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Barcelona should keep Pep Guardiola for many years – Sergi Barjuan backs former team-mate ahead of Real Madrid clash
The retired full-back and La Masia graduate says he is immensely proud of the youngsters emerging at the Catalan club and also revealed his desire to embark on a coaching career
9 Dec 2011 12:56:00
BH
EXCLUSIVE
By Ben Hayward
Former Barcelona full-back Sergi Barjuan believes the team's current coach Pep Guardiola is the ideal man to lead the Catalan club and hopes the 40-year-old continues at Camp Nou for many years to come.
Sergi, who played with Guardiola at Barca between 1993 and 2001, returned to the Catalan giants to train the Juvenil B side at La Masia for a two-year spell ending in the summer, and he now hopes to follow in his friend's footsteps by becoming a senior coach.
"I can't tell you what I will be doing tomorrow, or what I will be doing in future," he told Goal.com in an exclusive interview. "But I want to be a coach."
That seems unlikely to be at Barca, however, at least in the short term, as the ex-Spain star is keen to see Guardiola stay on at Camp Nou.
"Pep is unique and he is special. Let's hope he stays for many more years to come," the 39-year-old added.
Sergi and Guardiola were two of the top talents from the early crop of stars to emerge from Barca's famed La Masia academy, and the ex-defender coached many of the youngsters now making their way into the first team at the Catalan club.
Nine of the starting XI from Barca's 4-0 win at home to BATE Borisov in the Champions League on Tuesday night came through the youth ranks at La Masia, as well as all three substitutes, and Sergi says seeing the likes of Isaac Cuenca, Rafinha, Gerard Deulofeu and company make it to the first team is a satisfying sensation.
"If you have developed as a player at La Masia and then gone on to play for the first team, it fills you with pride," he explained.
"And when you work as a coach [at Barca] and you see a player moving up to the first team, it's a great satisfaction."
Sergi won 56 caps for Spain and made 382 appearances for Barca before finishing his career at Atletico Madrid.
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By Ben Hayward
Former Barcelona full-back Sergi Barjuan believes the team's current coach Pep Guardiola is the ideal man to lead the Catalan club and hopes the 40-year-old continues at Camp Nou for many years to come.
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Sergi, who played with Guardiola at Barca between 1993 and 2001, returned to the Catalan giants to train the Juvenil B side at La Masia for a two-year spell ending in the summer, and he now hopes to follow in his friend's footsteps by becoming a senior coach.
"I can't tell you what I will be doing tomorrow, or what I will be doing in future," he told Goal.com in an exclusive interview. "But I want to be a coach."
That seems unlikely to be at Barca, however, at least in the short term, as the ex-Spain star is keen to see Guardiola stay on at Camp Nou.
"Pep is unique and he is special. Let's hope he stays for many more years to come," the 39-year-old added.
Sergi and Guardiola were two of the top talents from the early crop of stars to emerge from Barca's famed La Masia academy, and the ex-defender coached many of the youngsters now making their way into the first team at the Catalan club.
Nine of the starting XI from Barca's 4-0 win at home to BATE Borisov in the Champions League on Tuesday night came through the youth ranks at La Masia, as well as all three substitutes, and Sergi says seeing the likes of Isaac Cuenca, Rafinha, Gerard Deulofeu and company make it to the first team is a satisfying sensation.
"If you have developed as a player at La Masia and then gone on to play for the first team, it fills you with pride," he explained.
"And when you work as a coach [at Barca] and you see a player moving up to the first team, it's a great satisfaction."
Sergi won 56 caps for Spain and made 382 appearances for Barca before finishing his career at Atletico Madrid.
Follow Ben Hayward on
| Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every Game |
|
| Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets! |
|
| Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25 |
|
| Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200 |
|
| Sign up with Paddy Power - Bet £10, Get £20! |
|
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