No Confidence

By: Cesar | September 5th, 2007

Who here has confidence in the current leadership at Valencia? Raise your hands … where are you?

Besides reader Franky, who believes the people running the show at our club know what they’re doing?

Because I have lost confidence in this regime.

Let’s state it clearly: Quique Sanchez Flores isn’t the right coach for this team. I know, I know. The season’s just started. Give him time, etc. Etc.

I’ve heard it all before. He’s been here for two years and where’s the marked improvement in the club?

He alienates players (Viana, Tavano, Del Horno), gets into petty fights (Carboni) and makes suspect tactical decisions (playing prevent defense against Chelsea, Almeria after scoring first; overuse of Angulo).

What has Flores done to instill any confidence in any of the fans? True, it’s not his job to please us. But it is his job to win with the crop of players the management bought.

We’re right to expect more than 4th place with this squad, am I right? Who will get blamed when we’re playing Champions League qualification games next season? Sporting director Miguel Angel Ruiz? Baraja? Vicente? The new signings he doesn’t play?

I remember Flores from my days living in the Levante region. He was a journalist at the Diario de Valencia, writing opinion articles on the club. I found him insightful, a little boastful, but a smart read. I never imagined he’d become coach. I never realized what a mess he could be as coach.

There’s a part of me that wants to give him a chance. He’s young, he’s bright, he’s got potential. I just don’t think this club is about potential anymore.

Potential was in 2000, beating Lazio and Barcelona en route to Paris and the Champions League Final. Potential was winning the league in Malaga, Fabio Aurelio and Roberto Ayala sealing the victory and sending the city into a state of euphoria.

This club isn’t about potential anymore. This is a club that should be challenging for titles every single season. For them not to be doing so shows a lack of leadership at the top. That falls to Flores and his skills as a gaffer.

But it’s not only him.

How about Juan Soler, the man who owns the majority of the club and kept Flores in power over his adversary, Carboni? He spent lots of money, bought many players and drives the engine that is Valencia CF. He has to be responsible as well.

Sometimes he reminds me of the shrewd American businessmen that get into the sports business so they can make money. Get the community to build them a new stadium, rake in cash from sale of luxury boxes to other fat cats and then sell the team for a high premium.

New Mestalla, anyone?

Now word comes out that Vicente, our fragile winger, has lost confidence in the medical staff.

The oft-injured player is wondering why he’s oft-injured. He said it loud and clear so everyone could hear: ‘I don’t have confidence in the medical staff.’

And why should he? If you remember last season, Soler cleared out the former medical staff because of complaints over injuries.

Edu. Baraja. Fabio Aurelio. Vicente. All players with injuries taking significant time to heal. In Edu’s case, he was rushed back before he was ready and look at what happened? Right back to rehab. Baraja? They had no idea what was wrong with him. Same with Aurelio, who would run, fall over and be out for months.

Now, sounds like the new staff hasn’t a clue. Some of the staff are even saying Vicente’s problems stem from psychological issues, that he’s mentally causing his injuries. Obviously, the player’s upset and frustrated. He’s angry. He’s lost confidence. And this isn’t coming from some idiot blogger in New York City, but from the player himself.

He’s seeking solutions away from the club. He’s frustrated, annoyed and upset that this keeps happening to him.

Sorry to say, but so am I.

I’ve lost confidence in this team. Let’s hope they can prove me wrong. Let’s hope they can prove the lot of us wrong and we can look back at this post with glee and mockery.

Do us proud, boys.