for Barca IMO. so hope he's your next coach.

Still quite surprising that Pep is leaving, after all Barca were still on the treble only last week.

Someone rejects the job without even being asked / considered...

Frank de Boer: I will not leave Ajax for Barcelona

The Dutchman has stressed that he is not interested in succeeding Pep Guardiola as the man in charge of the Catalan giants as it is "not the right time" for him to move

Dutchies...

TM wrote:Still quite surprising that Pep is leaving, after all Barca were still on the treble only last week.

He says he had already decided by last December, and as I said in the Barça thread, he has dropped many hints before that he won't do more than 4 years.

Still, he should have gone when he won everything, e.g. last season, or stay and win again before leaving.

The epic collapse in which Barcelona more or less lost everything in a week leaves a bit of a bad taste.

blutgraetsche wrote:Someone rejects the job without even being asked / considered...

Frank de Boer: I will not leave Ajax for Barcelona

The Dutchman has stressed that he is not interested in succeeding Pep Guardiola as the man in charge of the Catalan giants as it is "not the right time" for him to move

Dutchies...

Arrogant c**t classic Dutch style.

Rosell has announced that Tito Vilanova will take over as coach! WTF! I thought his health was poor and he couldn't continue and that's one of the reasons Pep wanted to quit

Tito! I didn't see that one coming,he's meant to be very strong tactically and he obviously has a good understanding of the club and players.

Seems like a good move.

I don't know - if Pep is leaving because he feels the club needs a refreshing of ideas, this is hardly it. Tito will give the exact same tactical direction, but without the 'been there, done that' motivation part (he's never played for a big club, and only reached the B team at Barça). Hopefully senior players like Puyol and Xavi can take the lead in that department.

At least we know he will carry on our clubs/Peps philosophy.Maybe with a few tweaks which will freshen us up.I thought he was older than 42,late 40's maybe.He's supposed to be a very smart guy anyway and the players will have a lot of respect for him,the players wouldn't have as much respect for someone like AVB who is young and who they don't know.

fcb wrote:I don't know - if Pep is leaving because he feels the club needs a refreshing of ideas, this is hardly it. Tito will give the exact same tactical direction, but without the 'been there, done that' motivation part (he's never played for a big club, and only reached the B team at Barça). Hopefully senior players like Puyol and Xavi can take the lead in that department.

But isn't Pep leaving because of personal reasons? He no longer has the energy to do his job as good as in the past.

Barca without Pep
Is like art without craft
It’s like FIFA without graft
It’s like fish without chips

Barca without Pep
Is like a duke with no duchess
It’s like Owen without crutches
It’s like a kiss without lips

Barca without Pep
Is like Scholes without fouling
Torture sans disembowelling
Tortillas without dips

Barca without Pep
Is like a bank with no base-rate
It’s like the CL without fate
It’s like Bloods without Crips

Barca without Pep
Is like Rome without history
It’s like Redknapp without ‘literally’
It’s like seas without ships

Um ok calm down...

Guardiola: "there will come a day when 'I want to go back' and return. In the meantime I will do something else"