Cale: appointing Vilanova as coach best option for Barcelona

Henk ten Cate has stated his belief that Tito Vilanova is the right man for Barcelona after the Catalan club's board decided to promote the assistant to head coach with Pep Guardiola leaving the post at the end of the season. Ten Cate, who served as Frank Rijkaard's right-hand man at Camp Nou between 2003 and 2006, is now in charge of Chinese side Shandong Luneng and has commended his former team's decision to go with Vilanova. "It's a very good decision [to appoint Vilanova]. Tito knows the whole environment and the style of the club. I think it's very important in recent years that he knows the players. I think he was the best option," the Dutchman told COM Radio. The 57-year-old also took time to praise Guardiola's work as coach of the Blaugrana and feels the Catalan continued his and Rijkaard's style of football at the club. "Guardiola's Barca is an enhanced version of Rijkaard's Barca. We started something and Guardiola has improved it. The football under Guardiola has been the best but yes, less spectacular," he added. Barcelona are in Liga action on Wednesday when they will be hoping to pick up all three points against Malaga at home to keep their small title hopes alive.