don’t forget the great little terrier jose mari Bakero…
Julio Salinas too. Scored a couple against Ireland before.
Did an Irish player ever play for Barca?
[quote=“KIB man”]Julio Salinas too. Scored a couple against Ireland before.
Did an Irish player ever play for Barca?[/QUOTE]
don’t know but an irish man called Paddy o’connell managed them in the 30’s…
Julio salinas translates as ‘July in Salins’…could be a kildare connection there…
Salinas wasn’t great from what I remember. Clemente bizarrely selected him ahead of Raul for USA 94 and Euro 96 I recall.
he was a big, slow,clumsy donkey…in all fairness farmer Raul was 16 in '94 and don’t think he had even played for Madrid by then…
Fook, it took some discipline to stay away from here all afternoon to meet a ridiculous deadline.
I’m off to join the legends group.
He was 17 or even younger when he exploded onto the scene at Real.
No, but they had an Irish manager, Patrick O’Connell in the 30’s.
THE BALLAD OF PATRICK O’CONNELL
He was born in old Ireland in March '87,
Scarce knowing the troubles that fate held in store.
For 'ere he did grace the smooth pitches of heaven,
He found lasting fame on a faraway shore.
Patrick O’Connell, accomplished defender,
United’s first captain from Erin’s green land,
His playing days over, he kept his agenda,
And his management skills made him much in demand.
He headed to Spain to coach Racing Santander,
As Ireland imploded in fierce Civil War,
And the Catalans took to the wayward Irelander,
As for seven long years he kept them to the fore.
And then he joined Betis where, just two yeas later,
The Championship fell to this gallant young man.
By now he’d no need of a Spanish translator,
Fluent in language and charm and lan.
Then Barca came calling and Patrick responded,
Though the once mighty giants were down on their knees.
As usual, his players became tightly bonded,
With the Catalan championship won by degrees.
When the Civil War broke, he was home on vacation,
But he hurried to Spain to be there with his side.
And they triumphed again to immense adulation,
Despite all the horrors washed upon the tide.
The Barcelona president, a left politician,
Was murdered by fascists and the future looked grim.
Then Franco decreed that next year’s competition
Could only be played by clubs loyal to him.
The city in turmoil, all honour diminished,
And murder and mayhem a most constant threat,
No income, no games, Barcelona were finished,
The clubs faced a bankrupting slide into debt.
Then Patrick O’Connell led them from the city,
In order to play on a Mexican tour.
The financial offer was not made from pity,
For the Catalan team were still held in great awe.
Three weeks, it transpired, was too short a duration,
And so it was stretched, as a players’ reward.
Returning by boat to a fractious new nation,
O’Connell had only four players on board.
Now Franco was always a Real supporter,
And Barca’s officials were quickly replaced.
The logic in that didn’t hold too much water,
With talented people just going to waste.
Patrick was ousted, his permit suspended,
Never to see Barcelona again.
Sixty six years since the fairy tale ended,
He still is a hero in that part of Spain.
In London, he passed on, both penniless and friendless,
A tired old man with no will to survive.
But in the Catalan region, his legend is endless,
As the hero who kept Barcelona alive.
Rivaldo is a cunt
Take that back!
Presume that’s his performance against Turkey Mac? He’s some cunt.
Never realised you were such a Turkish fan Sledge?
Was more of a Stoichkov fan when he was tearing it up with Parma…
Stoichkov’s best years were with Barca.
Was a bit of a disapointment after I thought but he was brilliant for them.
I mainly remember him for his time at Parma, watching Eurogoals on Eurosport, they went on a decent Uefa Cup run(when it was worth winnning), they also had the likes of Zola, Appoloni, Dino Baggio and Asprilla…
Parma were class then. Only remember them from Italian Soccer on RTE though. That was a great show.
what was the name of the keeper…the blocky lad with the beard?..they were one of the first clubs i remember that had the cunt with the speaker geeing up the crowd…
Was it Bucci?