Turmoil and Chaos

While Valencia CF goes through their daily training sessions in preparation for the season (interesting choice by coach Unai Emery in taking the players to the beach to train yesterday), turmoil and chaos reign in the back office.

But isn’t that what we’ve come to expect from this club?

Today, word that CEO Juan Villalonga could quit, as soon as today.

He just started two weeks ago and he’s already so frustrated, he’s ready to leave. Special, eh?

According to the article, his spats with Juan Soler over an influx of money and the transfer situations of David Villa, David Silva and Joaquin are causing Villalonga to consider whether he wants to continue in his role.

It doesn’t help when current president Agustin Morera goes on the radio and attacks the business acumen of the new CEO … (excuse my rubbish translation …)

“The way Villalonga works is not what football needs. It isn’t good for football. I would never have called the coach without having talked to the sporting director first,” said Morera on Radio Marca.

“At the moment he hasn’t contributed money or anything to the club, but if he’s done any wrong I’m sure it’ll be fixed. If he sized up Luis Aragonés when we have a coach under contract, it’s just not right. I would never have done that.”

Uggh …

It never ends, folks.

I wake up every day, wondering what bit of information my computer will spit up about my Beloved.

Have they sold Villa today? Is he a member of Real Madrid now? Joy of joys!
Where will Silva be? Oh, he was sold to Barcelona? How lovely!
Villalonga’s gone? The guy who said he’d bring up back to the heights of Europe decided to leave after 2 weeks? Awesome!

It’s unbearable.

When do I get to write about actual FOOTBALL? You know, soccer?? That round ball they kick around and the reason we’re here, putting up with this garbage?

I mean, where are the transfers? Where is the creative midfielder and the center back when so desperately need?

Why is it that we’re more aware of what’s needed at the club than the people running it? Maybe we need to pool our resources and buy the team ourselves? (If we do that, can we schedule a pre-season tour of the States?)

Goal.com rated the summer dealings of Spanish clubs in a recent article.
Here’s what they said about us:

As discussed previously here, the Valencia squad is a bloated leviathan that is yet to be fully trimmed of its less desirable appendages. The likes of Mario Reguerio have finally been packed off as the cull begins, but there seems to be a bit of over-enthusiasm to rid the side of youngsters, with Sunny – who dealt admirably well with the rigours of last season – being farmed out to Osasuna. Some of the highly-paid veterans remain and may be less than happy: Albelda and Angulo spring to mind, and Vicente can perhaps be added to that list. The real elephant in the room, though, is the future of David Villa and to a lesser extent David Silva. For all their talk of staying, can the club really refuse €40m for the former and €30m for the latter?

Who’s come in? Highly-rated coach Unai Emery, that’s who. The Basque worked wonders at Almería last season and must be taken seriously: what a shame there’s not been a single impressive signing to help him out. The best playing arrival? Probably Pablo Hernández – and he’s a loan return.

Verdict: The optimism engendered by Unai Emery’s introduction is still being overshadowed by off-field uncertainty. New moneyman Juan Villalonga has talked a good game thus far, but the squad remains over-inflated with several players low on morale. Time is running out to find a solution. D+

Sounds about right, eh?

But you know who sounds spot on? Reader Javier de Roque, who puts my and many other fans frustrations in eloquent terms in a comment he made a few days ago. Here, for all to see …

Valencia is run like a corporate business and not a football club. The days when owners cried and cheered.. lived and breathed football and ran out on the field during victories are over. Now its valenciacorp. These guys only want profit margins.. thats it. We don’t have billionaire playboy owners that are in it for the status.. we have guys that think they can squeeze out cash.. they hire corporate managers to deal with jocks and wonder why there is no chemistry.

I’m no brain surgeon but .. wait no thats it I’m no brain surgeon so i stay out of brain surgery regardless how much money one could potentially make there.

We have the ex CEO of Telefonica (ironically walked out due to embezzlement rumors) hired to run a soccer team. Ummmm.. was i the only one that said whats he know about futbol? Thats just it he doesn’t.. neither do the owners.. because its not about soccer. its about cash.

It really is sad.. but that why we all feel abandoned. like we aren’t being listened to. because we really aren’t. They don’t care about he fans.. that is until the fans stop handing them money.

The fact is that soccer will only become great again when it isn’t worth the money. Then we can get the biz men out and the fanatics and playboys back in.

Futbol , Soccer. Call it what you will isn’t about the cash. Its about the spirit.. the game.. and the show. It should be for the people by the people. I for one hope those days return, but in todays ultra corporate world those words are like reciting the red manifesto.

Futbol needs a revolution. Its long overdue.

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Category: Team News