Ernesto Valverde: Standing tall in the Valencia crisis

File Photo: Ernesto Valverde, head coach of Valencia appears immune to the gross mismanagement and financial mess that engulfs Los Che. (Getty Images)

When asked about his contract negotiations with Valencia amidst the uncertainty surrounding the club’s ownership, Ernesto Valverde claimed it took the sharpest of minds to deal with the drama that Valencia threw up. “You have to have a Master’s degree” he said, Valencia is never boring, every week, always, there is something happening.”

That is an accurate assessment of a season where on pitch issues have almost become secondary to the external issues surrounding the club, the local council, majority shareholder Fundacio VCF and Spanish finance company Bankia. Fundacio gained the club in 2010 with a loan handed to them by Bankia, but a recent default on the repayment of an 86 million Euro loan has led to a court room dispute between Bankia and the local council, who acted as guarantors for the takeover, as to whom is answerable to the debt.

The confusion wrangles on, but in the meantime the city council have ordered changes to Fundacio’s board, introducing eleven new members to which club president Manuel Llorente has reacted badly, resigning in protest to the upheaval. Despite this, Valverde is eager to carry on working at a club that, after working hard to cut debts by 200 million Euros over the past three and a half years by selling the likes of David Villa, David Silva, Jordi Alba and Juan Mata, remains immersed in a massive 360 million Euros worth of debt.

Valverde has appeared immune to the gross mismanagement and financial mess that engulfs the club and has voiced nothing but enthusiasm for the prospect of extending his 6-month deal that he signed in December to replace Mauricio Pellegrino. The club sat tenth at the time of his takeover following a 5-2 defeat to Real Sociedad in the comfort of the Mestalla. Now, after a run of just 3 defeats in 17 matches, Valverde’s Valencia lie sixth, four points behind Sociedad in the race for La Liga’s fourth Champions League qualification spot.