FCBARCELONA.CAT

13.07.2007 13:46

Ex-Barça players in command

Jesús Carrillo

Having played for Barça in the past seems to be a guarantee of footballing know-how. There is a veritable host of former Camp Nou regulars that are now managing clubs around the world, while many others are working high up in the Spanish footballing.

There are no fewer than four ex-players working for FC Barcelona at the moment. Txiki Begiristain is the technical secretary, while Eusebio Sacristán and Juan Carlos Unzué are among Frank Rijkaard’s assistants. Johan Neeskens, of course, was a player here once too. Another former player, Ronald Koeman, is having a successful managing career in his native Holland, having also managed in Portugal.

Four First Division managers

Following the latest shuffle on the Spanish benches, there are now four ex-Barça players managing top flight teams. The best known is probably Bernd Schuster, new manager of Real Madrid. The German’s former charges at Getafe will now be managed by Michael Laudrup, who has moved to Spain from Brondy in Denmark. Ernesto Valverde will be staying for another year at Espanyol, while on the other side of the country Víctor Muñoz is the main man at Recreativo de Huelva.

In Second and Third too

Hristo Stoichkov will be staying in command at Celta Vigo as he seeks to steer the Galician outfit back into the first division. And down in Group V of the third division, Josep Guardiola has been handed responsibility for Barça B.