Quique Vete Ya (Quique, Leave!)

By: Cesar | May 28th, 2007

I’m disappointed in my team.
After Saturday’s crushing 3-2 loss to state rivals Villarreal, Valencia is sin opciones (without options) of winning the Spanish title.

It’s over.
We’re out of the race.

It’s not so jaw-dropping we’ll finish out of the league lead this season. It’s the way it’s happened that’s so annoying.

First, let me state that I believe this squad is much better than it’s shown. In many ways, the construction of this team is sound. 2006-07 Valencia could very well be champions of Spain. By all indications, based on their rivals performance, they should be champions.

But it’s the never-ending soap opera between coach Quique Sanchez Flores and sporting director and former player Amedeo Carboni that cause strife. It’s the cattle-call of injuries that deflated the team. It’s the pitiful form of players early in the season (Joaquin) or late in the season (Angulo) that cause us to lose direction. It’s the losses against weaker competition (Racing, Getafe, Betis, Recreativo) that cost us any chance of the championship.

I don’t know. I’m at a loss for words.

This team is SO much better than they’ve shown. Why can’t these guys (and by these guys, I mean the sporting director, coach and management) get it together and work as a team? Why can’t the squad maintain motivation throughout the season?

I knew it was highly unlikely we’d advance to the top of La Liga with the deficit we faced, 4 points behind with 4 to play.
But couldn’t we have shown a little more heart, a little more urgency, a little more character in the face of this challenge?

The crowd at the Mestalla chanted ‘Quique Vete Ya!’ at coach Flores, indicating they wanted him to leave. They cheered for Villarreal’s final goal, an 88th-minute stinger by Diego Forlan. This caused Che captain David Albelda to say, ‘There were things done by the fans that I did not like. It is clear that any day you can win or lose, but when they applaud the opponent it is not good.

‘Valencia have produced great games away from home and we’ve never been applauded by the opponent’s fans. I just don’t understand why this has happened.’

You want to know why it happened? Because they expect better. Because after 2 Champions League Finals, 1 UEFA Cup victory and 2 La Liga triumphs in the last 7 years, the bar’s been raised.

Getting to the Champions League next season isn’t enough. The fans, me included, want to see this team compete year in, year out. They have the talent to do so. They have the money to go after decent, young talent. So what’s the problem?

‘Quique Vete Ya!’ …

I think the answer lies therein.
This is a big club, no? That’s what they want us to believe, right? Well, let’s act like a big team.
First, we need a better manager. One that’ll take us to a different level.

Flores was given 2 years to succeed. In that time, he’s boggled with his substitutions, led the team to what looks like 2 consecutive fourth-place finishes and made no major advances to the strength of the squad. Tavano? Never using Viana, even though we were short a midfielder? Jorge Lopez?

Enough. I’ve had it with this man. Let’s make a change. Get a fresh, attacking face like Valverde of Espanyol, who does a lot with so little. Or better yet, let’s get the man who beat Valverde in the UEFA Cup Final, Juande Ramos of Sevilla.

I don’t know … I am very frustrated with the direction of this team. They’re good … they’re VERY good. But Quique’s clueless, Carboni is a steel-headed robot and Don Soler? Does he even care?
Why is this team so full of talent about to finish fourth again? Why are they not getting better?

Changes need to be made. A new coach. A new sporting director. Some new attacking talent.
And oh yeah, how about keeping that David Villa guy?

More on this later … I am too frustrated right now.