Why Barcelona Must Look Further Afield for Their Next Manager to Get Back to Their Best

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​After a decade of European dominance, Barcelona find themselves at a cross roads. 

It is a situation the Catalan side has not experienced since Frank Rijkaard departed in 2008. It is crucial that Barcelona ensure their next step is the correct one, as the side faces uncertainty in the years ahead with Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi and Gerrard Pique all beginning to age. 

In appointing Luis Enrique, Barcelona were essentially searching for the next Pep. The club felt Enrique, having previously managed Barca B and now with a couple of years at Celta Vigo, would be ready to return. To an extent, it was successful, they claimed the Champions League and back-to-back La Liga titles. 

Of course, there are differences between Enrique's Barcelona and Guardiola's. But there is a sense, in that appointing Luis Enrique the club were not looking much further than their those who were already within the Barcelona umbrella. Indeed, Barca only looked further afield when Tito Villanova's tragic passing forced them to do so, suggesting a reluctance to bring in outside thought. 

The key problem in this situation is that the squad needs refreshing, and whilst Enrique was more than capable of taking Guardiola's reigns and adding Luis Suarez, he has proven disastrous in recruiting and building a team in his own image. 

For all the merits promoting coaches comes with, the managers it produces will have no experiencing in the art of dealing in the transfer market for a side as massive and financially powerful as Barcelona. Enrique's short stints at Roma and Celta Vigo did not prepare him for this either. 

The signings of Jeremy Mathieu, Andre Gomes, Paco Alcacer and Ivan Rakitic coupled with the departure of Dani Alves are proof enough that Enrique is not up to scratch in this department. 

Barcelona, now more than ever, need a proven quality manager, something they have not appointed since Louis van Gaal. This is to an extent obsession with remaining loyal to principles put in place by Johan Cruyff, a loyalty that has, in turn, bred a blind dedication to the Barcelona way.

Trying to recreate Guardiola's success with Barcelona is not easy. Mr Guardiola himself is currently proving just how difficult a task it is, having failed to do so at Bayern Munich and now struggling at Manchester City. 

Barcelona themselves need to accept the uniqueness of that side. In the 2009 Champions League final they lined up with seven academy graduates in their starting line-up. Two of which (Xavi and Puyol) Guardiola actually played with, whilst Sergio Busquets was managed in Barcelona B by Guardiola. Not to mention Gerard Pique would break into the starting eleven the following season along with Pedro. 

In contrast, today Barcelona line-up with just four academy graduates in their starting eleven. One of which is Andres Iniesta who's powers are now truly on the wane, and another is Sergi Roberto, the creative midfielder deployed at right back. 

The level of familiarity within the Barcelona side of 2009-2011 not only between such incredibly high quality players but also the management has perhaps never been seen before at club level. This was a side in which the players had an incredible understanding with each other as well as the manager  and had the added quality of arguably the best player in history, Lionel Messi. 

That side was a once in a lifetime team. 

It largely did not matter whether Barcelona had a plan B back then, the team was so brilliant, both defensively and going forward, that they rarely found themselves exposed or anyone that could stop them.

However, these days Barcelona still have only one way of playing, and lack the quality in midfield and defence to make it work. Now, more than ever, they need new ideas and freshening up. The new wave of young talent from La Masia does not seem ready to step into the breach as it was when Guardiola took charge. 

As a result, Barcelona need a coach capable of displaying a pragmatism on the pitch and shrewdness in the market that has been missing to ensure that, during what promises to be a period of transition, Barcelona continue to be successful. 

Juventus demolished Barcelona, and they did it playing with a side that possesses quality back to front, exposing Barca's top heavy squad. On that night Barcelona looked like Arsenal, they played nice football only to be out muscled, out worked and out played all over the park against a top side. 

If Barcelona want to compete against sides such as Juventus in the near future then they desperately need fresh tactical thinking to protect the weaknesses that Barcelona's style exposes on the pitch.

So the real question now for Barcelona's president, Mr Bartomeu, is will you stick or twist?

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