Mateu Alemany (with added Alberto Benito and Pablo Rodriguez)

[pauliewalnuts]

The sort of appointment that, had Lerner made it in 2006/7, would have made his money go significantly further and would quite possibly have avoided the immense, drawn out shitstorm which was Lerner's disengagement.

[Risso]

He's built a side that won the league again having been in a really shit financial state.

Seems well liked.

Now, what was it people were saying in January about a lack of ambition?

It was shit, we should have bought some more players! Let's hope this bloke can help put this right in the summer.

[Risso]

The sort of appointment that, had Lerner made it in 2006/7, would have made his money go significantly further and would quite possibly have avoided the immense, drawn out shitstorm which was Lerner's disengagement.

But then we might have missed out on Harewood, Knight and Salifou.

[Dave]

Interested to see how he fits in with Lange. As he appears to be an addition, rather than a replacement.

[pauliewalnuts]

I wonder if the likes of Alemany and Lange will operate at V Sports level, ie all clubs in the group, or purely Villa.

[placeforparks]

2021 profile from marca - https://www.marca.com/en/football/barcelona/2021/03/10/6048f1f9268e3e516e8b4602.html

Laporta's latest signing: He's a killer, the number one
New director of football has an impressive CV
It was an open secret that Mateu Alemany was one of the big names involved in Joan Laporta's candidacy, although the newly elected Barcelona president only announced it on Monday.
Alemany, the former boss at Valencia, will take on a director of football role to be the top man in the Blaugrana's model, with plenty of work ahead of him.
It is the latest challenge for the lawyer who has worked at almost every level there is of a club's hierarchy, including as president at Real Mallorca.
"He's a killer, the number one," said a source close to Alemany.
"Many people shake the tree hoping for fruit to fall.
"Not him, he goes right up and takes the apple he wants."
With more hits than misses in his long career, Alemany is a negotiator to be reckoned with and even turned down Florentino Perez when he tried to bring him in in 2000 to work with Jorge Valdano.
At the time he was 37 years old and Perez wanted to begin his time as Real Madrid president with Alemany in a top role.
"I will always appreciate it, but my obligation at the time was to continue with Real Mallorca," Alemany said of Perez's offer.
Real Mallorca and Eto'o
One of his notable triumphs at Real Mallorca was Samuel Eto'o, who he bought for around seven million euros and then sold for 24m euros to none other than Laporta himself at Barcelona.
It was in those negotiations that a friendship was born that has led to Alemany's Camp Nou appointment this week.
His success at Valencia
When Alemany joined Valencia in the spring of 2017 it was as a result of a recommendation from LaLiga president Javier Tebas to Peter Lim to give his struggling project a major boost.
With Valencia languishing in the lower half of the table, Alemany had a major rebuild on his hands and one of his key decisions was bringing in Marcelino as head coach, ahead of Quique Setien, who had been wanted by the previous sporting director Jose Ramon Alexanco.
The excellent relationship between the pair was an almost instant success, despite Alemany tactfully remaining silent when Lim made decisions behind his back, such as the proposed sale of Rodrigo to Atletico in 2019.
Alemany's strategy in his first year was high risk: spend big on the playing squad and bank on qualifying for the Champions League. It paid off.
Lim wanted to reduce the risk and the cost of the squad, but Alemany stood firm and he pointed to the example of Atleti as the star to follow, aiming to establish themselves as a perennial presence in the Champions League.
Alemany is known for his competitive nature, hating losing at golf or padel, his two favourite pastimes to destress.
The man from Mallorca was a futsal player in his day and also enjoys sailing.
He takes the helm at Barcelona in the midst of a storm, but he has weathered adverse conditions before in Palma and Valencia, always looking to the Mediterranean, where he has never yet capsized

[Jon Crofts]

Villa appoint Alemany.
Leeds appoint Allardyce.

Levels.

[Brend'Watkins]

Mateu has the potential to make life Rosé at B6 maybe?

[Risso]

Mateu has the potential to make life Rosé at B6 maybe?

Nice. Your joke that is, not the wine.

[frank black]

Mateu has the potential to make life Rosé at B6 maybe?

Nice. Your joke that is, not the wine.

Indeed a corker

[Drummond]

He's built a side that won the league again having been in a really shit financial state.

Seems well liked.

Now, what was it people were saying in January about a lack of ambition?

It was shit, we should have bought some more players! Let's hope this bloke can help put this right in the summer.

Haha! The bosses clearly heard you and decided to act.

Newcastle wanted him a couple of years ago, before he said no and went to Barcelona. Now we're getting him as well as Emery when they wanted him.... it makes me smile, and worry slightly that there may be an 'accident' happening soon.

[Brazilian Villain]

Mateu has the potential to make life Rosé at B6 maybe?

Cue pink and baby blue comments on SHA.

[Brend'Watkins]

Mateu has the potential to make life Rosé at B6 maybe?

Nice. Your joke that is, not the wine.

Yep, sweet crap it is/was.  Only purchased because of the bottle which when empty you could stick a candle in and for a fleeting moment pretend you were in Portugal. Sophisticated up-cycling even back in the early '80s.   

[pablo_picasso]

Sounds like an ambitious signing. He seems very driven to succeed. A Barca fan that I know stated that they only won the league this year due to him. Will be a big summer coming up.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Mateu has the potential to make life Rosé at B6 maybe?

Nice. Your joke that is, not the wine.

Yep, sweet crap it is/was.  Only purchased because of the bottle which when empty you could stick a candle in and for a fleeting moment pretend you were in Portugal. Sophisticated up-cycling even back in the early '80s.   

Nobody here drinks it. In fact nobody here knows why anybody would drink it. It's treated as a bit of a joke and cheap shot at the 'bifes'. Not you, obviously Bren.