FCBARCELONA.CAT

20.06.2007 13:37

Guardiola Back At Barça

Jaume Marcet

Josep Guardiola will be presented as the new coach of the Barlceona B team on Thursday after the club's former captain signed a two-year deal to help rebuild the youth side.

In his first role as a coach, Guardiola will be presented by club president, Joan Laporta, technical secretary, Txiki Begiristain, and the director of youth football, José Ramón Alexanco at midday on Thursday.

The return of Guardiola to the youth team set-up at Barça, marks the comeback of a player that made his name and became an icon at Camp Nou. Before enjoying success as a member of the Dream Team, the playmaking midfielder appeared many times for the Barça B side in the Miniestadi, where he will now steer the team from the bench.

Creating The Play

His style of play and reading of the game from midfield made Guardiola and archetypal number four, who learnt his trade when rising through the ranks at the club. Before his arrival in the first team, Luis Milla was employed in the same role under Johan Cruyff and following his exit many players have risen to prominence playing in a similar manner. Iván De la Peña, Albert Celades, Xavi, Mikel Arteta, Andrés Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas have all come out of La Masia with the same eye for a striking pass, and already there are several more waiting to move up to the first team, including Marc Crosas and Oriol Romeu.

Rising Through The Ranks

Guardiola joined FC Barcelona in 1985 from Gimnàstic Manresa and played in the infantiles under Antoni Olmo. He played for Barça Atlètic Juvenil in 1986-87 and 1987-88 and the Juvenil side in 1989. A year later he played some games for the Under-19 outfit (that was created that season) and then with Barça Amateur in la Tercera and Barça B in la Segunda B. The following season he made his first team debut against Cádiz in Camp Nou.

Success With The Dream Team

Following his first game, Guardiola became a key member of the Johan Cruyff's squad. He earned a place alongside such players as Zubi, Koeman, Bakero, Stoichkov and Laudrup and orchestrated the play from the centre of the field. During that time he helped Barça to win four league titles, the European Super Cup, the European Cup and the Copa del Rey on two occasions, among other trophies. In ten season, between 1991 and 2001, he played 472 games for the club and scored ten goals.

Experience Abroad

When Guardiola left FC Barcelona he continued playing abroad as he felt he could not represent another team in the Spanish league. His first side was Brescia in Italy, where he played for one season, before joining AS Roma.

Before hanging up his boots, he tried his luck in Qatar with Al-Ahly, between 2003 and 2005 before joining Dorados de Sinaloa in Mexico for one year (2006).