No Barca succession plan for Ter Stegen is Deco’s strangest decision yet

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The goalkeeper is not a long-term option

We can all have our opinion on whether Deco is the right man for the sporting director role at Barcelona or not, but that’s the position of trust he holds under Joan Laporta so bleating about his suitability makes little difference.

Arguably, he still has as much to prove as any of the players on the pitch, though it’s worth pondering on the point that Laporta may be many things but he isn’t an idiot.

If the Portuguese isn’t signing the right players for the right money at the right time, rest assured he’ll be reminded of his responsibilities.

Succession planning and bringing through the academy youngsters are facets of the role that are just as important, albeit in his recent interview with Mundo Deportivo, Deco appeared to surprise many culers when talk turned to the future of the goalkeeping position.

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Marc-Andre ter Stegen has become an acquired taste for many of the club’s supporters over the past 18 months or so.

Where once he was a ‘brick wall’ of a keeper that saved the team on more occasions than many of us care to remember, he’s become, dare I say it, a bit of a liability.

His distribution, for example, is as poor as its ever been, even if his shot-stopping remains at a reasonably high level.

He isn’t getting any younger, either.

Yes, custodians can play on for years longer than outfield players it’s true, but not when they’ve been subject to serious injuries that have kept them out for virtually an entire campaign.

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Fortunately for now it appears that Inaki Pena is an able enough substitute, though he’s certainly not as commanding in his area as he needs to be and he’s a No.2 at best.

It was interesting therefore to hear Deco shoot down the rumours of Diogo Costa being signed by the club, and going as far as to suggest that he trusts Ter Stegen to get back to his best next season and beyond.

The German will be 33 next year and Wojciech Szczesny - who is reportedly set to be handed a new contract - will be 35 by then.

If the club are serious about challenging for honours in the coming years, then surely they need a freshening up of things between the posts?

The lack of succession planning is inexcusable and could come back and bite Deco when he’s least expecting it.

Source: barcablaugranes.com