Beckham takes back seat as Laporta settles in

After the euphoria of any election comes the reality of trying to govern. And so it was with Joan Laporta and Barcelona.

In a sense, the flamboyant lawyer no longer has any need to bring David Beckham to the Nou Camp since associating himself with the England captain has given Laporta what he wanted: the presidency of Barcelona. The success of Laporta's term of office will be judged not on whether he delivers Beckham, but whether he can deliver the title to Catalonia.

The sporting press in Barcelona relegated the Beckham transfer deep into the inside pages as they analysed the impact of a stunningly well-conducted campaign which transformed Laporta from a rank outsider to the eventual winner commanding more than half the votes. There was an immediate announcement that a star of last summer's World Cup would be coming to the Nou Camp, but it turned out to be Turkey's goalkeeper, Rustu Recber; the first of five players Laporta has promised will strengthen a floundering, debt-ridden institution.

"I did not promise to bring David Beckham to Barcelona," Laporta said in the aftermath of victory. "I said I had an agreement with Manchester United that contained conditions. One of those was that I became president of the club and that has happened.

"To strengthen our team, it is important we have players like David Beckham. I know it is a difficult decision for Beckham and his family but I know he will be delighted to be in our city. We will speak with Beckham's representatives. We will be speaking as Barcelona president and club directors rather than candidates," he added. "That will make a difference."

Laporta's electoral strategy has aped exactly the methods employed by Barcelona's most successful president, Josep Nunez, who ran the club for two decades after coming from nowhere with a populist campaign in 1978 to unseat the establishment. Both won the support of Johan Cruyff, both used dramatic imagery to suggest they were the only ones who could rebuild a stricken giant and both promised to promote players they knew the fans would appreciate. And yet it took Nunez four years to land the man he believed would transform Barcelona: Diego Maradona. Laporta has four weeks to bring Beckham to Catalonia and the clock is ticking.

It may have been coincidence, but just as Beckham prepared to depart for his own tour of the Far East tomorrow, Real Madrid announced they would be appearing in China, a market in love with the England captain, in August. Real's representatives, who are still the favourites to sign Beckham, have reportedly already met Manchester United's chief executive, Peter Kenyon, while on holiday in Sardinia, although Sandro Rosell, Laporta's campaign manager and who opened negotiations with United, was sounding more confident than the new president.

Rosell was emboldened by an article in the Spanish press stating that the England coach, Sven Goran Eriksson, had privately urged Beckham to choose Barcelona. If this is true, then this would bring to three the number of former England managers - Terry Venables and Bobby Robson are the others - who have urged Beckham to go to the Nou Camp.

"Those comments from Eriksson have helped a great deal," said Rosell. "We've now been in contact with Beckham's people and I'm convinced he'll come." However, for one so confident Rosell was hedging his bets, adding that if Beckham decided to reject Barça's deal it would not damage the new regime's credibility.

So, too, was the Barcelona coach, Raddy Antic, who is likely to be removed after the final game of the season which will determine whether the self-styled greatest club in the world qualifies for the Uefa Cup or will have to endure the humiliation of the Intertoto. Guus Hiddink, a success with the Netherlands and South Korea, but a failure at Real Madrid, is favourite to succeed him.

"It was a big promise by Laporta and nobody knows if it will come true," said Antic. "Barcelona are spending lots of money on just one player when they need a few players to improve the side. There has never been a doubt about Beckham's quality, but I don't know if he will sign, everything is so confused."