Xavi Interview (Merged)

[Cade]

This is a joy to read and very revealing.

Man's a legend.

 

My link

[Hawick Jambo]

Agree 100%.

[Walter Bishop]

Zidane said virtually the same about the little ginger one......

 

 

Is Paul Scholes the English Xavi?

 

[Xavi interrupts, almost bursting with enthusiasm] Paul Scholes! A role model. For me ? and I really mean this ? he's the best central midfielder I've seen in the last 15, 20 years. I've spoken to Xabi Alonso about him. He's spectacular, he has it all: the last pass, goals, he's strong, he doesn't lose the ball, vision. If he'd been Spanish he might have been rated more highly. Players love him.

[Sheiky Baby]

"They didn't touch the ball. Madre m?a, what a match! In the dressing room, we gave ourselves a standing ovation"

 

On Scholes "If he'd been Spanish he might have been rated more highly"

 

Total LAD

[Homme]

Fantastic interview. As good to read as it is to watch Xavi in action.

[vegas-voss]

Brilliant interview from Xavi.Not your usual dumb ass footballer.

[Ben Dover]

Brilliant interview from Xavi.Not your usual dumb ass footballer.

 

 

I believe that's what we MUST aspire to if we want the Scottish game to flourish once more

It will be a long struggle

[rossthejambo]

Xavi's a brilliant footballer, I don't think you could possibly rate him highy enough IMO.

 

His attitude is what I expected tbh, very classy

 

 

 

[scott_jambo]

Look at his honours list.

 

Wow. Just wow.

[shaun.lawson]

What a wonderful interview. Anyone here imagine a British player ever giving such deep thinking, erudite, humble responses? Me neither.

 

Barcelona v Real Madrid this season is the ultimate clash of philosophies. In one corner, a club who've tried to buy success yesterday, and appointed a super coach to do the rest. And in the other, a club whose structure and unique way of playing has been built up over the last 40 years, with players schooled in passing and keeping the ball almost from birth.

 

As much as I love Mourinho, I'm delighted that Barca's philosophy is, at this stage at least, proving too much for him. Because the game will always be more about players than coaches - and the way Barcelona play is football. It's now up to them to go on and prove their enduring greatness by lifting another European Cup.

[scott_jambo]

What a wonderful interview. Anyone here imagine a British player ever giving such deep thinking, erudite, humble responses? Me neither.

 

Barcelona v Real Madrid this season is the ultimate clash of philosophies. In one corner, a club who've tried to buy success yesterday, and appointed a super coach to do the rest. And in the other, a club whose structure and unique way of playing has been built up over the last 40 years, with players schooled in passing and keeping the ball almost from birth.

 

As much as I love Mourinho, I'm delighted that Barca's philosophy is, at this stage at least, proving too much for him. Because the game will always be more about players than coaches - and the way Barcelona play is football. It's now up to them to go on and prove their enduring greatness by lifting another European Cup.

 

But Mourinho is the best manager there has ever been in the wurld.

[scott_jambo]

[shaun.lawson]

But Mourinho is the best manager there has ever been in the wurld.

 

I think he's the best win at all costs manager there's ever been, yes - and he still hasn't lost a domestic home game since 2002! But he's up against one of the greatest teams since the war, and a club built properly over the long term. It's too much for him - as it this stage it would be for anyone else.

[scott_jambo]

I think he's the best win at all costs manager there's ever been, yes - and he still hasn't lost a domestic home game since 2002! But he's up against one of the greatest teams since the war, and a club built properly over the long term. It's too much for him - as it this stage it would be for anyone else.

 

 

But Mourinho is the best man to have ever lived in the wurld ever.

 

 

[shaun.lawson]

But Mourinho is the best man to have ever lived in the wurld ever.

 

[Mike Hunt]

Chavy can do one! who does he think he is, the dirty wee squirt!

[scott_jambo]

Chavy can do one! who does he think he is, the dirty wee squirt!

 

pronounced Khavi (if you take the KH as the translation for the sound in arabic)

[PsychocAndy]

Did I read it correctly, if I did he didn't mention the Hibernian Way by name once, but implied it all the time.

[Guest juvehearts]

good read that

[2NaFish]

sounded a bit like a frustrated hobo.

[Walter Kidd]

There's a cracking interview with Cruyff kicking about somewhere where he talks about how it's his model that Barcelona are playing.

 

Why the SFA/Scottish Government/Clubs forget all funding for the next ten years and bring Cruyff and give him a big bag of money for changing our game I will never know.

 

We are 50 years behind.

[andi17]

Why didn't he (ahem) mention how big the old firm are he's no chance of playing for any of the uglies now.

Our weegie media should rip him a new one for not mentioning two of the biggest teams in the world everybody wants them down south or in a European lEAGUE DONTCHA KNOW.

Oh and it is a great interview our so called football pundits should be proposing this sort of standards to bring our game out of the doldrums instead of worrying about dickheads like diouf and broon, as if the rest of us care about the uglies.

[Chester™]

Super interview from a super player. Good to see more kudos given to Scholes. I thought it was interesting that if Barca had went without a trophy for as long as Arsenal, everyone would have been replaced and ethos changed.

[Craig Herbertson]

This is a joy to read and very revealing.

Man's a legend.

 

My link

 

spot on

[Cardiac Rucksack]

What a wonderful interview. Anyone here imagine a British player ever giving such deep thinking, erudite, humble responses? Me neither.

 

Barcelona v Real Madrid this season is the ultimate clash of philosophies. In one corner, a club who've tried to buy success yesterday, and appointed a super coach to do the rest. And in the other, a club whose structure and unique way of playing has been built up over the last 40 years, with players schooled in passing and keeping the ball almost from birth.

 

As much as I love Mourinho, I'm delighted that Barca's philosophy is, at this stage at least, proving too much for him. Because the game will always be more about players than coaches - and the way Barcelona play is football. It's now up to them to go on and prove their enduring greatness by lifting another European Cup.

 

I think you are being spectacularly harsh on Madrid.

 

As for Xavi, excellent football player. An absolute joy to watch at times.

[Rossco]

"four or five years ago [people said] me and Iniesta couldn't play together."

 

 

What feckin muppets said that? However it was, in whatever capacity they were involved in football, should put their hands up and leave the game of football forever.

[Ross21]

Great read from a great player. Got excited about football just reading that! Seems like a top bloke aswell

 

For all Messis goals, Xavi is the heartbeat of Barca. He runs the tempo of the team & is technically at the very very top.

 

Can't believe, in a year when he won the WorldCup - to similar dominant effect - that he didn't win world player!

[bajthejambo]

An excellent, insightfull interview. I consider Xavi the best player in the World and one of the all time greats for the way he plays the game. The way he describes his game and football over all was a joy to read.

[Spellczech]

Rondo...

 

It is funny as hell to see how bad some professional teams are at that in the warm-ups before kick-off.

[zizou]

What a wonderful interview. Anyone here imagine a British player ever giving such deep thinking, erudite, humble responses? Me neither.

 

Barcelona v Real Madrid this season is the ultimate clash of philosophies. In one corner, a club who've tried to buy success yesterday, and appointed a super coach to do the rest. And in the other, a club whose structure and unique way of playing has been built up over the last 40 years, with players schooled in passing and keeping the ball almost from birth.

 

As much as I love Mourinho, I'm delighted that Barca's philosophy is, at this stage at least, proving too much for him. Because the game will always be more about players than coaches - and the way Barcelona play is football. It's now up to them to go on and prove their enduring greatness by lifting another European Cup.

"In one corner, a club who've tried to buy success yesterday"

 

The most successful club in the history of the game.............

[shaun.lawson]

"In one corner, a club who've tried to buy success yesterday"

 

The most successful club in the history of the game.............

 

Sure they are. But they had to spend this much this fast because of how far behind Barca had left them.

[zizou]

Sure they are. But they had to spend this much this fast because of how far behind Barca had left them.

I know, I know. I think Xavi and Iniesta are immense and they both talk sense about the game. All of Scottish football should listen when they talk.

[The Merse]

Superb stuff from an unbelievable talent.

 

Watching Barcelona is usually the highlight of my weekend.

 

[alanjambo]

What a wonderful interview. Anyone here imagine a British player ever giving such deep thinking, erudite, humble responses? Me neither.

 

Barcelona v Real Madrid this season is the ultimate clash of philosophies. In one corner, a club who've tried to buy success yesterday, and appointed a super coach to do the rest. And in the other, a club whose structure and unique way of playing has been built up over the last 40 years, with players schooled in passing and keeping the ball almost from birth.

 

As much as I love Mourinho, I'm delighted that Barca's philosophy is, at this stage at least, proving too much for him. Because the game will always be more about players than coaches - and the way Barcelona play is football. It's now up to them to go on and prove their enduring greatness by lifting another European Cup.

 

I was going to say something about Xavi's interview. But, to be fair, this says it all.

 

Xavi is a wonderful footballer playing for the second best team in the world. He's almost as good as John Colquhoun in his pomp. Almost.

[CMc]

I believe that's what we MUST aspire to if we want the Scottish game to flourish once more

It will be a long struggle

 

"We train them to always think". That is the hard part for Scotland. I don't think we have enough of an influence overt the lives of young footballers in Scotland. The top clubs should mover their academies out of the cities and into the countryside somewhere were they will no longer be hanging about with their mates. At one end of the spectrum we have the Barcelona boys who are trained in football and football philosophy:

 

"A few miles from the training ground and overshadowed by the enormous Nou Camp stadium is a delightful 18th-century farmhouse. Built in 1702 and sitting rather incongruously among the constant noise and clamour of one of the busier districts of the city, it is known as La Masia.

FC Barcelona converted this ornate building into a boarding house in 1979 to accommodate the older boys on their youth programme. Outsiders are not usually permitted inside what is seen as a private place, where the future of the club is being nurtured and the football club is in loco parentis.

From the age of 13 or 14, boys who live outside the city are housed here, letting the club mould their futures more fully, and ensuring their training time is not interrupted by debilitating travel to and from the ground. Typically the 14 year-old boys will train for six hours a week and play a game of 90 minutes.

But crucially it allows the club to develop not just their football skills but their lifestyle and attitudes, preaching the virtues of healthy eating and early nights. The boys live, sleep and eat together at La Masia, housed in bunk-bed dormitories. They eat communally in a stylish refectory with period chandeliers. They do their homework in a spacious library and have a games room with table football, pool and PlayStations.

It resembles a rather charming youth hostel, but this type of education remains an alien concept to most Premier League clubs, none of which has a residential academy on the scale of La Masia.

 

Each morning the boys are bussed in to the best local schools. The importance of finishing their education is constantly impressed on them by the club, though the lessons are all in Catalan, a language that will at first be unfamiliar to boys from outside the region. They return at 2pm for lunch and siesta, with training from 5pm to 6.30pm, then homework with private tutors on hand to help. After dinner there is a short period of down time before bed.

'We train the youngsters to be good people with a healthy lifestyle and help them to be happy with their way of life,' says Albert Capellas, the club's senior youth coordinator. 'It's very important for us that the boys have respect for others. They have to be good people, like gentlemen.'

 

 

(Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1265747/Inside-FC-Barcelonas-football-academy-churning-future-Messis--free.html#ixzz1DjnRNvpm)

 

At the other end of the spectrum we have Derek Riordan, the definition of a N.E.D, getting flung out of night clubs, starting bother and getting beaten up by his own fans in Drylaw after his team get pumped out the cup by their rivals.

 

If Scotland is ever going to sort out itself out then we need to find a way to stop 13-17 year olds wasting their talents by drinking, smoking and taking drugs in the parks and estates. (An issue that goes wider than football). If Teams did move training academies out of the cities and made them residential, and took on quote young kids, this would be great for Scottish football and the country as a whole. Given that something like 72% of the Scottish population are actively interested in football, surely it wouldn't be to unpopular if the Scottish government raised a little bit more tax revenue to spend on subsidising a few of these rural footy academies for elite young footballers? (and built a shedload of WoF type football barns for the rest of us).

They would probably make a lot of the money back through savings in the Health and Policing budgets.

[Wattie]

The epitome of the team player.

 

Interesting that he is yet to win the Ballon d'Or and I think this reflects that fact that he leaves the spectacular stuff to the likes of Messi and Ronaldinho before him. He is the puppet master pulling the strings and a more intelligent footballer I have never seen. Makes it happen for the team, a phenomenal talent and exponent for the way the game should be played.