FC Barcelona ambassador talks in the Green Room
Q&A with MM Sports’ Barca ambassador Gerard A. Banez
-Why do you support your current favorite club ?
(1) I support Barca because of its attractive, possession-oriented, tiki-taka style of play; its commitment to youth dev’t and policy of developing and promoting its youth team players; and the club’s commitment to huminatarian values & efforts.
-Which piece of advice would you offer your club if you were present at a board meeting?
(2) With all the club’s success over the past several yrs, the board must be doing a lot of things right. If there was one suggestion I would give, it would be to incorporate more B-team players into La Liga games during the regular season. La Liga games would provide good opportunity to the B players, enhancing their dev’t and providing them with the experience needed to contribute when they play more regularly. I think the B players would be hungry and provide good energy. This practice would also give the starters some rest and possibly eliminate some of the complacency and pedestrian efforts that have been seen this yr. I have no doubt that Barca is still the best in the world, but I doubt that they will win La Liga this yr because of these issues. The team will play well in big games, like a CL final, but struggle in less important ones. A sprinkling of B players now and again could help in the present and also serve as an investment in the future.
-What is the low point of the club while you have followed it?
(3) Not many lows, but I would point to the slips against inferior squads, mostly in La Liga this yr.
-What is the high point ?
(4) Highs would definitely include the many championships won. This yr alone would include the run from the CL final, the Super Cups, to the FIFA Club World Cup. Moreover, I would point to the commitment and execution of the Barca style of play and the joy that team members appear to have playing with one another.
-Which is/are your favorite jersey(s) from your club ?
(5) Xavi & Iniesta.
-When you were a kid which player would you like to become ? or who was your favorite player ?
(6) Growing up in the US when there was very little soccer, I still remember getting caught up in Pele & the NY Cosmos of the old NASL. I also liked an American soccer player, probably the best of that era, by the name of Kyle Rote Jr. If I could turn back the hands of time, I would love to grow up to be Xavi or Iniesta, who, in my opinion, are the two best midfielders in the world. If only my body would cooperate.