Explained: How signing a legend as coach is not a winning formula

What have been the other instances?

Closer home, a similar narrative has gripped Indian cricket as well. Though not in crisis, a premature exit from the T20 World Cup has sparked some panic among India’s fans. So, the timing of Rahul Dravid taking over as head coach could not have been more perfect.

How Dravid’s stint with India goes remains to be seen but in club football, the trend doesn’t seem to be working well: Andrea Pirlo lasted for just one season at Juventus, Frank Lampard was sacked unceremoniously by Chelsea, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have been unimpressive for the most part, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s struggles have only compounded at Manchester United.

Xavi Hernandez during his official presentation in Barcelona. (Reuters Photo: Albert Gea)

What is the difference from ‘other’ managers?

There is, however, one big difference. At a time when three or four bad weeks can seal the fate of those at the wheel, players who are a part of the club’s folklore and go on to become their managers more often than not get a longer rope, both from fans as well as the board. Arteta and Solskjaer, who have held on to their jobs despite tumultuous starts to the season, are cases in point. And it’s not just them.

Real Madrid have been notoriously impatient with their managers and yet, since 2010, Zinedine Zidane is the only manager who hasn’t been sacked by them. On the contrary, it was Zidane who left the club on both occasions, on his own terms. Across town, before Diego Simeone was appointed Atletico Madrid’s manager in 2011, the club had 12 coaches in a decade. Despite ups and downs, Simeone, a former Atletico player, has enjoyed the confidence of the club management, players and fans.

Emotion has often been the overriding element in each of these stories. But with Solskjaer and Arteta, it also helped that the likes of Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola threw their weight behind the two player-turned-managers.

What is Xavi’s track record?

For Xavi, the glowing recommendations have already started pouring in – even Lionel Messi sees him as the messiah. “As a player, Xavi saw the whole picture from the pitch. I’m sure from the sidelines, he’ll see it even clearer,” Messi was quoted as saying in the Spanish media last week.

Messi knows. At the peak of their prowess, even though the spotlight was always on the Argentine great, Xavi remained the most vocal advocate of Barcelona’s playing philosophy. So much so that he even made a Qatari side Al Sadd – the only club he had coached before Monday – play tiki-taka football. A 22-second viral clip of a goal scored by Al Sadd in the Qatari league is perhaps a testimony of what Xavi the coach can get his players to do.

What is the task confronting Xavi?

That will be important. Under Ronald Koeman, Barcelona were stripped of their identity. In a way, there are similarities in both these managerial appointments. When Koeman was named Barcelona manager in 2020, his biggest qualification was scoring the goal that won them the 1992 European Cup under Johan Cruyff.

Ironically, Koeman’s Barca gave up on Cruyff’s idea of football. For a team that considered possession to be paramount, whipping in hopeful crosses from the flanks became a staple. Yet, the club tried to show loyalty and patience to one of its legends. Ultimately, when the fans turned on him – attacking his vehicle after a defeat to Real Madrid in the Clasico, the Dutchman’s fate was sealed.

When emotions will be separated from Xavi’s return to Camp Nou, perhaps there will be a clearer picture of what he is like as a coach. In Qatar, Xavi’s Al Sadd had a reputation of playing collectively as a team, dominating every aspect of the game, pressing high and playing fast, flowing football. He’ll be expected to get Barcelona playing the same way. And for that, Xavi could get the luxury that Koeman did not have – time.

Sentiment has landed Xavi his dream job. And it is safe to say that sentiment will also provide him some cushion as he tries to steer Barcelona out of troubled waters.

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