‘It’s Boring to Finish 3rd or 4th Every Season’
By: Cesar | July 31st, 2007
The title of this article are words uttered by our dearly beloved, coach Quique Sanchez Flores during a sitdown with Spanish rag AS.
Well, maybe my translation isn’t quite right, but I think we get the point. And he’s right: it’s a bore seeing a team as good as this finishing in such a rubbish position every season. So what’s the problem?
Case in point: this weekend’s Emirates Cup.
I didn’t watch the games, try though I did. (Setanta Sports showed the games in the States, but I was on holiday this weekend and didn’t have access. Darn.) So I can’t make sweeping or detailed comments on what all of you watched.
But the general consensus from the comments on this blog (thanks for all the comments! Great to read all your opinions!) and around the Internet are that Valencia dissapointed.
We played great against the big boys Inter Milan (2-0) and were crushed by lesser competition PSG (no offense, of course. 3-0).
So what gives?
It’s this annoying habit Valencia have of playing up to the competition and lying down against lesser teams. It’s something that happened last season against the likes of Barcelona and Racing Santander and it’s something of a hallmark of the Flores years.
The inconsistency of Flores’s coaching means that he motivates the boys for big games and doesn’t do much for the smaller, aggressive clubs. Is that the sign of a good coach?
Granted, this is just a pre-season tournament. Let’s not get too crazy here. But still, it’s something I’ve seen over and over again. And I see it happening already, in the preseason. That’s sad, folks.
There are real matches coming up soon, Champions League qualifiers against teams eager to knock a Valencia off their perch.
What are we going to do against a team like that? Do any of you trust Flores to motivate the lads for those matches?
I sure don’t.
So on we go.
A higher bid for Kallstrom. The new stadium starts being built tomorrow. The presentation game is coming soon.
All reports say Ruben Baraja was amazing this weekend, Helguera played great and Arizmendi? He was Arizmendi …
Things are looking up. The season’s right around the corner.
Why do I feel like the more things change at Valencia, the more they stay the same?
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“Why do I feel like the more things change at Valencia, the more they stay the same?”
One thing that’s somewhat fascinating about some Spanish clubs is their insistence that if there has been one great player from a certain country, well there must be more from where that comes from – and if one of those buys flops, well, let’s try again. Real Madrid tries to do it with Englishmen just so they can tell Barca “we’ve had a great Limey in our team too!” Valencia does it with Italians because… I’m not sure. Just because of Carboni? What’s your take?
I mean, the list of Italian strikers with about 5 goals for the club is getting ridiculously long, and there’s Fiore as well. The Tavano process was just weird.
I also recall that when Valencia bought Reveillere to replace (the brilliant) Angloma, there was something in the Valencia press release about how they were delighted to continue the “French tradition on the right back position.” I realize it’s just someone at the press office jazzing up the release, but still, you have to wonder.
Moretti does well though, so I guess he’s the exception that confirms the rule? Thoughts?
Posted from
Netherlands
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Good point rickard, Lucho was supposed to “continue the Argentine tradition” that Kily & Pablito had done in the past.
On QQ’s coaching… he isn’t a bad coach, but I think he’s cleary in a class below the Mourinho’s, Ferguson’s and Lippi’s of the coaching world. In my opinion he lacks the ability to think on his feet like some of the world class coaches. e.g. Both UCL games against Chelsea last season: In the first half Valencia were the better team and after Mourinho’s halftime adjustments we could barely keep pace
Posted from
United States -
Hey Rickard, welcome.
I’m not sure what to say about that. There’s this idea of an Argentinian tradition at the club, like I mentioned in my post about Lucho a few weeks back. And yes, there’s this insistence of trying Italians for some reason, even though they don’t work out. Then again, when it comes to certain Italians, like Tavano or Fiore, they’re not given proper chances. Guys like Di Vaio and Corradi, they just plain weren’t ood enough. It’s like Spaniards in English football: they just don’t do very well. Their style of play doesn’t translate like we would like … Carboni was very good with Valencia, but he played a specialized role .. he was like an enforcer in ice hockey. If you remember his first couple of games here, he was red carded ad nauseum for his relentless passion and hard-nosed play. That’s what made him a legend here. But the midfielders and strikers never get it done. Maybe we should stick to defenders? Moretti is awesome.Posted from
United States -
Hello Daniel, Valencia fans in general do not expect a Mourinho, Ferguson, or Lippi class coaches to manage our team. At least we anticipate a Juandi Ramos or Schuster class, who are way better than QQ. May be QQ is thrid class after those…
Posted from
Jordan -
Pass this message along to Quique: Stay away from Kallstrom, dammit.
Thanks.
Posted from
United States -
What back four would you all like to see for next season?
Posted from
United Kingdom -
Miguel, Albiol, Alexis, Moretti/Del Horno (now he has been asked to prove himself)
Posted from
United Kingdom -
I agree with you, although some would argue that the two central defenders need to have a bit more experience amongst them than Alexis and Albiol have. I would much rather see these two than Marchena and Helguera personally. Any chance that Quique could bring in a new left back before the start of the season? Del Horno is an interesting one, but even before Quique’s attitude towards him this summer, I didn’t rate him. Ever since he left Athletic, he has been poor. I’m not a huge Moretti admirer either although he seems popular on this blog.
Posted from
United Kingdom -
Moretti impressed me towards the end of last season, but his performances of late (pres season which i know is a little unfair) have been poor.
i also agree about the two Centre Halves we have… lets hope they step up to the plate quick (i think Albiol was magnificent last year).
Posted from
United Kingdom -
what a game from Paris…
Posted from
Sweden -
[...] ‘It’s Boring to Finish 3rd or 4th Every Season’ By Cesar We played great against the big boys Inter Milan (2-0) and were crushed by lesser competition PSG (no offense, of course. 3-0). So what gives? It’s this annoying habit Valencia have of playing up to the competition and lying down … Valencia – http://valencia.theoffside.com [...]
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United States
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