Valencia CF - Manager Mode, Chosen By You!

[Muzzy]

Koeman Tragedy Leaves Post Open

In a tragic day for any football fan anywhere, Ronald Koeman has been confirmed dead after an unfortunate accident during celebrations at the Mestella yesterday.

His side Valencia CF set up a wonderful firework display to celebrate qualification into the Champions League, with stunning explosions charming fans across the city.

However, the event was about to take a turn for the worse. Koeman himself went to light the final firework right on the penalty spot; a monster known as "The Serpent" which is rumored to produce an explosion half a mile wide. But something went wrong, and just as Koeman went to light the firework it exploded, throwing the Dutchman spine first into the goal post.

Taken to hospital and immediately put on life support, a fractured spine, neck and internal bleeding in the brain were just too much for the valiant Dutchman to overcome, and he died painlessly in his sleep at eleven PM yesterday.

Koeman was a legend in football, becoming a defensive genius in the back four of massive teams such as PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, Feyenoord and his national side. He also managed five clubs over a ten year career of successes, and will be dearly missed.

Valencia have pulled out of the Champions League, believeing that it was the cause of the problem, and will dedicate the proceeds of both Barcelona games, which is one of Koemans old clubs, to cahrity in memory of Koeman. A replacement is being looked for, but the club have banned bookies from allowing bets on who will replace their late manager.

[Muzzy]

Club Overview

Team Name: Valencia CF
Nicknames: Los Che
Founded: March 18th, 1919
Stadium: Mestella Estadio, Cap 53,311
Chairman: Juan Bautista Soler
Manager: Ben Musgrove (Me!)

Transfer Kitty: £750,000

Staff:
Attacking Coach: 8/10
Midfield Coach: 8/10
Defensive Coach: 8/10
Goalkeeper Coach: 8/10
Scout: 4/10
Fitness Coach: 8/10
Stadium Manager: 7/10
Negotiator: 4/10

Team:

Goalkeepers:
Timo Hildebrand - 28 - 82 - GK - German
Santiago Canizares - 37 - 79 - GK - Spanish
Mora - 34 - 70 - GK - SPanish
Defenders:
Emilano Moretti - 26 - 76 - LB - Italian
Helguera - 32 - 80 - CB - Spanish
Marchena - 28 - 81 - CB - Spanish
Alexis - 22 - 77 - CB - Spanish
Raul Albiol - 20 - 80 - CB - Spanish
Miguel - 27 - 81 - RB - Portugal

Midfielders:
Albelda - 30 - 81 - CDM - Spanish
Sunny - 19 - 63 - CM - Spanish
Joaquin - 26 - 83 - RM - Spanish
Silva - 21 - 85 - LM - Spanish
Ever Banega - 19 - 74 - CDM - Argentinian
Baraja - 32 - 80 - CM - Spanish
Hedwiges Maduro - 22 - 76 - CDM - Dutch
Edu - 29 - 79 - CM - Brazilian
Angulo - 30 - 76 - RM - Spanish

Strikers:
David Villa - 27 - 87 - ST - Spanish
Morientes - 31 - 81 - ST - Spanish
Mata - 19 - 69 - ST - Spanish
Nikola Zigic - 26 - 79 - ST - Serbian
Arizmendi - 23 - 74 - ST - Spanish
Vincente - 26 - 82 - LW - Spanish

[Algosaubi]

lol at the accident really

[Robalenko]

you killed him! :shock:

[Muzzy]

Wasn't me. Was the serpent. Bloody russian imports.

Updates soon.

[Muzzy]

Transfer Overview

With the arrival of a new manager, things are expected to be shaken up. But not this much.

Known for his dogged chasing of players he thinks will do the job, new Valencia manager Ben Musgrove has done his reputation proud by bringing in four huge names, and letting six of his side go less than a week after joining the club.

Perhaps the biggest name to join the club is ex Seville and Brazil star Luis Fabiano, joining for a fee of around £8m. Following soon after was one of Fabianos team mates, the huge Denmark international Christian Poulsen joining Los Che for about £5m.

Before any more players joined, it was time for some to leave. Albelda, a veteran of the La Liga scene and a lynchpin in the Valencia field for the previous season, left the club to join Real Zaragoza for £4.5m. And with Fabiano joining, the gate was left wideopen for Fernando Morientes to move from the club, and the Spniard decided to make the move to the Bundesliga with German side Werder Bremen for about £7.5m.

More inductees, with two more big names completing the spending spree. Young starlet Abou Diaby made his move to the Mestella for around £1.75m, and Swedish international Johann Elmander joined from Toulouse for about £7m. More players leaving, with the contracts of Sunny, Mora and Mata terminated and the departure of Caneira to Segunda side Tenerife were practically ignored by the press, such is the enormity of the four signings made.

Transfers In:
Luis Fabiano - Seville, £8m - 26, 86, ST, Brazilian
Johan Elmander - Toulouse, £7m - 26, 83, ST, Swedish
Christain Poulsen - Seville, £5m - 27, 83, CDM, Danish
Abou Diaby - Arsenal, £1.75m - 21, 77, CDM, French

Transfers Out:
Morientes - Werder Bremen, £7.5m - 31, 81, ST, Spanish
Albelda - R. Zaragoza, £4.5m - 30, 80, CDM, Spanish
Caneira - Tenerife, £1m - 28, 73, CB, Spanish
Mora - Contract Terminated - 34, 71, GK, Spanish
Mata - Contract Terminated - 19, 69, CM, Spanish
Sunny - Contract Terminated - 19, 63, CM, Spanish

[kingmolius]

Great start, looking forward to another awesome thread

[Scene Kid Oli]

well that is the first time a manager has ever been killed off

original ill give you that

[tony mac]

This show's some promise. KUTGW.

[TorresxVilla]

LOL You didn't have to kill Koeman.

Can't wait.

[Muzzy]

"Best In La Liga", Says Musgrove

New Valencia manager Ben Musgrove, in his first formal interview, has revealed that he believes that his crop of strikers are "the best in La Liga". The depature of Fernando Morientes from the club raised some questions, which were duly answered with the massive signings of Luis Fabiano and Johan Elmander. And with strikers such as Nikola Zigic and starlet Arizmendi being forced to the bench, you can understand why the manager has so much faith in them.

"I can't think of any other side that has a stronger, more versatile attacking line up." said Mr Musgrove when questioned on his opinion. "We have the strength and presence of Johann, Luis and Nikola, the pace of Vincente and Arizmendi, and the finesse of Villa. So much quality cannot be found in other teams".

The strength of the striking force will really be put to the test when the season kicks off, with Valencia facing a tough tie with giants Real Madrid to kickstart their La Liga campaign.

[TorresxVilla]

Silva, Joaquin and Vicente are so versalite on the wings.

They are going to out run defenders.

[Muzzy]

Valencia vs Real Madrid - Match Preview

http://4skills.com/newsletter/world_feet/2007/images/wf.03.02.07.la.liga.logo.gif

http://www.orange.co.uk/images/editorial/Setanta175x70.jpg

A very unfarmiliar Valencia line up to kick off the 2007/08 campaign, with all four new signings making their way into the starting line up in a 3-5-2 formation. No injury worries for the home side, but Madrid will be missing Wesley Sneijer in the hole behind the front two, so Guti makes his first appearance of the season in his place.

Teams:

Valencia:
GK: Hildebrand
CB: Alexis
CB: Raul Albiol
CB: Miguel
CDM: Poulsen
CDM: Diaby
LM: Silva
RM: Joaquin
CF: Elmander
RS: David Villa
ST: Luis Fabiano

Real Madrid:
GK: Casillas
LB: Heinze
CB: Pepe
CB: Cannavaro
RB: Sergio Ramos
CDM: Diarra
LM: Robben
RM: Robinho
CAM: Guti
ST: Raul
ST: Van Nistelrooy

That's right, Setanta. Because I'm a lalalalalala. Match report to follow shortly.

[Scene Kid Oli]

good luck i recon it will be 2-0 to valencia

Villa will get atleast one

[kingmolius]

3-1, villa double

[Muzzy]

Mestella Score Draw As New Era Dawns

A scrappy yet confident performance from two sides who will be battlign it out near the top come the end of the season made sure the reward was shared at the Mestella, as Madrid and Valencia went head to head in a wonderful way to begin the La Liga season.

It could have began even better for Van Nistelrooy, when just eight minutes in his header skimmed Hilderbrands far post. And when guti was denied by the German stopper a few minutes later, Valencia began to feel just a little safer.

Safe enough, at least, to come and have a go themselves. Elmander registered his first shot in competetive spanish football when his header hit the roof of the net. David Villa showed exactly why he was included in the Spain squad to play friendlies in Estonia with three drives, all well saved by Casillas. Both teams were very strong at the back, and goaless at half time was probably what was deserved.

The second half saw an immediate attempt from Valencia, with Daivd Villa and Luis Fabiano breaking and slotting pass after pass through Madrid. the final ball was poor, but so disorientated was Pepe that he hammered a toe punted clearance off his own upright first.

Madrid were penned back after this fiery start, but it was them who took the lead on the hour mark. A long free kick from Diarra was simply not dealt with, and Van Nistelrooy found the space to round Hildebrand before squaring the ball for Raul to open his La Liga account for the season.

But Los Che were having none of it. Instead of shellshocking into submission, their efforts to equalise were redoubled, and they found their way in ten minutes later. With Ramos lunging in and not finding Silva, who had tormented the Madrid back four in the second half, the mistake gave the winger the oppurtunity to cross. The cut back to the edge of the area was not expected, and Elmander blazed his effort into the far corner past the static Casillas.

It could have been more when Luis Fabiano went one on one with four mintes to go, only for Casillas to pull out a stunning stop to steal the ball from the Brazilian. And at the other end Guti could have been the man of the moment, if Hildebrand had not leaped back like a panther to tip the ball over. but the ball couldn't find its way into either net, and the score meant that the points were shared.

[StarHustler]

Nice story. Looks promising.

[Everton08]

congrats i look forward to this thread.

[Mariners!!!!!!]

definitlety looking forward to the thread, valencia are a gun team

[Muzzy]

R.C.D Mallorca vs Valencia - Match Preview

Despite being the away side, Valencia will be looking for all three points after the dissapointment that was Real Madrid. Mallorca haven't scored in three games including two pre seasons, so will be looking to put something in the net today. An unchanged side for Valencia, but Mallorca welcome back Webo Koumao and Arango from international friendlies.

Teams:
Valencia:
GK: Hildebrand
CB: Alexis
CB: Raul Albiol
CB: Miguel
CDM: Poulsen
CDM: Diaby
LM: Silva
RM: Joaquin
CF: Elmander
RS: David Villa
ST: Luis Fabiano

R.C.D Mallorca
GK: Moya
LB: Fernando Navarro
CB: David Navarro
CB: Ballesteros
RB: Hector
CDM: Pereyra
RM: Gutierrez
LM: Arango
CAM: Ibagaza
ST: Webo Koumao
ST: Guiza

[Everton08]

hmmm ill say 3-1 to you. Villa gets the hat trick

[Muzzy]

Mallorca Steamrollered By Los Ches

Valencia showed for the first time this season why they're considered to be one of the top outfits in the La Liga yesterday, after sticking four past a woeful RCD Mallorca side who had been in the lead at home. Luis Fabiano was the star, grabbing three goals to essentially put the tie to bed, before David Villa added the finishing touches moments from time.

The game started incredibly badly for the away side, when just twelve minutes in Guiza was hacked down inside the box, after beating Alexis with quick feet. the challenge was rash, late, and the referree rightly pointed to the spot. It was Arango who duuly converted the spot kick, to send the home fans into woops and cheers.

But Valencia are known for their ruthless chasing of their goals, and began piling on the pressure. David Villa and Elmander were both denied absolute piledrivers, and Luis Fabiano had an open goal to fire at before Lux made a wonder stop from the floor to parry for a corner.

But the onslaught was so heavy the clean sheet couldn't last, and when an Elmander shot was spilt by Lux it was Luis Fabiano who struck first, hammering the ball into an empty net.

It took a while for the second half to get going, with the seventy minute mark arriving with no score change and next to no chances. But Valencia then got their lucky break. A long shot from David Villa was not held by Lux, and Luis Fabiano was their again to steal another goal from nothing with a cheeky flick.

And Mallorca just fell apart at the seams. With seventy minutes of hard work being thrown away by horrible defending, it was childs play for Luis Faibano to get his third. A naughty one two through the entire back four found the Brazilian one on one, and the finish was pure quality.

A fourth added late on thanks to another slip up by Lux really made the day for the Valencia fans, who will take the three points in the safe knowledge that they were well deserved.

[kingmolius]

Another good report, kutgw

[Galatasaray]

i rate this thread 5 stars, Muzzy mm are alway great, K.U.T.G.W.

[Muzzy]

Valencia vs Atletico Madrid - Match Preview

Just a fortnight after drawing with todays opponents arch rivals, Valencia see Atletico arrive at the Mestella hoping to retireve at least a point. With superb firepower on both sides, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top at the end of this one. Just the one change for Atletico, with Pablo returning to the back four after a slight hamstring problem.

Teams:

Valencia:
GK: Hildebrand
CB: Alexis
CB: Raul Albiol
CB: Miguel
CDM: Poulsen
CDM: Diaby
LM: Silva
RM: Joaquin
CF: Elmander
RS: David Villa
ST: Luis Fabiano

Atletico Madrid:
GK: Leo Franco
LB: Pernia
CB: Pablo
CB: Perea
RB: Seitoridis
LM: Simao
CM: Motta
CM: Tiago
RM: Maxi Rodriguez
ST: Aguero
ST: Forlan