Graham Hunter was on OTB AM today discussing Xavi as a prospect for a managerial role at Barcelona.
The conversation arose following Xavi’s final match as a player with Hunter rating him highly as a player.
“He’s become one of my top two or three footballers ever. I’m sad that he’s retiring but time ticks.”
Hunter also believes that the former Barcelona star’s relationship will stand to him if he’s looking to return to Camp Nou.
“Victor Font is his friend. Victor Font is the candidate who will stand and will expect to win in 2021. When Barcelona have presidential elections, Xavi will be his coach.”
The football journalist believes that Xavi is in no rush to move there though with plenty to do in the meantime.
“He’s become one of my top two or three footballers ever. I’m sad that he’s retiring but time ticks.”
Graham Hunter talks about Xavi as a prospect for Barcelona Management.https://t.co/Ga96q0gX7f— Off The Ball (@offtheball) May 21, 2019
“In the calculated brain that he’s got, the idea is that he finishes his coaching badges in May, carries on coaching and learning in some aspects and fulfilling his very lucrative contract, in Qatar. ”
Living outside the bubble is a concept that Xavi seems to be happy with at the moment, which could make these next two years work to his advantage.
“I think we misunderstand or underappreciate the intensity of constant pressure on these guys and therefore, while Xavi is much more depressurised than Iker, he’s been away longer, I think that his attitude is that two more valuable years of preparation, of family development and waiting until it’s a clean slate and he takes over with Valverde rather than being on their staff.”
While Hunter believes that Xavi has the utmost respect for Valverde, he’s worried about the pairing if Xavi’s on the staff.
“I think that although Valverde and Xavi have a different attitude to how Barcelona should be playing, Xavi’s respect’s is very high for Valverde and what he’s achieved but if he’s on the staff, then the very first time that Valverde has a bad result, the media are full of ‘promote Xavi, get rid of Valverde’ and that’s a marriage I don’t see working.”
