Untitled Document

Voting, Valencia, and Beckham
Trevor Emmitt

This weekend F.C. Barcelona takes on Valencia in a Liga match that holds extreme implications for both sides. Valencia is hoping to hold its Champs League grip, while Barça is attempting to reach sixth in the Liga table, thus qualifying for the UEFA Cup . Defeating Valencia on the road would indeed be the biggest victory of the year for Antic's underachieving side, but, at home in the Nou Camp, the election of the club's new president will define the club's future.

The main talk of the elections surrounds future signings, and the biggest name involved is Beckham. All this reeks of oppurtunism by the presidential hopefuls, running on the fears of F.C.B. voters, praying they will fall for Spice Guy glitz and the insane notion that massive transfer fees actually acrue victories.

It doesn't work that way, and David Beckham on Barcelona would NOT help F.C.B. There is almost nothing that Beckham could add to Barça, save perhaps a slightly more accurate threat on dead balls that has not been present since Rivaldo left to ride the bench in Milan. Certainly a $48 million transfer fee for a player that does not rank in the top ten at his position in the world (outside midfielder) is to be questioned as a publicity stunt - an election promise that seems, at best, to be a miscalculation of judgement when it comes to the fans' understanding of glamor v. substance.

One candidate has made sensible overtures to the public regarding signings. Jaume Llaurado has promised the signing of Christian Chivu, the Romanian international who plays for the Dutch club Ajax. The 22-year-old captain of both Romania and Ajax is a defender who could cement the suspect Barça defense for years to come, at a fraction of the price tag that rival candidate Laporta promises for Beckham.

Signing Chivu would solidify the future, while signing Beckham would only sell a large number of tee-shirts along Las Ramblas. The problem is an inferiority complex among Barça voters. After having arguably the best team to ever play football in 1992, the so-called 'Dream Team', they have struggled to five league titles and put-putted in Europe - achieving exactly zero titles since 1999. This team has a great name and a great history, but the members are searching for something greater - the idea is that a vote for Laporta is a vote for Beckham, and, quite possibly, a return to European dominance.

The problem is that signing Beckham would only be an obnoxious expense that would probably not help that too much in their quest to win the Liga next year. What F.C.B. needs is a few solid defenders, some young blood in the midfield, and for their younger players like Motta and Riquelme to develop from adequate to superstars.

Chivu would help, as would a president that does not think like Real Madrid's Florentino Perez, i.e., sign all the big name talent in the world and hope that everything pans out. Real Madrid has learned this year that all the big name talent in the world and massive salaries does not necessarily deliver championships (read: Champs League fracaso and Liga battle). The point is that HUGE signings are almost never worth their weight in trophy gold. More important is to sign the future, not the most expensive on the market.

Sign Chivu, or, at the very least, elect someone who has his eye on the future instead of the most expensive cleats he can buy.

Meanwhile, Barcelona has to concentrate on Valencia. Anything can happen on Sunday, and a F.C.B. away win would mean hysteria among the Catalan press.

Here's to hysteria on Sunday, and to prudence when signing and building a team this summer...