Many people admire Luis Enrique's "sincerity" and many others just ask, why?
I'm in the middle with Luis Enrique although if I ever do sway a bit on that bird wire because of a gust of wind, I tend to nearly fall into the "Why" camp. Keeping your mouth shut isn't lying and refusing to answer the questions the press put before you because in Spain they're more interested in sensationalism and controversy is the more intelligent action and that isn't lying... It's keeping things to yourself because you're in the media spotlight and in my personal view as a player that earns a good living, part of the job description is to be a diplomat or if you can't reach that far within your character, then keep hush. There is a part of him I admire though and that is sticking it to the press which is his biggest enemy as he doesn't trust them at all.
But Luis Enrique on the whole is a curious character and I've heard plenty of anecdotes on him like this one by an ex-member of the training staff a couple of years back; "With Luis Enrique you have to walk around like you're stepping on feathers and don't want to ruin them. The most likely thing you'll get from Luis Enrique when wishing him a good morning within the halls of the Camp Nou is a "What's so good about this particular morning then!"... He's a strange fellow that seems to think in terms of targets for each individual day."
I can believe that anecdote considering his love and passion for Triathlons which he is an avid participant and one of the best around. A sport consisting of individualism and various mind-blowing exhausting targets.
All of that stuff he's ever said about Real Madrid is a step too far for me even if it's true. For example, Gerard Piqué gets accused in a similar vein but for me it's different. Piqué pulls the cords publicly on what he feels are general injustices. Take for example that other public issue Luis Enrique has with the present Espanyol coach, Quique Sánchez-Flores... Back in their Real Madrid playing days they both had some sort of dressing room argument which has persisted to this day. The first game this season between the two clubs at the Camp Nou had the situation where traditionally the two coaches from both clubs take a picture together by the Barcelona based press... Luis Enrique said he'd do it and then didn't turn up leaving Sánchez-Flores looking like a right plum on the pitch at the stadium... When Luis Enrique was quizzed on it he said he got into a movie on his tablet in the office and forgot the time. On the return game which was last week the press didn't even bother to ask them to both do the picture and when they asked Quique Sánchez-Flores what he thought about Luis Enrique and his refusal to shake his hand or do the picture he said this curious thing; "I'm reading a book right now you know!" To which a journalist asked; "Which book?"... The Espanyol coach answered; "It's a book by Caroline Dream called 'The Clown In You", it's good you know" Not a good way to go mending the situation with Luis Enrique is it.
As for Luis Figo... My opinions of him as a player have never changed. He is one of the greatest I have seen... But he is a liar and a traitor!