News & Notes

By: Cesar | May 30th, 2007

Now that there’s nothing left to play for, what is there to say? Post random pics, like the one on the left? Count the players who have left our team and done nothing? (Carew, Mendieta, Farinos, Piojo … be warned, Villa.)

It’s not quite Hotstove season yet (Hotstove is a baseball-related term, referring to the off-season. It’s not actually a “league”, but the term conjures up images of baseball fans, anxious for the start of the new season, gathering around a hot stove during the cold winter months discussing their favorite teams) and the league, hotter and closer than ever, is on a two-week break for Euro 2008 qualifying.

So … what now?

Well, here’s some tidbits:

- Vicente. Remember him? Gone for the season. Well, what remains. Two games. Muscle spasms, after one hard practice in the final stage of his recovery from injuries suffered in the Champions League game against Chelsea in Stamford Bridge.

I love this guy. I really do. But should we sell him and move on? He’s ALWAYS injured. I don’t know. Let’s see what the off-season (Hotstove?) brings.

- Ayala. Future Villarreal player. He might have played his last game at the Mestalla for us. Looks like the Argentine Federation needs their captain June 14th in preparation for the Copa America tournament in Venezuela. Valencia’s final league match comes on the weekend of June 19th-20th. Could this be the end of the 7-year run of El Raton (The Rat)?

Would be a sad way to go out. I truly love this guy. One of the stalwarts of the championship teams and a world-class player. He will be royally missed. Let’s see how this plays out. Maybe there is hope? Mestalla deserves the chance to say goodbye and good luck to this man.

- David Silva. Future world superstar. He plays for us. Yippee! Now we need to tie him up. For a long time. Silva’s agent, Amadeo Rengel, was at Don Soler’s offices recently to discuss said contract. Looks like Soler’s offering a raise, not a renewal just yet.

Every major sqaud in Europe has been sniffing around this lad. Let’s not make a mistake and see him leave because he feels unappreciated by us. Hopefully, Soler does the right thing and ties Silva up for a long, long time. Then he can do his Mendieta, leave us for Lazio and forever rue the day he left Los Che for supposed greener pastures. Until then, let’s wrap him up for the long-run. It would be a mistake of grandiose proportions if we didn’t … I mean HUGE …

- Arizmendi. Tall striker in the John Carew-mold. Plays for Deportivo La Coruna. Rumored to be coming to us. All looked lost last week, as he was set to do a Raul Garcia and head to Atletico. Now, hold your horses. Looks like he might come to us after all.

I reserve judgement on the player. I’ve only read about him, never seen him play. What do you all know about him? Any good? Is he a John Carew Jr.? Because if he is, please stay away.

I was never a huge fan of Alieu. He never showed up when it mattered, except against Arsenal, his personal punching bag.

I’d rather we get the striker for Espanyol, Luis Garcia. Or native Valenciano Roberto Soldado, currently on loan from Real Madrid to Osasuna. How about that?

Or better, how about we get Henry? I can dream, no?

- Antoni Sanfeliu. Writer for AS, formerly of Radio MARCA and Super Deporte. Got to know him personally a few years ago. He’s a good writer with honest opinions about Valencia. He’s in the know.
Here’s his recent column, translated by yours truly … what do you think? Not of my translation, but his column? (I did the best that I could.) My comments below.

‘Last Saturday, parts of the Mestalla gave their opinion on Quique’s continuation as coach of Valencia. In a week without football, the songs have extended beyond that day. Defeats always enlarge problems, whereas victories make them smaller.
The lack of understanding between Quique and Carboni isn’t new this week, nor the previous week or the one before that. The coexistence problems come from long ago, but as of this moment, the president has not wanted to solve them.

The stands (fans) are free to do as they want, but they don’t always act in the best manner. Valencia’s season hasn’t been excellent, it’s simply been a good season where their duties were fulfilled for want of two games. For that reason, before being executioners, we need to be fair with the victim.

I think he’s right. Valencia’s fans are known for being fickle. They love to boo the team for the slightest wrongs. I remember the first game after the last championship year, 2004. Valencia played Villarreal and the game ended in a 0-0 draw. Instead of cheering the reigning champs, the Valencia faithful booed.

I understand the frustration. Read my last few posts and you;’ll see what I mean.
But I do think we need to stand by the team. After all the injuries they went through, after all the hardships, they ended up in the quarterfinals of Europe and back in the Champions League next season.

We could’ve done better, yes. But it’s not that bad, right?

Quique needs to go. Understandably, he’s not too happy by the events of this past weekend, the ringing in his ears probably still lingering.

But he is who he is and like it or not, it looks like he’ll be our coach next season. What can we do?