Barcelona's new board began rebuilding work at a hectic pace on Monday,
appointing Frank Rijkaard as coach in place of Radomir Antic, letting
centre-back Frank de Boer go and offering midfielder Philip Cocu a new
deal.
New Barcelona president Joan Laporta had promised a rapid overhaul of
the club and he was as good as his word on his first full day in charge.
The
first act of the new regime was to tell Antic the option of a one-year extension
to his contract would not be taken up.
That was despite the achievement of
the Serb coach in taking the side from 12th place when he took over at the end
of January to sixth at the season's finale to gain entry to the UEFA
Cup.
Dutchmen dominated the discussions for the rest of Monday's business,
with Rijkaard, De Boer and Cocu all going in for meetings with Laporta's new
team.
Rijkaard, the former Netherlands national team coach, flew into
Barcelona during the afternoon to sign a four-year contract with the Catalan
club.
"I share a philosophy with the people running the club," Rijkaard said
at his presentation.
"This is a big chance at a wonderful club. We are in a
moment when we have to work hard for the future. A wonderful club like Barcelona
deserves that."
ANTIC DISAPPOINTED
Antic said he accepted the decision, but was clearly
disappointed at finding himself out of a job after finishing the season with
four successive victories.
"It's a decision that doesn't go in my favour but
that's life," Antic shrugged. "I think I did enough to deserve a chance to stay
on."
The other disappointed man at the Nou Camp on Monday was centre-back De
Boer, who could not reach agreement with the club over an extension to his
contract.
"The club don't want me to carry on," De Boer told reporters after
his meeting with Barcelona officials.
The 33-year-old Dutch international,
whose contract expired at the end of the season, had warned Barca last month
that he would listen to offers from other clubs unless the Catalans made a quick
decision over extending his contract.
"In contract negotiations today in
Barcelona Frank de Boer and the club were not able to reach an agreement,"
Amsterdam law firm Hellingman Bunders, which represents the player, said in a
statement.
"After four-and-a-half years Frank de Boer is leaving Barcelona
and is looking for another club."
His Dutch international colleague Cocu is
likely to stay, however.
COCU POSITIVE
Barca's new technical director, Txiki Begiristain, confirmed
the club have offered the 32-year-old midfielder a new contract and expected the
player's response in the next few days.
Cocu sounded positive about the offer
when he spoke to reporters after the meeting.
"They've offered me the chance
to carry on but we're still talking," Cocu said. "The idea on both sides is to
continue but this sort of thing is not sorted out in half an hour."
At least
one more Dutchman is still waiting to see what Laporta's people have in
mind.
Patrick Kluivert's contract includes a clause allowing him to leave the
club for a cut-price fee if the new president attempts to reduce his
salary.
Part of Laporta's election manifesto was to introduce salary cuts for
as many players as possible, but Rijkaard at least made it clear he would not
like to see his compatriot leave.
"Kluivert's quality is unquestionable,"
said the new Barcelona coach. "He's a great player."
Laporta, Begiristain and
Sandro Rosell, vice-president in charge of sporting matters, must also sort out
the futures of Argentine full-back Juan Pablo Sorin and Spanish midfielder
Gaizka Mendieta, who were on loan at the Nou Camp last
season.
