The Day After

By: Cesar | October 25th, 2007

I awoke this morning to see news that a coach from yesterday’s Rosenborg-Valencia game was sacked.

Joy of joys, I thought! QQ’s gone! It’s come true! Finally!

Unfortunately, my joy was quickly reduced to tears when I saw that Knut Toerum was released from his contract as Rosenborg Trondheim’s coach, the day after the Norwegian club’s 2-0 destruction of our beloved in the Champions League.

So let me get this straight: He wins and is sacked. Yet our guy keeps lowering the standards, yet is still in charge? Yes, that makes sense to me!

I’ve said it before. I will say it again: QQ has got to go!

I’m sorry, but it’s time. As I said yesterday, what exactly has he done to instill such confidence in the fan base? Why are some people so loyal to this guy?

QQ had this to say after yesterday’s loss: “All is not lost. The calculations still show that if we win our home games we could be qualified perhaps before playing Chelsea (away in the final game).”

True. But with him at the helm, we could be cruising into the UEFA Cup. Or even worse, out of Europe.

This Valencia team is good. In fact, it’s probably the best Valencia team ever, in terms of talent.

So why do they play so badly? Why can’t they run with other squads for 90 minutes?
Why does QQ stick with the old guard like Canizares, Angulo and Marchena when they clearly look long in the teeth?
Why did we ever spend all that money on players like Zigic, Alexis and Sunny if they’re never going to play? Or just play garbage time?

Here’s defender Ivan Helguera’s comments after the game: “We know that when you play a team inferior to Valencia they are going to pressure you and give their all,”
“But we fell into their trap. They scored from two mistakes we should not commit. We are letting opponents score too many stupid goals… in the league and in the Champions League. Now is when you need to see the real Valencia, when the going is tough.”

And the going’s only going to get tougher, with vital games against Sevilla and Real Madrid up next.

Here’s some interesting news. World Cup winning Italy coach Marcelo Lippi is interested in coaching again. That would be nice, eh? How about Jose Mourinho, who is still a free agent? Right now, I’d take Claudio Ranieri back. (Ok, maybe not.)

It’s just obvious to me that this see-saw nature can’t continue. We’re too good. We’re too talented to keep going down this road.

For you Spanish readers, check out this great post on Spanish football blog Notas De Futbol about QQ’s identity crisis. It’s a good read.

And finally, read this wonderful post from VCF fan Vicente Castells on the Che-UK supporter’s club website. It’s everything I wish I could say, except I’m not from Valencia.

I’m really sad to post this,but for the first time in the CL,ever,I feel
humiliated and embarrased as a VCF supporter.

To lose against Rosenberg,who haven’t won at home in the CL FOR SIX YEARS!
and the manner of the way we play is just too much for me.Rosenberg aren’t
even in contention for the Norwegian league for heaven’s sake.

And before others start to snipe about “so called supporters” let me point
out that I was born within 200 yds of Mestalla,and I carry VCF in my heart
and my soul,and will continue to support my club,and that is my only
football club,no matter what,even if we eventually become no more than a pub
team by the time I’m 80 yrs old.

In case nobody has noticed,I don’t tend to post after defeats,except for in
extraordinary circumstances,because I am usually so p1ssed off about it and
in such a bad mood,even haven’t slept properly,that I just cannot bring
myself to think about it let alone communicate about it.I don’t think it
does my blood pressure any good.

Today,however,it is different.Today,I feel abject sadness and
humiliation.Perhaps I am over reacting,perhaps I have been spoilt by
previous CL campaigns,but today I feel really let down.

I know there will be good times,and there will be bad times,as there always
is when supporting any team,and I hate not to be supportive of any part of
the club,but I feel compelled to completely reject QSF as our coach,and
believe me I have NEVER wished or voiced rejection of any of our coaches
since being of adult age-not even Cuper when he started with poor results
and “boring” football,nor Benitez when he started and results were mixed
with people calling for his head even in his first year when he won the
league!

But QSF has had two and a half years to do something with what I believe is
the best squad we have ever had-for goodness sake,we won the league recently
with Salva,Carew and Sanchez as strikers and with Rufete and Angulo on the
right of midfield(and eternally grateful and respectful to them I will be).

I think that it is unlikely to serve any purpose if we get rid of QSF
now,but I am resigned to the fact that we will not win anything whilst he is
coach,and I think we may be lucky to qualify for CL in the league this
year.Unless things get completely out of hand,I think he should take the
squad to the end of the season,but no further.

I hope I am wrong,but I don’t think I am.

Sad day today,one of all too many sad days recently.Hopefully the club will
know how to turn things around soon.

AMUNT VALENCIA AUNQUE PIERDA!