Lionel Messi blasts FC Barcelona Sporting Director in using players as scapegoats
Posted by Mark Ramos | Feb 20, 2020 | International | 0 |
FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi criticized the Sporting Director of his current club after blasting the players as the reason why Ernesto Valverde was fired as coach of the Spanish powerhouse club.
"I honestly don't like doing these things but everyone has to be responsible for their job and take responsibility for their decisions," Messi wrote on Instagram, quoted in a report of ESPN in reaction to FC Barcelona Sporting Director Eric Abidal interview with Spanish daily sports newspaper DIARIO Sport.
"When things don't go well on the pitch, the players are the first ones to recognize as much. Those in the sporting department at the club should also take responsibility for their actions and decisions.''
"Finally, I think that when you speak about players, you should have to give names. If you don't, you're dirtying everyone's name and encouraging things which are said which are not true."
Abidal in the interview with DARIO Sport suggested the players were the reason why the club fired Valverde, paving the way for former Real Betis coach Quique Seiten to be appointed as a new FC Barcelona coach.
"We watched the games and not the results, but how we played, the tactics, the work of the players who don't play a lot. I'm focused on those details. Many players weren't satisfied or working a lot and there was also an internal communication problem. The relationship between the coach and the dressing room has always been good but there are things as an ex-player that I could smell. I told the club what I thought and we reached a decision,'' Abidal said.
According to the report of ESPN, Messi thinks the club is falsely blaming him for Valverde's sacking and thinks the comment of Abidal will lead to a misconception about him. The report also added Messi and most of FC Barcelona players supported Valverde.
This development between Messi and the FC Barcelona management, received some attention from several clubs, wherever the Argentinian will terminate his contract in June 2020, a year earlier than June 2021 expiration.
Manchester City once again targeting to get the services of Messi but the details remain sketchy as they considered other players, according to The Guardian. This is not the first time, the six-time Premier League champions are interested in signing Messi after they chased the Argentinian with his previous contract with FC Barcelona expired in 2014.
FC Barcelona accumulated 49 points for second place standing in the current La Liga table, with the club is also reeling in their early exit in Copa del Rey quarterfinals against Athletic Bilbao last February 6th and preparing for its UEFA Champions League quarterfinals series against Napoli, starting February 25th.
Jurgen Klinsmann quits as Hertha Berlin coach just after 10 weeks
Former Germany and USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann resigned as coach of Hertha Berlin, just 10 weeks into his appointment.
"I would like to express my sincere thanks to all players, fans, spectators, coaches and employees of Hertha BSC for the support, the many encounters and the exchange in the past 10 weeks, said Klinsman on his Facebook page, quoted in the report of CNN.
"This time was extremely exciting for me and brought many interesting new insights. The club and the city have grown dearer to my heart."
The resignation of Klinsman caught Hertha Berlin management off guard, especially the club is fighting to stay in the Bundesliga. The club is currently on the 14th place in the current Bundesliga table, a few spots away from relegation.
"We were very surprised by what happened this morning," said Hertha Berlin Sporting director Michael Preetz in a statement posted on the club website, quoted in the same CNN report.
Klinsmann came to Hertha Berlin last November 2019 to replace Ante Covic. The German mentor said in an interview with German tabloid Bild after his departure that Hertha Berlin management failed to support him in coaching the club.
"I took over a suicide mission," Klinsmann told Bild, quoted in the report of ESPN. "Only in one match, we did not get what I hoped for. The coaching staff managed to stabilize the team and get it away from the relegation ranks.
"From my understanding, a coach should have the full sporting responsibility, just like the English model. And, thus, also over transfers. This gives the position more power. The last few weeks cost too much energy spent on side issues. If I am responsible for the team as a coach, I want to put all my energy into working with the squad."
But in another report of ESPN, it suggested another reason why Klinsmann resigned. According to ESPN's Stephen Uersfeld, Klinsman felt Hertha Berlin is not supporting him on the issue of his coaching license, especially it almost disallowed him to coach Hertha Berlin upon Bundesliga return from winter break last month after failing to present an updated coaching license or any certification of continuing education to German Football Federation.
Coaching license in Germany needs to be renewed every three years, with Klinsmann after his stint with Bayern Munich in 2009, went to coach United States football team from 2011 to 2016 before being appointed as coach of Hertha Berlin, marking his return to the German football circuit.
Alexander Nouri will be Hertha Berlin interim coach upon Klinsman's departure from the club.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/barcelona/story/4047288/messi-hits-back-at-abidal-dont-criticise-without-naming-players
https://www.sport.es/en/news/barca/abidal-after-the-clasico-we-started-looking-at-valverdes-exit-7835552
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/11/football/jurgen-klinsmann-hertha-berlin-spt-intl/index.html
https://www.espn.com/soccer/hertha-berlin/story/4050944/jurgen-klinsmann-leaves-hertha-berlin-after-less-than-three-months-in-charge
PreviousJarvey Gayoso to turn pro after impressive UAAP career
NextAFC Cup 2020: Ceres Negros, Kaya Iloilo begin Group Stage campaign in positive note
World Cup Russia 2018 : Review end of the second-half of third matches 27/06-29/06
UEFA Champions League Round of 16: Atletico Madrid evicts defending champion Liverpool
UEFA Champions League Round of 16: Manchester City stunned Real Madrid at home pitch
Fékir VS Thauvin