Joan Laporta has once more commented on his growing desire to stand for a second time as Barcelona President.
Elections are not until 2016, but following on from Sandro Rosell’s recent confirmation that he will stand again then, his rival Laporta is gearing up for the vote also.
“At a recent Press conference I said that I am ready and I can now also say that every day I have more enthusiasm to return and be President,” Laporta told reporters today.
“I have a team, which is always very important, who I can trust, and I have the motivation to go to an election.
“Again I have the ambition to be President and there is work to do.
“But the election have to be in 2016 and before then it will be a time to reflect professionally, personally and with family before making a decision.
“My political ambitions? Being President of Barca comes with great responsibility and it would be incompatible with a political career.
“If I decide to stand for election at Barca, it will be difficult to continue my political responsibilities, but remember that my role as councillor ends in 2016 and I do not believe that [Barca] elections will be brought forward unless there is a matter of extreme difficulty.”
Any election for Laporta will pit him up against former Vice-President and ally Rosell.
“Rosell and his board have lived on the legacy that we left, they have been able to invest what they have wanted and the best thing they have done is keep what they have inherited from us.
“Whilst I know that they do not share in the current philosophy of play, I appreciate that they have not touched it.
“Their obsession has been to destroy what we have done, not keeping Guardiola, making demands, Cruyff, La Masia, Catalunya, Unicef, the fight against the hooligans…
“This policy has agreed with the hooligans, they have lied, they made a conscious lie. They had a pact with the hooligans.
“The thing that hurt me was the attitude of immaturity from the President when he was caught having made this agreement.”
Laporta turned his attention to Tito Vilanova and expressed that perhaps the Coach needs to take a more active role in transfer discussions this summer.
“It is not enough for me that the Coach is a mere spectator of sporting affairs when they affect the dressing room.
“I appreciate Vilanova, but I am surprised when he says that ‘the board gives me the players I have to train’.
“The Coach has to have criteria, not just be a spectator, and in matters of this kind.”
