Former Barcelona Coach Cesar Luis Menotti has backed Gerardo Martino to enjoy life at the club and commented on the growing connection with Rosario.
Martino is set to put pen to paper on a two-year deal at Barca to replace Tito Vilanova this coming Friday, when he will become the Catalans’ fourth Argentine Coach in their history and the first since Menotti in the 1980s.
For the veteran tactician, Martino’s arrival at the Camp Nou may be down to where he was born.
“The best are from Rosario, Martino is from Rosario, Messi is from Rosario, I’m from Rosario,” joked Menotti to La Xarxa this week.
“I wish the best for Barca and for Martino, who is as happy as I was when I was at Barcelona. He reaches an ideal place to develop and grow.
“It must be a dream. It is clear what the philosophy of play is at Barca. He is more than capable. There are technicians who dignifiy the profession and others who decry it. ‘Tata’ is one who dignifies the coaching profession, like Marcelo Bielsa.
“He will experience what it means for Barca to be more than a club, the only way to understand it is to be there. He has the support of the players who have the necessary experience, abitliy and commitment for the club to give the Coach a lot of ideas.
“The Coahc will have to strengthen, enhance and restore the brightness of Barcelona after a year with many difficulties.
“He will have [fellow Argentines] Messi and Mascherano behind him, the only misfortune is that he is a fan of Newell’s!”
