MADRID, Feb 16 - Barcelona midfielder Xavi has urged Frank
Rijkaard to stay on as coach after reports that the Dutchman will
quit the Nou Camp at the end of the season.
'Me and the rest of the team want him to stay on,' Xavi was quoted
as telling radio station RKB by daily Sport. 'He has got the
dressing room under control and has the complete support of the
team. He's the sort of coach you can rely on and the door to his
office is always open.
'We've won lots of trophies with him and we can keep on winning
them. He is the ideal coach and a great person too.' Spanish media
have reported that the in-fighting at Barcelona has helped convince
Rijkaard that he should leave the club at the end of the season,
with his former club AC Milan seen as a possible destination.
Barca striker Samuel Eto'o criticised Rijkaard earlier this week
for saying that he had refused to come on as a late substitute
during last weekend's 2-0 win over Racing Santander. Rijkaard
played down the player's comments and said the matter had been
resolved in a face-to-face meeting.
Barcelona have won two league titles and the Champions League since
Rijkaard took charge of the club in 2003. Getafe's German coach
Bernd Schuster, Sevilla coach Juande Ramos and Netherlands manager
Marco van Basten have all been tipped as possible successors if
Rijkaard does quit at the end of the season.