Summer 2016
Alex was on top of the world having just been given a job that most managers dream of getting. The one problem with being on top of the world is there is only one way to go and even a small slip means that you will be going down fast. After a very successful spell at Bayer Leverkusen he had been invited to take over at Barcelona and would be able to work with some of the best players in world football most notably the attacking trio of Messi, Suarez and Neymar. How could anything go wrong when he had such talented players at his disposal?
November 2016
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A disaster in Paris means Barcelona may struggle to get out of their Champions League group was the last thing Alex needed. It compounded an awful start in the league, an early exit in the Copa del Rey to second division Cordoba and some very strong and correct rumours of a massive split in the squad with almost every member of the squad very annoyed with someone else. It had culminated in Neymar saying that he would leave for Paris in the summer as he stormed out of what was thankfully a closed training session.
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By Erick Gutierrez, FC Barcelona reporter
Very strong rumours are swirling that the hammering delivered by PSG in Paris was the last straw and that they board are set to cut their losses with English manager by sacking him before the next league game against Celta Vigo. The last few Barcelona games have seen widespread booing of the manager and the team especially during and following the 3-0 home loss to Real Madrid. Despite successes at Club Brugge and Bayer Leverkusen Barcelona with all the expectations, fans and player’s ego seems to have been a step to far for Taylor.
He can at least to point to some terrible luck with injuries as a lack of any fit first team centre back’s is never ideal and some awful misses for Barca and lucky goals from other teams have seen them drop points however, someone has to foot the blame for all of this and unfortunately for Taylor it would appear to be him as his spell in Catalonia seems set to end before the day is out.
Whoever is chosen to replace Taylor will have an almighty challenge on their hands as they will face an uphill struggle to get out of their Champions League group requiring a comprehensive win away to Shaktar Donetsk and PSG to draw with Basel to sneak into second place in a very tight group following the hammering in Paris. Looking to the league will not provide much solace as Barca sit in 8th place although do have a game in hand that could see them move up to 7th.
Rumours on the replacement vary wildly as it is guessed that Barca will clear house of anyone appointed by Taylor and look to totally change the staff. Ernesto Valverde is favourite but, would have to drop down three places to take over with his Bilbao side having a very good season.
Update at 17:38 Barcelona have confirmed the sacking of Alex Taylor just under six months after he took the job saying in a statement “They regret his time with the club was so short and everyone at Barcelona wishes him well for the future.”
Speculation on a replacement is rife with the common theory being the Barca board see the season as a bust so will appoint a temporary boss for the rest of the season before they attempt to find a reputable manager to lead them into the next season. The impact of the damage done by Taylor could still be felt by that point though with a number of sources saying that Neymar, Messi and Suarez fell out to such an extent Neymar has planned a move to PSG or Man City and Messi will strongly consider running his contract down to the end at Barcelona and leaving elsewhere on a free.
Taylor goes down as one of the most disastrous managers in the history of Barcelona and his awful spell may make it hard for him to gain meaningful employment in the football world.
Alex was on top of the world having just been given a job that most managers dream of getting. The one problem with being on top of the world is there is only one way to go and even a small slip means that you will be going down fast. After a very successful spell at Bayer Leverkusen he had been invited to take over at Barcelona and would be able to work with some of the best players in world football most notably the attacking trio of Messi, Suarez and Neymar. How could anything go wrong when he had such talented players at his disposal?
November 2016

A disaster in Paris means Barcelona may struggle to get out of their Champions League group was the last thing Alex needed. It compounded an awful start in the league, an early exit in the Copa del Rey to second division Cordoba and some very strong and correct rumours of a massive split in the squad with almost every member of the squad very annoyed with someone else. It had culminated in Neymar saying that he would leave for Paris in the summer as he stormed out of what was thankfully a closed training session.

By Erick Gutierrez, FC Barcelona reporter
Very strong rumours are swirling that the hammering delivered by PSG in Paris was the last straw and that they board are set to cut their losses with English manager by sacking him before the next league game against Celta Vigo. The last few Barcelona games have seen widespread booing of the manager and the team especially during and following the 3-0 home loss to Real Madrid. Despite successes at Club Brugge and Bayer Leverkusen Barcelona with all the expectations, fans and player’s ego seems to have been a step to far for Taylor.
He can at least to point to some terrible luck with injuries as a lack of any fit first team centre back’s is never ideal and some awful misses for Barca and lucky goals from other teams have seen them drop points however, someone has to foot the blame for all of this and unfortunately for Taylor it would appear to be him as his spell in Catalonia seems set to end before the day is out.
Whoever is chosen to replace Taylor will have an almighty challenge on their hands as they will face an uphill struggle to get out of their Champions League group requiring a comprehensive win away to Shaktar Donetsk and PSG to draw with Basel to sneak into second place in a very tight group following the hammering in Paris. Looking to the league will not provide much solace as Barca sit in 8th place although do have a game in hand that could see them move up to 7th.
Rumours on the replacement vary wildly as it is guessed that Barca will clear house of anyone appointed by Taylor and look to totally change the staff. Ernesto Valverde is favourite but, would have to drop down three places to take over with his Bilbao side having a very good season.
Update at 17:38 Barcelona have confirmed the sacking of Alex Taylor just under six months after he took the job saying in a statement “They regret his time with the club was so short and everyone at Barcelona wishes him well for the future.”
Speculation on a replacement is rife with the common theory being the Barca board see the season as a bust so will appoint a temporary boss for the rest of the season before they attempt to find a reputable manager to lead them into the next season. The impact of the damage done by Taylor could still be felt by that point though with a number of sources saying that Neymar, Messi and Suarez fell out to such an extent Neymar has planned a move to PSG or Man City and Messi will strongly consider running his contract down to the end at Barcelona and leaving elsewhere on a free.
Taylor goes down as one of the most disastrous managers in the history of Barcelona and his awful spell may make it hard for him to gain meaningful employment in the football world.