Albiol Forced to Kiss Madrid Logo
By: Cesar |
61 Comments
Raul Albiol is such a Valencianista, he didn’t want to kiss the Real Madrid shield (or escudo in Spanish) during his Santiago Bernabeu presentation today.
Albiol, who was sold to the capital club for €15m a few weeks ago, looked uncomfortable and uneasy during his big day. Even his cartoon caricature looked like it didn’t want to be there.
Don’t believe me? Take a look at the video on MARCA.
So the crowd of about 8,000 asks Albi-own-goal to kiss the logo. He smiles, walks around, scores an own goal, laughs some more, looks goofy, etc.
This continued for a few hours (actually, the crowd asked him three times) before a Madrid director pulled the new kid aside and said, ‘Kiss the shield or your family gets it.’
So Albiol kissed the shield, a small peck little kids give to family members they don’t particularly like.
Ok, it went SOMETHING like that. Maybe not 100% but something like that …
You gotta feel for the lad. He loves VCF just as much as we do …
Good luck, Raul. Score some goals for us against Saint Iker, ok?
Category: Team News
Our Friend David
By: Cesar | 47 Comments
David Villa is a coveted striker.
One day Manchester United calls, the next Real Madrid is banging on the door for a date.
Today, the hot rumor concerns FC Barcelona, who want the services of Villa for €40m plus a loan of either CB Martín Cáceres or newly acquired striker Keirrison, who we flirted with last year.
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Category: Team NewsWow! The New Kits are AWFUL!
By: Cesar | 36 Comments
Wow … guess I WON’T be buying one of the 2009/10 Valencia CF kits.
The things are hideous to look at …
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Category: Team NewsNew Kits and Other Stuff …
By: Cesar | 44 Comments
A picture should go here. But apparently, the Offside won’t let me have a go at that today … so on we go …
As reported on Kyle’s web site, the new shirts are out and about Valencia city.
Have a look. What do you think?
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Category: Team NewsVacation
By: Cesar | 52 Comments
Finally, the lads can rest.
Nearly a month after Our Beloved’s last competitive match, VCF’s six (sorry, 5 … Raul Albiol is now a Madridista) international players are back from South Africa and the 2009 Confederations Cup, ready to commence their vacations.
Congrats, Juan Mata, David Villa, David Silva, Carlos Marchena and Pablo Hernandez. Rest up. The pre-season’s right around the corner.
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Category: Team NewsWelcome Back, Pako Ayestarán
By: Cesar | 154 Comments
Saw this while writing my Raul Albiol post from earlier today.
Guess who is back? Pako Ayestarán, Rafa Benitez’s right hand man during the title years, most recently with Benitez at Liverpool.
He’s back!
Ayestaran worked with Benitez since their time together at Tenerife and was instrumental in planning daily training at Melwood, Liverpool’s training ground, and organizing the physical work and fitness training of the team.
He’ll be back as the assistant coach and physical director of the club.
Great move by VCF in bringing back not only a well-noted physical trainer, but a man who is a direct link to our glory seasons of the early ’00’s …
Great to have you back, mate!
Category: Team NewsRaul Albiol: La Puta Madre
By: Cesar | 8 Comments
I wish Raul Albiol all the best on his adventure with Real Madrid.
I’ve given the local valenciano lots of flack during his tenure with VCF, what with his 20+ own goals and weekly defensive gaffs.
The truth is that he’s a valuable player and will probably continue to grow with Madrid, provided he gets an opportunity to play.
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Category: Team NewsShocking!
By: Cesar | 53 Comments
I’m back - again. Who knows for how long this time.
What did I miss? Apparently, quite a bit.
First, hats off to the USA! USA! USA! for defeating Valencia CF Lite 2-0 in the semifinals of the Confederations Cup.
The American VCF fans here can attest to how little respect US soccer ball gets around the world and in particular, in the USA.
This is just about the only country in the world where a home game is full of away fans chanting songs for the opposition.
This win against the world’s #1-ranked team probably doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. But it’s nice to know we have a team that can compete with the big boys now and again.
The match itself was a mishmosh. The US defended well but looked scatterbrained at times. Was Raul Albiol playing central defense for them? (No, if he was the USA would have let in an own goal. More on him later.)
Spain had about 95% possession but just couldn’t score a goal. The USA kept defending and kept Spain out of the back of the ‘net, countered well, scored on a few lucky bounces and now will play the Brazil-South Africa winner in the final.
As for the VCF players on the pitch, David Villa looked his typical dangerous self, managing to cause the American defense chaos time and again. He was marked heavily, but definitely had some aggressive shots and played a good game.
Juan Mata’s appearance in the 2nd half also energized the Spanish team, who played more crosses into the box from the wings with the little elf in the winger slot.
No Marchena faces or Albiol own goals to speak of tonight. No Silva blank stares or Pablo pouting.
Just an old-fashioned scrappy affair.
The best thing about this match? Our VCF lads can now GO HOME and rest.
Unfortunately, only 5 of the lads will be coming back to Valencia to play for us. While we thought Villa or Silva would be leaving Our Beloved, it looks like the master of the own goal, Raul Albiol, is off to Real Madrid.
According to internet reports, the lanky local lad is off to the Merengues for 15 million euros.
I love the fact that Albiol is a local kid who did well, joined VCF, went off to Euro 2008 and won an international championship and so on and so forth.
But really, do Madrid know what they’re getting?
I don’t rate Albiol that highly. I don’t get what people see in him.
He’s a project at best. He’s young (23) and tall (1.87 m or 6 ft 1 in), he’s energetic and can play either central defense or defensive midfielder. But give me Maduro over Albiol any day. Give me Alexis or Albelda over Albiol.
I just find Albiol to be all over the place. He’s Ayala one day, Jonathan Woodgate the next. Blotchy. Unreliable. And then there’s the own goals …
He’s someone Madrid want because they’re trying to make the club more Spanish. It’s not like Madrid have such a great defense. Pepe is an all-star but what about Christoph Metzelder or Ezequiel Garay? Personally, I’d take Garay over Albiol. But what do I know? Time will tell.
So what else? Let’s see …
- Edu may stay another year. Or he may go to Brazil.
I’d wouldn’t be bothered with either one. Manolo’s, anyone?
- How exactly are we paying down this debt by keeping Villa and Silva? What are VCF working on that we don’t know about?
- Have MARCA published an apology to VCF yet regarding their yellow journalism over Villa’s ‘transfer’ to Madrid? Muppets …
- We’re after striker Nikola Kalinic from Hadjuk Split. He would cost us around €7 million. Who? Anyone? Anyone?
- We’re also after Getafe’s Esteban Granero and Ikechukwu Uche. In exchange, we’d loan them Michel and pay ‘em €15 million. Yes, please!
- Cesar’s staying for another year. I guess he’ll back up Miguel Ángel Moyá, who is close to coming to us to start as ‘keeper?
Ya, I’m as confused as you are.
- Aston Villa want big-boned Miguel. Gives new meaning to the term, ‘Who ate all the pies?’
- Neither Madrid nor Barca want that guy who scores goals for us. It’s ok. He can stay with us.
- Emiliano Moretti wants to play for Lazio. See ya.
I guess that’s it for now. Nice to be back. I’ll try to keep this computer from breaking for a few days. AMUNT USA! On to the final …
Category: Team NewsSo Now He’s Staying?!?
By: Cesar | 195 Comments
Things move quickly when you’re a Valencia CF fan!
One day we’re lamenting the sale of star striker David Villa, the next we’re hearing that Villa’s not going anywhere …
Unreal. Unbelievable.
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Category: Team NewsValencia and Real Madrid
By: Cesar | 83 Comments
I found some of Florentino Perez’s comments today regarding David Villa and the tension between Real Madrid and Valencia interesting.
While the man’s arrogance knows no bounds, he’s adept at building winning football clubs. At least his checkbook is.
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Category: Team News
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