talkativesprout
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 30 Mar 2009
- Messages
- 10,294
As a neutral outsider, Zlatan's claims make no sense. Why would any successful manager, out-of-the-blue decide one day to bench a star player with no explanation whatsoever?
Some of Zlatan's claims do ring true - Pep's avoidance about talking to him after this fallout seems true.
What I think transpired is that Pep was forced to choose between building a team around Zlatan or around Messi. Once having chosen Messi, Pep likely instructed Zlatan how to play to fit in to his expectations - i.e., by taking up a supporting role. Zlatan's ego is such that he'd ignore such advice. Eventually, Pep decided that Zlatan wasn't playing in a manner that helped the team get the best out of Messi's abilities - and Zlatan got less and less playing time.
Equally, Pep avoided talking to Zlatan about this situation, not wanting to get into a heated, emotional confrontation. Pep's solution - trade Zlatan.
=====
I haven't read Zlatan's book - but I've read portions or synopses of portions about the book on the Internet.
Some of Zlatan's quotes around this incident are supposedly along the lines of:
"Pep is not a man. If he were a man he wouldn't be afraid to talk to me."
"Pep is a coward. I wanted to talk to him man-to-man and settle it."
"I'm 6'-5". If that coward Pep would have talked to me, I'd have settled things man-to-man."
Etc.
I'm paraphrasing... but it's clear that any discussion of this topic with Zlatan would have been heated and may well have resulted in physical confrontation. Pep simply didn't want to endure such a confrontation.
I have confrontations like this with my dog
Dog- I want ball, give me ball or i bite you
Me- It isn't the time for ball our whole family can't just drop everything to play like you want
Dog- give me ball or i bite you, I have bigger teeth than you i am capable of ripping your throat out, give me ball
Me- I'm the master you stupid animal, now in the kitchen with your big teeth and your ball and if you threaten to bite me again you will be playing ball with your friends down at the animal shelter