Koeman's dreams for Barça are shared by everyone

Koeman's dreams for Barça are shared by everyone

Ronald Koeman se sentó en el banquillo local del Camp Nou
Bartomeu y la junta le dan a Koeman plenos poderes para hacer la gran revolución en la plantilla azulgrana | sport

In difficult moments like the one Barça are experiencing right now, it's always best to remember someone who identifies with the club and who knows its idiosyncrasies. That's why names like Ronald Koeman and Xavi Hernandez are always welcomed by Barça fans after wearing the shirt and never hiding away from the fact they would love to manage the side one day.

No one can deny that Koeman has shown his great desire, including saying it bravely, that he wants to take on this difficult task. But he knows this club better than anybody, its famous atmosphere, how painful every defeat feels and how special every success is. He's in sync with Barça and its supporters. This will ease his integration into the role.

Koeman has experimented in his own development as a coach. We don't need to go over his time at Valencia. His time in the Premier League and most recently with Holland have shown what he's all about. With the Dutch national side he had to oversee the transition from ageing veterans such as Sneijder, Van Persie, Robben, Kuyt, Van Der Vaart and Huntelaar to bring through the promising youngsters.

Whilst not as intense as day to day coaching, Koeman managed to complete that overhaul successfully. Holland are now one of the best teams in world football with a nice mix of talented youngsters and experienced heads. Due to the lack of attacking options, they packed the midfield and defence. Virgil van Dijk and Matthijs de Ligt are the base of that defence. Koeman deserves huge credit for turning the situation around.

For him, the easy option would have been to stay with Holland and lead them into Euro 2021. But he preferred to take over a similar role at Barcelona, fresh after a humiliating defeat at the hands of Bayern, and with a summer overhaul staring him right in the face.

Koeman will have the backing from supporters because they want to see one of their own succeed. He added Henrik Larsson to his staff, another player who impressed during his time at Barça. In Alfred Schreuder he has the man who played a key role in Ajax's destruction of Real Madrid last season. Two names who inspire confidence. 

Koeman knows the task at hand and the challenges facing him. It's time for painful changes but he brings a needed calmness to that process as well. But Koeman also crucially brings a lot of illusion and desire to succeed. That illusion, that desire to bring Barça back to where they should be, is shared by everyone.

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