Quote Originally Posted by J R Hartley View Post
Xavi and Messi were in the first team years before Pep took over Barca’s first team. It’s not the same as bringing 6 teenagers into the first team, at the same time, and winning the league with them.
Whilst I accept that argument he established a lot of players like Iniesta who was under appreciated under Rijkaard and had to settle for a substitute in the champions league final.

He brought through Busquets and Pedro, moved Deco, Eto and Ronaldinho aside to move Messi into his dominant role.

As for your argument of when the going gets tough I would reply that the going has never exactly got tough. He was idolized at Barcelona and people have yearned for the football that was played during his reign at Munich where he won the title 3 times out of 3 and the domestic double twice.