If you were contemplating buying this book but have since
decided against it after Guardiola’s departure and Barcelona’s surrender of
both the La Liga and Champions League crowns, then you’ve made a bad decision.
A really bad decision.Hunter’s book closely examines goings on behind the scenes at the Camp Nou and the chain of events that led to the construction of what many believe to be the world’s greatest ever team, a journey not so simple as many will believe.
The book is neatly divided into chapters, with each of Barca’s key players featured, as well as a an examination of a number of other important factors in the story. Hunter examines the journeys of the likes of Messi, Xavi and Iniesta from their early days at La Masia right through to their recent achievements at the height of the game.
My favourite chapter is the one detailing the recently departed Pep Guardiola. The section really emphasizes how Barca early on believed that the Catalan had all the right credentials to eventually become the first team manager and how their belief was eventually rewarded with success. All of this despite the fact that Guardiola had no managerial experience before initially being appointed as manager of Barcelona B.
Hunter’s knowledge about the club is unparalleled, stemming from the fact that he has spent over a decade working in and around the club and as a result has become good friends with many of the players and key powerbrokers at the club.
Away from the chapters featuring Guardiola and his former charges, are detailed accounts about the sewing of the seeds of the Barcelona ethos and La Masia, Barca’s famed academy amongst others.
Each section is slick and smooth reading and enlightening with facts that are guaranteed to surprise the reader, such as the fact that both Messi and Iniesta were once on the verge of sealing loan moves to Glasgow Rangers!
Some chapters do overlap chronologically, but this is a necessity in providing such extensive coverage of each respective subject.
The general chronology of the book is as follows; the coming of Cruyff and the instillation of the Barca philosophy, the baron years of foreign imports and financial mismanagement under Van Gaal and Gaspart, the arrival of Rijkaard and his early success and then subsequent decline and then recovery and prosperity under Guardiola.
Throughout the book runs the obvious theme of Barcelona being a vehicle of Catalan identity and how many of the players are proud Catalan’s and proud supporters of Barca. I witnessed this first hand during my recent visit to the Camp Nou, with the museum outlining just how important the football club has been to Catalan identity, pride and even at times resistance.
Above all I feel that the book teaches that Barcelona really is more than a club. How the likes of Ibrahimovic came and failed but a far less talented individual like Pedro can be an undoubted success because firstly from graduating from La Masia he understands the Barca system and its requirements and secondly, he possesses the right mental steel and winner’s mentality.
Writing this review I found it impossible to analyse all aspects of the book. The book simply covers so much, in such detail that to really grasp the whole concept of Barcelona you must read the book yourself.
However, what I can promise is that this book will make you cherish the players that form this fantastic team and appreciate Barcelona’s unique identity and means of operation.
Whatever the post Guardiola years hold, this book superbly tells the story so far of the best team that many of us have seen in our lifetimes, not missing a step along the way.
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