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Soccer-Barcelona begin rebuilding with new coach
( 2003-06-24 09:42) (Agencies)

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.

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