Can Things Get Any Worse Than This?

By: Cesar | January 21st, 2008

I dunno, can things get any worse?

Valencia look an awful mess and I’m not in the right frame of mind to extol positive virtues about Ronald Koeman’s outfit anymore.

We stink. That’s reality.

I’m a frustrated fan and that’s about all I can be until we turn this mess around. Many have called me a negative, dour commentator on the happenings at the Mestalla. But can anyone blame me or the readers of this blog anymore? Valencia are utterly incapable of mounting a challenge as currently run.

They look sluggish, lethargic and totally uninterested.

This week, it was Villarreal who mopped the floor with us, destroying us 3-0 at El Madrigal after holding our heads under water in the first game of the season many months ago at the Mestalla, 3-0.

A lot of my attention will be focused on the African Cup of Nations the next few weeks (read my African soccer blog here here here for more on that project) and thankfully so. It’s too depressing watching the happenings in the Turian capital these days.

Two bits of info I culled from my sources (i.e. the Internet):

1 - Koeman wants privacy at the Paterna training ground. So he’s having a wall built to keep onlookers away. Oh jeez … Tintin complained that media pressure doesn’t allow him to work properly and has therefore asked the club’s administration for a wall to be built around Valencia’s training ground.

“With this massive attention it looks as if I do something wrong everyday. Every time I step out of my car or get out of the changing room I find eight cameras in my face,” Koeman was quoted as saying last week.

This is getting ridiculous … but wait, it gets worse …

2 - Captain David Albelda is speaking out about being dropped by Koeman over a month ago.

“The coach and the technical staff in general have not looked at me and have undervalued me since December 18,” Albelda said. “I do not deserve what they are doing to me and the truth is that I do not know the reason and I would like to. The fans also have the right to know about the reasons as so much has been said and speculated about. I just hope they do explain.”

They won’t. That’s the way this regime is run.

“I feel more marginalized and separated in training,” Albelda continued. “The coaching staff wants us not to have contact with the rest of the squad. They have even changed the system of when we meet so that we do not train with the players.

“This has already caused irrevocable damage and I am going to defend my rights to the end, especially after the terrible way the directors have treated me.”

Albelda then explained that he turned down several offers to renew his contract under Quique Sánchez Flores, but now regrets making the decision.

“I renewed with Valencia and turned down higher offers to stay here with my hometown club,” he explained.

“I do not know about all the other stuff, I just know that when clubs have come in to ask about me they have been told about my buy-out clause price. I just want to play football and the coach and the president are stopping me. Every day they are making my life more impossible and forcing me out of the club.”

So sad. Really very sad …

A lawyer’s been watching the trio of Albelda and fellow ostracized players Santiago Canizares and Miguel Angel Angulo train in order to determine whether or not the three are in an irregular situation that could lead to their contracts being breached.

None have been allowed to leave the club on a free transfer as the dispute over their contractual status rages on. The matter seems destined for the courts.

I’m tired. My head hurts. Maduro was presented today. Kings Cup this weekend. More later.