[FM18] Going out on a Lim

[Diego Imposta]

252.

The next morning, we were back at Cuidad Deportiva de Paterna. Ortiz is now a trusted assistant and his playing experience would be a massive asset to these starlets. He knew what it meant to be some young kid trying to find his way at a big club’s B team, having come through the ranks at Atlético. He broke through into the first team La Liga squad but soon left on a two-year loan to Osasuna to add to his game time. When that diminished, he dropped down to the Segunda Division for a year before an eventful four years at Almeria. Upon relegation he was sold to Scottish titans Rangers for € 1M. That didn’t work out and this was where his hindsight could help our players. He was loaned back for that second half of the season before being brought back to La Liga. After battling relegation at Granada, he saw out his final year on loan in the Valencian community at Hércules in the Segunda Division, yet he was to suffer another relegation. The bravery to go abroad again at 32 was commendable, and he was rewarded with a three year stay at AEK Larnakas in Cyprus, finishing league runners up behind a five-time league winning giant in APOEL. He had been all around Spain and across the water twice. It was certainly something for these players to learn from every day in training. He would earn respect.

Director General Mateu Alemany met us at the door, introduced himself and fellow director Juanma Lora, and beckoned to follow him into the meeting room. Owner Peter Lim wasn’t there, and neither was club president Anil Murthy. Were they coming later? No, came the curt reply. They will contact you when they see fit – they have a La Liga club to run. Alemany ran operations and was our boss. If we couldn’t get hold of him then speak to Lora. The size of this club! They needed departments just to delineate the workload. It was mesmerising. Under-19s Manager Miguel Grau was already in the room, as was ex-Barcelona stalwart José Ramón Alexanko who was the Basque Director of Football.

Gentlemen, you must decide your responsibilities between yourselves. The Director General was in no mood for pleasantries. We are here to mediate but ultimately you all share the remit to develop players for the first team. The minimum expectation is that Mestalla avoid relegation from Segunda División. We have been waiting for nearly 50 years to get the team to this level and we are not going to let any of you derail that. Someone will carry the can if we fail. Vílchez and Camacho did not want that level of heat so they are gone. Imposta, Ortiz… you two are last in the door and will be first out.

With that, Alemany and Lora were gone. Grau, a friendly face in all of this, broke the silence and said we just need to sort out which players are playing for which team. We can work on it later in the day but right now I think you new boys need to speak to this man, pointing to Alexanko. The Under-19s Manager took his bosses’ idea and got up to leave. I shared a look with Ortiz. It seemed as if it was a case of every man for himself! Alexanko opened up. I’m in charge of continuity here. Staff contracts, player contracts – everyone has to impress me to stay. Everything else is up to you. If you want I can bring bodies in or get rid of people but I’ll level with you: I don’t have time for that.  I can talk to the media and maybe even manage your pre-season games while you get your feet under the table but believe me when I say that my job is the senior team, not all the teams. If you were wondering if you can meet with the manager Vitor Pereira or the assistant Luís Miguel then the answer is no. You just work Mestalla.

[Diego Imposta]

253.

A few players from Grau’s squad would be too old for under-19s football next season so he proposed a swap. He said a few from Mestalla were young enough but had yet to make an appearance so drop them with him. He’d still have a squad of 16 for matchdays that way so I agreed. There were another seven who could play for him this term and, although the very talented Luis Alberto Montes was the youngest first-team player last season, my pre-season would soon sort from the men from the boys.

This meant a bloated squad of 31 to sort through. Young attacking midfielder Lee Kangin, who I once tried to persuade to come on loan again to Llagostera, was away on international duty for two weeks and his stand-in would be Joan Jordán. The eldest of the group by some distance at 27, the Espanyol graduate had been placed in Mestalla for a year following an unconvincing season in La Liga after his € 725 000 signing from Eibar. The Basque club had lost a quarter of a million on him from the season before and obviously regretted plucking him from Catalunya. Nevertheless, Grau told me he was still an influential player on and off the pitch. The Portuguese management duo had made their mind up on him and that was that – he was on the transfer list as soon as they arrived. Is there no way back?

There was some crossover between those young enough to step down to the kids team and those in limbo over a professional contract. There were seven yet to make it and I would have to strike some balance by trying all 12 affected by one or both of those issues as the first eleven was overly settled.

I discussed last year’s promotion-winning side in detail over brunch with Alexanko in the video room.

In goal we had Cristian Rivero who had been first choice for three of the last four seasons. At 23 he’s out of contract in the summer and a long way from his under 19’s appearances for the national side.

The most influence in the squad came from the defence, with left-back Álex Centelles the local hero who was into his fourth year at Mestalla. Graduating from vice-captain to captain, he’d earned a trio of caps for Spain under-21s and was still in the squad. Joining him at national level, Bassory Doumbia was a Spanish Ivorian centre-back who had two years’ playing experience with us and even managed to be called up to the senior team for a couple of appearances last year. Partnered with Carlos Badal, the third and final influential player in the squad, we had two immovable objects at the back. From a tactical perspective, right back was a potential weak spot. Xavi Estació was also out of contract at the end of the season and as one of the lowest paid professionals at Mestalla this third year might be his last. He was so small and lightweight but we didn’t really have anyone else - I’d need to address that.

The majority of assists had come from the flanks. Luis Alberto Montes was a potential superstar and his contract reflected that - € 94 000 a month! He was on twice what any other youngster was, with Joan Jordán coming close. He needed to build on an excellent season and get himself into the senior team. On the left we had Vicent Esquerdo, a year older at 19 and with three seasons instead of two. He hadn’t broken into the national under-19s like his opposite flanker but was wanted by Alcorcón.

In the middle was the boy who opened the scoring in both legs of the play-off final third round with Melilla. Jose Carlos was a determined sort of player with an eye for the spectacular – the perfect foil for the boy in front of him. Ortiz would impress upon me the need to switch Mestalla’s formation for difficult games from 4-4-2 to 4-4-1-1 and so I would drop back the non-scoring Basque attacker Iker Pérez. As a € 1 000 000 signing from Real Sociedad the year before, Alexanko was obviously willing in splashing the cash to flesh the team out with developmental signings. Maybe he’d get my right back.

Up front we had the undisputed goal machine Damián. A year’s loan at Barakaldo in the northern B2 started him off but he returned to Mestalla to stake his claim. The breakthrough came last year with him getting above 20 goals for the first time. He had added ability to his lightning pace and would be so important as we looked to stay in the league. There was also the option to move him to the right.

The other eight players were assured inclusion as the league substitutes and additional starter in the possible absences of Joan Jordán and Luis Alberto Montes. It really was boom or bust for the youths.

Of course, we would need some teams to play. Four local Valencian sides were in the Tercera so that was a given. Recambios Colón, Paterna, Silla, and Torre Levante were asked, in that ascending order, to give us a test starting in two weeks’ time. Ortiz and I would need that long just to bed in. The end of a three-week mini tour would need a home money-maker, so I asked director Alemany to give us Mallorca. It was a huge risk but I needed to see our level. There would be better teams in the league.

B3 side Saguntino were just up the road from us and would complete the midweek fixtures. As yet I was still undecided on whether to take Alexanko up on his offer to let me observe. We were here to coach the players first and foremost and perhaps focussing our efforts in this wonderful training area would lead to better results in the season proper. He talked about how he had to interview coaches who specialised in fitness next week. One or two would come in to reduce our initial workload. With that in mind the players were informed that Imposta and Ortiz wanted to see their ability before any work began on building up their fitness. A week to train, a week to work, then three weeks of games to bed in our philosophy. The entire club was so well regimented. Staff could come and go but those processes still remained. It was soon time to get some rest ahead of meeting the playing staff as well as those non-playing staff not already transferred.

[Diego Imposta]

254.

Raúl Moreno was the only coach not to follow Vílchez and Camacho out the door. A backup ‘keeper for Mestalla for a few years at the turn of the century, he was now coaching them for the last couple of years. A solid 20-year journeyman career through the four Segunda B divisions meant he had seen it all. Fuenlabrada and Leganes got five years’ service apiece either side of his Mestalla stay before a decade moving around six different clubs playing well into his late thirties. He really loved the game.

Vicente Aguilar was the club doctor and on a personal retainer from the Singaporean owners. It’d be silly to pick an argument with him as I had to effectively treat him like he was giving up his free time. At the club on a regular basis would be sports physio David Marrón. He’d been with us for two years like Moreno and head scout Óscar Rico, who too had a one-time spell at Llagostera at the tail end of a three year stay in the Segunda División with three different clubs. Also a journeyman and a disciple of all four Segunda B leagues, he was only recently retired from Atlético Baleares but made no bones about hiding his love for Cartagena, appearing for them in three separate spells throughout his time.

I had reservations about these last two men, especially a scout who had not brought in at least one first-team player in the last eighteen months, but to upset the applecart early on in my tenure was a bad idea with Alexanko around. In addition to the two coaches that would come in, there was scope in the budget for another physio and a desk-based team of sports scientists and data analysts. More scouts were needed to make use of the enormous travel budget. A sensible distribution would see a scout assigned to find senior players in the Segunda División and two more to cover youth players in Segunda División B. With links to La Liga through Valencia we would be kept informed of any starlets slipping through the net, just as I had with Baeza. He’d managed to sign a new two-year deal though.

With adverts placed for the remaining staff positions, a formulation for our 4-4-1-1 began in earnest.

Doumbia was comfortable in the middle of the park, and Damián on the right, so Ortiz moved them around on the tactics board and it left a gap at the back. We had three centre backs vying for a spot there but the experience was with giant Hugo Guillamón who had played a rotation for four seasons.

John Mejía was unlucky to miss out, the Valencian Colombian’s hands already full with tutoring from first-team defender Jeison Murillo - he had 50 caps for the South Americans and had four years here.

The other players with non-native heritage were Wail Abdellaoui, the Spanish Moroccan goalkeeper, who was one of those fighting for a contract, and Diego Huesca - another ‘keeper - who was born in Paraguay. Iker Pérez, our current number eight, and Asier Gómez, the left-sided version of talented teenager Montes, were from the Basque country. Kangin would operate as our mobile number ten.

The third defender looking to break up the Cabral-Doumbia hold was local lad Sergio. The remaining four guaranteed league bench-timers were utility attacker Pablo Jiménez, and a trio of strikers from the super-sub Orquín, physical option Álex Esteso, and deep all-rounder Martín Lapeña. It really was a well-cultivated squad with all kinds of options in the final third. The other nine players were set for games from the pre-season bench, so we would learn all about them over the next five or six weeks.

Rico was asked to give his thoughts on our next opposition until we are in a position to decide on the areas we needed to strengthen. A true scout, though, he couldn’t help but recommend that he take a closer look at 33-year-old Cultural Leonesa goalkeeper Jesús Fernández – relegated after four years in Segunda.

[Diego Imposta]

255.

It was nearly time to meet the players. Ortiz and I ran through the first week’s training programme and decided that we wouldn’t make it too heavy. We had to get to know their needs before doing anything too intense. He would take fitness and attack, I would take defence and tactics. Just until some more bodies came in to help us. It wasn’t ideal right now but we had two weeks to sort it out.

Damián was far too green to be a vice-captain and we both agreed it should go to Badal at the back. His influence is so important and we had to keep him here. We overheard talk of Doumbia’s move to Alcorcón being put on ice, so it made sense to strengthen ties in defence and recognise his respect.

Joan Jordán still needed some sort of concession as a reference point and to massage his ego he can all have all set-pieces when he’s on the pitch. He was clearly the most talented footballer at the club.

I made my way to the dressing room with Ortiz. Alexanko had gathered the squad. We decided to be assertive to these youngsters. We needed to act like we knew exactly what we were doing and make them aware that our experience would guide them. I was positive about our chances of remaining in the division but made sure that our end goal for all of them is to force their way into the senior team – we were here to facilitate that. Not all of you will make it but I want you to use the six who have as your idols. José Gayà, Nacho Gil, and Carlos Soler are all staples of that team now and Fran Villalba is back after having to take a loan move to keep playing. It just goes to show that you can’t stay still at the top. Last year you lost Andrés and Juan de Dios Jiménez and still got promoted. That’s how good you are. Two was the exception to the rule boys, as evidenced by last year’s zero. Let’s sort that out.

I let Ortiz take the session as The Valencia Football Review wanted to speak with me on my first day.

Juan Antonio García commended the strong atmosphere at Llagostera and asked if that could be put into place at Mestalla. With Ortiz, anything was possible. We needed to be unified in our approach in every single day here in Paterna. These were all young boys and as we know, young boys can fall out.

García called out a young player as particularly tough to handle. It was a good heads up, but I wasn’t about to discuss individuals and made the journalist see that I was not the sort to help with his story.

A good report on Lee Kangin came back from Rico. He’d played the whole game for The Republic of Korea’s 3-0 away win against Laos in the opening game of the Under-23 Championship Qualifier. We heard he scored the middle goal in a white-wash that flattered the hosts. He had played at left wing.

Badal twisted awkwardly during the Sunday night session and went over on his ankle. He was in real pain, and Marrón decided to take him to hospital. It was a crushing blow to our plans. These injuries tend to keep a player out for a month or more and with a suspension to serve on the opening day it would be difficult to get him fit. We had a tasty trio of games in the first week: away to fellow former B3 side Hércules, at home to Camacho’s Albacete at home midweek, then going to lower-mid table Racing away. These were all teams that it was essential to take points from – they would finish well below us if the media were to be believed. To cover Badal we would drop Doumbia back and get the experience of Joan Jordán in the middle. I called him. Keep your chin up vice-captain, I’ll always need you.

[Diego Imposta]

256.

Week two saw us kick on with some proper training. Fitness was a priority now after an easy first run and double sessions ahead of some friendly games was in order. Ortiz had spotted that a number of more personal regimes that would be suitable already, and of particular interest to us were those of Sergio and Mejía. The central defenders felt they should be working so much harder now to dislodge Guillamón with Badal out and we had to admire their work ethic. As always, there were some things that I thought were a little too much right now without having seen any of them play. But he was my assistant and I would let him air his views. Logically a 4-4-2 against inferior opposition would be nice to begin the season with, especially as I wanted to see how Jose Carlos and Pérez would work within a forward line. The playmakers looked a good fit as a pairing and with Lee Kangin running the show, we saw a huge weakness during training. He was completely left-footed. It’s not good enough at this level and I needed him to be able to get us out of trouble. Sometimes a weak foot pass is all there is.

In other news Barcelona had signed a 34-year-old Leonardo Bonucci from Milan to try and stop them conceding so many while the hunt for the new Llagostera manager was still ongoing. Jorge Sampaoli had resigned as manager of Argentina following a dismal third-place finish at the Confederations Cup after being dumped out by finalists Croatia who succumbed to Argentina’s group winners France. It’s a strange quirk of the competition that the only team they didn’t beat was Argentina. A draw against New Zealand meant the South Americans missed out on an easy route past the easier United States.

Ortiz had reviewed the second week of training and was confident that in Guillamón and Lee Kangin we had potentially better players than Doumbia and Jose Carlos. That was music to my ears, totally justifying their inclusion from the off. He felt that the front two could offset each other’s qualities in attack with Pérez harrying the defence and Jose Carlos drifting around looking for space. Lee Kangin, although soon to be tired from three games in a week, would be our attacking playmaker in behind.

Alexanko had offered former Las Palmas B manager Pablo López a job as technical coach at Mestalla.

A goal and an assist for Lee Kangin sealed another 3-0 victory, this time over Hong Kong. Another hit from the striker in front of him had me intrigued, although I’d wait and see how he did in their other two games to go. Former Real Madrid youth fitness coach Roberto Ovejero was the next to receive a contract offer from the club and potentially my search for two coaches was over. We’d wait and see.

Some of the players were a little resistant to the extra work they were being asked to do. Managing these expectations was so much easier to do on a case-by-case basis. It saved the entire squad being upset at our methods but it also stunk of player power. Scout Guzmán, a journeyman striker from his southern background, was also in the building and finalising a deal. I wondered where Alexanko was finding them now. Guillamón was now complaining about blisters, having been worked so hard this week. There was no way I was letting him off the hook for the first game – he had men breathing on his neck for that spot in the team. López had a Continental A licence and immediately set about ways to ingrain the tactical aspects into the players without taking control of what those tactics were. We were really pleased with that approach. I would concentrate on the defensive aspects of the sessions and soon Ortiz was able to leave fitness alone and concentrate on attacking drills. A pulled hamstring from Mejía put Sergio in contention as the number one contender for a defensive spot, the Spanish Colombian pulling a hamstring that would keep him out of the first half of pre-season. Alexanko was not one to suffer fools gladly and had another fitness coach in the building. Was he playing them off each other or was he getting me both? You never heard from the guy… but he was always scheming.

Ovejero instead came in as our Head of Sports Science. He had ten years in the game as some sort of fitness guru and now he was ready to learn on the job. He must have remarkable negotiating skills in his locker. Remarkably, Seubert and Beltran from Llagostera were the first to apply for my two scout positions. They had changed their mind about coming down, perhaps with the uncertainty over who was going to be their new boss. Rico had actually failed to get a report on our next opposition but he was untouchable now I’d been here two weeks. I decided to call them personally to explain the ideas behind the club; it was entirely out of my hands. If they had said they’d come at the get go then they would have bought out your contracts. Now, Alexanko is going after his own targets and that’s final.

Guzmán wasn’t here a full day and already I had an assignment for him. Find us the Segunda División equivalent of Joan Jordán on loan. Alavés had made a loan offer for our star and if I know Alexanko, I can see him letting go of our best man to a divisional rival looking to bounce straight back to La Liga!

Jordi Peris was in as our fitness coach. He’d worked eight years at Sabadell, working his way up from the youth team through the B team to the seniors. At last we had someone who earned their stripes.

Lee Kangin was rested for the routine victories over Macau and Guam which saw his national side on top of their group and I was a relieved man. He was fit and firing for our opening game of preseason.

Former Barcelona scout Miki Albert was being lined up as our third and final man in this area and we could really do with that kind of ability to cover the youth aspect of our scouting plans. Next Andrés Márquez, Sevilla Atlético’s head physio, was preparing to work with us and we nearly had a full staff.

Our best laid plans were in turmoil with Pereira and Miguel calling up Jose Carlos for a senior friendly away at B1’s Aviles.

[Diego Imposta]

257.

It hadn’t completely escaped our attention that some of our players and under-19s were out touring with the first team but to pick our players on the same day was a kick in the teeth. We were trying to get them fit and we couldn’t see the benefit in brief cameo appearances. The first trip was a Partizan Beograd side from Serbia and the second to Braunschweig in Germany. These were safe environs for the Portuguese duo to try players out but a home game against Inter in between was a real big deal.

After Avilés there was Fiorentina at home, before a trip to La Hoya and then again out to Germany to play HSV. Two Europa League qualifiers in between meant a hectic schedule indeed. From our senior players only Centelles was getting consistent minutes so far and that was both a worry and the aim.

There were clear favourites from the under-19s, namely Spanish Nigerian central defender Benjamin Uwakwe and local striker Brian. Doumbia, Sergio, and Mejía had all been given a shot at settling into first-team games so this was in defence was where Vitor Pereira and Luís Miguel needed the depth. A couple of other players from the youths also got their first experience in of an elite dressing room.

Young professional wingers Carlos Ivars and Eusebio Juan were being given valuable minutes with an ageing forward line while Montero and Gómez looked good in the odd twenty or thirty minutes with each game. With the majority of our wide men involved in the first team, as well as striker Montoto, we took a motley crew to Catarroja for the game with Recambios Colón. With Guillamón struggling, I decided to leave him out and rest anyone involved with the first team in recent weeks. We’d wait to see who was named in the Europa League squad before piling on minutes to those already getting it.

Joan Jordán was asked to drop back into defence and play out from the back and would captain the side. Only five of our first eleven were in the team. Estacio is at right back, Esquerdo at left wing, and three players out of position: Damian at right wing, Pérez in a deep-lying playmaker role on the left, and Joan Jordán looking to start attacks on the right of defence. It was a decent, dry 20°C afternoon.

A routine 3-1 lead at half-time turned into a stunning 5-1 performance at Mundial 82. Assists from a pair of full backs, both starting wingers, and a number ten exemplified what we had inherited. After a few early half-chances, Orquín got on the end of an Estacio centre from deep and lashed the ball into the net on 12 minutes. Pérez was showing himself to be adept at the defensive aspect of his role and a surging run led to Esquerdo to cross first-time for Damián to remind us of his ability in the box.

At the half-hour mark he skinned two defenders on the by-line, put it on a plate for Martín Lapeña to sweep home and showed us that he was just as effective on the wing. Recambios Colón’s flat 4-4-1-1 was still causing us problems after we shifted to shorter passing so we matched it, Lapeña dropping in to the hole. Before we could settle a long ball through the middle caught us off-guard. Neither one of our central defenders checked the one-on-one with a third of the pitch to run and they scored it.

We responded well, Esquerdo heading against the bar from a Damián cross, but at half-time we got on another youth ‘keeper and left back. Replacement Molina sent a great channel ball for Orquín to chase and he duly slotted across the goalkeeper four minutes after the restart. A fingertip save onto the bar denied him a hat-trick but after reverting to 4-4-2 on the hour with a trio of subs we turned the screw. Calvo soon squared Damian’s touch for his strike-partner Esteso to end the tie on 65 minutes.

[Diego Imposta]

258.

Girona were the latest team to come in for Joan Jordán but this time with a transfer offer. We would rather he left to the La Liga team. Guillamón would be in for my captain if he left before the Paterna game. Alexanko passed on the intentions of Pereira and Miguel that following their exploits with the first team, they wanted young striker Brian and right back José Enrique Alegre with Mestalla for the season ahead. I would allow it on the condition that two of the seven I had earmarked would move in the opposite direction. Right now that would be the two youth goalkeepers and we had no place for four. Gómez scored the winner in a 1-0 over Fiorentina and endeared himself to the club faithful.

Centelles, Badal, and Joan Jordán had been included in the Europa League squad so we would try to limit their pre-season involvement. The same squad of 16 would take on the local game at Paterna. Carles and Molina would start in place of Abdelaoui and Planes, with the plan to give them another 45 minutes each. Damián was more tired than anyone so would make way instead of Esquerdo after an hour, versatile attacker Jiménez to come on. With the way that the fixtures fell, we would have a full compliment of players for the games with Saguntino and Mallorca. That meant a slender squad to bed in the four games against Tercera opposition. Guillamón would be the only replacement in it.

Orriol Artime had put in a sterling performance in the centre of midfield last time out and I expected more of the same. Brais Perona, who had one senior appearance at 17 but no Mestalla appearances would sit in alongside Joan Jordán before his seemingly inevitable farewell. The system suited these players well: an attacking left back overlapping the winger and a no-nonsense defender beside him.

A hot evening at Gerardo Salvador would test the fitness of these players even further. It was a good chance for Carles and Molina to improve on their performances from a fresh start against the 4-4-2.

A gashed head for Estacío after two minutes was the kind of injury we expected from a local derby. He played on. Our away kit was getting an airing and Lapeña snatched us into the lead from Artime’s through ball. By six minutes we had doubled our lead, Damián’s searching ball meeting the head of Orquín at the back post. A lovely corner routine made three, Joan Jordán finding Damián on the near side of the box and he had the presence to pick out Pérez inside, who weaved and hammered home.

Damían picked up a booking for a decidedly un-friendly tackle in the heat. Pérez followed him with a meaty challenge of his own. I liked it. After warning against complacency we took to the second half.

A decent strike from Paterna got them back in the game on 68 minutes - the common denominator in our goals conceded being Abdelaoui. We had our chances late on but the players were exhausted.

Another excellent performance from Artime and another man of the match from Damián was very pleasing indeed. However, the second half loss was addressed at full time. Some of the players had expected our praise for the win but they were told that a win was the minimum expectation here.

Estació was asked to play with protective equipment for the next couple of weeks. He was our only right back before Alegre came along and I couldn’t thrust the kid into football after recent exposure.

The next day Joan Jordán was gone. Girona had agreed terms so he came to say goodbye, shook my hand, and bade his farewells to his teammates. Another player would take his place but it was still a difficult thing to comprehend. What had he done to deserve this? A consummate professional who took to playing out of position like a man. We would need a new captain – I would reinstate Damián for them.

[Diego Imposta]

259.

A wet evening at Municipal Vicente Morera in Silla was a welcome break from the weekend heat. A shift in set-piece responsibility was talked about before the game and with Damián as captain all of our midfielders had a role to play today. Keen to hammer home a winning mentality, I demanded a victory under the label of being favourites. 4-2-3-1 Wide from the hosts was another test. We were particularly keen to see what Calvo would offer from the bench. He had been neat and tidy but very ineffective coming on in the last game. Both he and Abdellaoui had been our poorest performers.

Guillamón’s monstrous presence in the back line was encouraging, and his direct play as opposed to Joan Jordán’s tika-taka from the back led to some interesting counter attacks. A cracking strike from Artime in the first minute struck the post. Molina kept his place in the starting eleven, Rivero starts.

A dangerous cross from the overlapping fullback led to a penalty as Esquerdo was impeded. Artime was once again on the penalty spot and again failed to hit the back of the net, striking it too central for an easy save. He made up for it with a crucial interception in the middle of the park which led to Lapeña crashing the crossbar with a first-time shot. Silla were a better footballing side than we had faced but the opening ten minutes saw a spate of missed chances. Esquerdo finally put one away in the box with a smart header from Pérez’ wide free-kick. Lapeña made it a quick-fire double with his excellent off-the-ball skills providing him with a one-on-one from a tight angle, Perona with the pass.

With our business seemingly done, the players took their foot off the gas and ceded territory. We’d get Lapeña into the hole to address Silla playing out from the back. A lovely cross and knock-down from our wingers got Lapeña another goal. He really was blossoming as a pre-season fox in the box.

A wonderful volley from Artime saw us go 4-0 up before the end of the half, Esquerdo’s in-swinging corner finding the midfielder running into the middle of the box. At half-time I thanked them for the effort. Huesca, the reserve goalkeeper, wouldn’t be on just yet but Planes was on at left-back. After a profligate opening 10 minutes again, the move to 4-4-2 with the remaining four substitutes on led to Guillamón smashing home Artime’s knock-down after another lovely delivery from Pérez, who is now on corners too with Esquerdo replaced by Jiménez. Where Orquín had been troublingly quiet, and Lapeña a livewire, Esteso and Calvo continued to have difficulty influencing the game. We leapt from the bench when they combined with excellent one-touch football to make it 6-0 on 75 minutes.

There was time for another as Damián confidently belied his fatigue to volley in a deep cross from a fresh young Planes on the left. To a man our players had been excellent, although Huesca was yet to be tested. The hunger was there until the final whistle this time, and neither myself nor Ortiz saw it coming. Praise was lavished on the players. Esquerdo was the stand-out man of the match and that Damián ran him close while being captain spoke volumes of the competition in the squad. The next day would see the first team’s home leg against Azerbaijan’s Qäbälä – Ortiz and I would spectate.

[Diego Imposta]

260.

Nuevo Mestalla was a wonderful stadium, and the home crowd cheered as the names of two new signings were called out in the team sheet. Macedonian left-winger Ezgjan Alioski and the Belgian defensive midfielder Jordi Vanlerberghe had arrived on free transfers, along with youth goalkeeper Iago. His B1 experience effectively secured himself a place in my squad as third choice goalkeeper.

Calvo was a good player but his versatility would be better used in the youth team – we had many a good winger. When compared to Lapeña, he just didn’t have that kind of magnet to the ball that his teammate gave us. He would play the last game against Torre Levante but after that he was finished.

With none of our players selected in the squad of eighteen, Ortiz and I could enjoy the game in front of us. Valencia tentatively felt their way into the game, big central midfielder Traore and Zaza up top both had half-chances early on. Alioski, ostensibly a prolific striker during his time in England, laid on an attempt after 13 minutes after a decent run and cross down the left. The ball evaded Zaza and an unsure defence and it went straight in. However, the assistant raised his flag for Zaza’s interference.

A mercurial run into the channel from Boga set Zaza up for a tap-in to silence the unease in Mestalla.

Qäbälä had offered zero threat in the first quarter and were hanging on for dear life but Valencia are guilty of being too defensive themselves and not overloading the final third. With Alioski tripped as he finally got in a goalscoring position a penalty was awarded. Central defender Wöber put a left peg through it and doubled the lead. A near-post scare saw the visitors muster a run on goal but the did not have the quality to put it away. It was their only shot of the half. Neto, who was not mentoring our fellow South-American reserve ‘keeper Huesca, had done enough to push their striker too wide.

An injury to Alioski led to the Azerbaijani’s second shot of the game. Neto stood tall. While the front three had all played very well, the rest of the team was playing at a canter. Valencian dominance had to see more goals but the visitors grew into the game, looking for their away goal with fifteen to go.

They would have been furious to concede a soft penalty for a tug on Zaza’s shirt. Wöber did it again.

To add insult to injury Zaza scored again a minute later, a dirty rebound from his first effort. With an exquisite ball over the top from experienced substitute Birsa, their second leg would be a formality.

A second yellow card had preceded the two minute salvo and perhaps had knocked the stuffing out of Qäbälä. All three men in behind Zaza were changed before the end of the game, perhaps to save them for the league. Young, and former Mestella, forward Juan de Dios Jiménez completed the rout in injury time with a fierce drive from point-blank range. Ortiz and I had been less than impressed by what we saw but it was a results business and you couldn’t argue with 5-0. After the game we read the next morning’s papers. The Liga 1 2 3 predictions were out. It would be a three-horse race this year between Barcelona B, Sporting Gijón, and favourites Deportivo. We are predicted 18th…

[Diego Imposta]

261.

With Carles and Abdellaoui too old for youth football, Iago had to stay with the under-19s alongside the other youth goalkeeper. It was time to sort the men from the boys, and with such a strong solid central defensive committee to choose from something had to give. Gómez and Montes did slip in as youth players so wouldn’t have to be registered for the league, but they were so good they had stick with Mestalla. Every over-age youth player would be given a chance which bloated the squad to 25. The under-19s would have a formidable squad to choose from and I would have loved to have that talent like in B3. Too many players wouldn’t get a fair crack of the whip if the likes of Brian, Montoto, Ivars, and Juan were competing up front and on the wings. Uwakwe, Molina, Perona, and Alegre all had massive futures with us in defence, especially with the first-team in dire need of the more senior players in Mestalla, but with five men ahead of them in the age group we would risk not registering.

Campo Municipal de Orriols in Valencia was the venue for Torre Levante, our final Tercera match. A hot 31°C on a Sunday night was just what the players didn’t want but morale was excellent after the three wins. They were told that they had to fight for their place now with other players coming back.

A wonderful diamond effect had been cut into the grass here and for a moment we forgot we were playing a game. Guillamón switched on and fired a ball out for Orquín to chase. He took his time, hit a cross to Lapeña and the top-scorer of pre-season added a bullet header for 1-0 up on five minutes.

Two minutes later, the tricky striker won the ball back and backheeled for Orquín to slot home 2-0.

A fantastic cross from Estacio saw the strike partners have fun, Orquín chested it down for Lapeña to acrobatically volley in a third. The tie died down when he cut his leg in a challenge but he had really done enough to be considered our go-to striker. The hosts made a game of it when ten minutes left in the first half, the good crowd right behind them. Half time came and the players were clearly back home in their minds. I told them that I didn’t have anything to say to them, so go and get back out.

An uneventful build-up to the hour saw us calm our approach and Damián would have to make way for Jiménez as he was exhausted. The other subs trotted onto the pitch while I looked around for a captain. Pérez was the senior player on the pitch and our fourth-choice captain. We had the depth!

He went very close with a whipped free-kick soon after, clearly invigorated by the responsibility. Play began to build through him again and he released the new front two. They worked the ball back into midfield before watching the ball come out wide to Esquerdo. Calvo was waiting in the middle and a looping header over the goalkeeper made it four. Excellent play all around. Some of these kids being sent down to the youths would always be in my thoughts if I needed a player. Jiménez was finally in positions to influence the game, too, and would be my cautionary tale of rejecting players too quick.

Pérez was pushing the team on even in the last five minutes. They were as tired as they’ve been in a couple of years but the reward was a fifth goal, Jiménez arriving at back post to use the outside of a left boot to flick the ball in on the volley from a difficult angle. A better end to the second half, then, but a word of warning was needed. Let’s make sure you can all do it when it matters. 1 000 people in the Valencian community is nothing compared to the 10, 20, 30 000 this year boys…

[Diego Imposta]

262.

The club’s medical staff pulled Lapeña out of action for the next two weeks for the gash on his leg to heal. Badal was still out for that time and we welcome both back for the opening day of the league.

Ahead of taking in the two under-19s friendlies against Valladolid and Atheltic, Ortiz and I sat down to formulate a squad to take on Saguntino. We had seen enough from the players already used and with a little bit of shifting on the tactics board, we could set an eleven of unknowns. The majority of the team had been involved in the first team’s pre-season but we would finally get a close look in to Lee Kangin. He would be asked to play in the deep-forward role with Jiménez taking the right flank.

Versatile Molina was predominantly a left-sided player but had a decent right foot, so he would fill in for Estacio at right back. Esteso would get a chance to lead the line and Huesca would get the gloves.

To prepare for the league we would go on the defensive, with the players told to feed the front man and Centelles at every opportunity. Our captain would be given free reign over the left wing while a duo of wingers coming inside would provide attacking impetus. Doumbia and Jose Carlos, our main set-piece taker would sit deep in the middle of park looking to feed them, Sergio and Mejía behind.

Grau lined his charges up in an interesting 4-1-4-1 but had an ace up his sleeve – Alioski would play right wing. The summer signing, and natural goal scorer, was asked to build his fitness with a game.

The new third kit, red and yellow stripes with blue shorts and socks, was worn in gusty Valladolid in response to the hosts’ purple and white stripes. Ortiz would get a closer look at lone striker Brian in attack while all my eyes were on Uwakwe and Molina in central defence. Within a minute they had been beaten for pace and only the wind took a shot up over the bar from outside the box. Terrible.

Saul Rives, in the defensive hole today, struck the post after a cheeky free-kick routine. He was key to regaining possession here but showed he could mix it up at the other end of the park too. With a home advantage, Valladolid bossed the ball and had Valencia on the back foot for large parts of the game. Alegre and Fran were having a torrid time at full back and eventually the latter found himself under so much pressure, a poor back-pass was struck beyond Iago for the lead. In the second half, I didn’t see a change from Grau. The midfield had been largely anonymous but Brian gambled on his marker missing the ball and was rewarded with a goal, his first shot beaten straight back into him.

Substitutions around the hour looked to inject some urgency in the anonymous midfield, even with Alioski on the field. With a winner for either team looking unlikely, further changes were made from both managers as they looked to get minutes for their squad players. Once they settled, Montoto’s miss from close range had both set’s of players puffing their cheeks. Valencia finally pushed, looking for a winner five minutes from time. But a comical mix-up between Uwakwe and substitute ‘keeper Gramaje saw the clearance cannon off the striker and fall nicely for him to hook home the rebound!

Only a superb injury time challenge from Perona, first at left back now in the middle, kept the score close. Alioski’s poor performance saw him shifted from right wing to left back for the final throes of the game and you could argue that Grau was taking him out of the firing line. Pereira and Luis Miguel would not be impressed. It was a step up in class for the youth team and they would have to adjust quickly. It vindicated our defensive approach for the Saguntino game. We must work hard.

[Diego Imposta]

263.

Martinez brought his Saguntino report to me. They had just been wiped out 0-3 at home to German team Gladbach. New defensive midfield signing Romero would be the main opposition to our game.

With a right winger coming inside, their deep 4-4-2 played right into our hands. Centelles will have a field day. Damián is now working closely with first-team Italian striker Simone Zaza and his cameo up front for us today will hopefully bear fruit. Before the game I sat down with scout Guzmán who was looking for my Jordán replacement. I still had two slots free for over-age players should I need them.

A number of young foreign players had made contact with the club looking for a deal. I liked the idea of Valencia having such a pull. I offered these men a week’s trial – we had the facilities so they could stay – to see which of them had the mettle to come and train. A day after Ortiz turned his laptop to face me so that I could see one of them had an agent, claiming a deal had already been done. This is a learning curve, he said. Vitor Pereira then knocked on the door. We had barely spoken since I had arrived. He was friendly but succinct: Alexanko sought my approval for players coming here on trial. Two will arrive today, one from Uruguay who contacted us last week and the Brazilian kid over from Atlético. These players have good pedigree, Diego, so let me know how they get on. If you need any help with the Portuguese boys then give me a call. He shook both our hands and left the room to us.

All six trial players arrived before the Saguntino game. Of course, we wouldn’t dare risk them in the proper friendly matches we had arranged but it was important to have a look at them in training. We were impressed with the histories; Sporting, Benfica, Atlético, River, and a couple of other clubs over in South America. On first impressions we had not unearthed a diamond and in particular the two of them that had not been schooled in large academies would not be good enough to improve us at all.

On the day Saguntino switched it up – it was a friendly after all. We hadn’t yet faced a 4-1-2-3 Wide.

A very classy start saw us kick off and work a shot from Lee Kangin which peeled just shy of the near post. Esteso was the next to crack one on goal, a lovely diagonal ball over the top from Jiménez. Two minutes later the striker returned the favour with a short pass and we took the lead. It all stemmed from the tight middle winning the ball back and retaining it. Doumbia was breaking it up, Jose Carlos making things happen. Saguntino had no answer for us but we decided to drop Lee Kangin into the hole to combat the man in theirs. Mejía would be taken off at half time with a potential foot injury.

Montes was brought on after an hour to run the wing rather than look inside. A terrible clearance in defence brought the hosts onto us and Molina’s missed tackle led to a powered header at goal. 1-1.

Huesca should have done a lot better but I wanted to win the game. Seven more changes to the side were called for, only the goalkeeper staying put. Damián would take the role behind the striker now.

The reinforcements couldn’t find their rhythm either and the game just petered out. In the dressing room afterwards, the whole squad were told how lucky they were that this was only just a friendly.

It was just what they needed to hear and Ortiz raised an eyebrow when it appeared to fire them up for the next game. Tomorrow would be a waiting game to see who, if any, of this squad would be in the first team line-up the next day. The second leg against Qäbälä was over 5 000 kilometres away.

[Diego Imposta]

264.

To take our minds of the team selection for our fixture at home to Mallorca, Ortiz and I travelled to a youth friendly at Atheltic. Our thoughts were with the triallists that had not got a game here either.

Grau again lined up with a 4-1-4-1. The line-up was pretty similar to last time, except Perona was to start in the defensive holding role following his excellent substitute display. There’s no Alioski today.

Fran again was involved with a poor decision, an early strike diverting off his outstretched leg and in the goal. Brian was getting in good positions up front but his quality was severely lacking. I would get grief from Pereira for not allowing him, and many others, into my 25-man squad but I could afford it.

The Basque youths were much better than ours, perhaps because of the home advantage. It was not the best game we’d seen and chances were harder and harder to come by. The subs from both sides injected some life into the tie, that little bit of quality off the bench seeing Ivars whip in a right wing cross for Montoto to head in off the bar. Calvo was on in the wingers place almost immediately, the entire reason I dropped him down was to provide depth. The away kit of black shirts and socks with orange shorts looked menacing now with 20 minutes to go. A terrible spill by the backup ‘keeper for Valancia Gramaje allowed Atheltic the lead. I was so thankful that they had Iago in the door quickly.

More terrific defending from Perona, again at left back now, in injury time kept the score at two-one Athletic. It was the same old story with this young team and I was glad that we only took Gomez and Montes from those eligible. On the drive home we talked shop. Mejía needed to play after coming in at half-time injured and his replacement Guillamón would sit in beside him. Sergio had got his ninety minutes and was raring to go. Molina was at fault for being on a booking and not making the tackle last time out so seniority meant Estació took right back. Huesca needed minutes so would keep goal.

Lee Kangin struggled for us and we still had Montes to get fit so in he came at right wing, Jiménez in the second striker position. We both felt his versatility would be key for us. It also gave us a chance to see what one winger coming inside, Gomez, could do if the other just went forward. One game’s audition wasn’t enough for us so the rest were unchanged. On the bench we had the stars of early pre-season plus Lee Kangin ready to come on. We would expect three times the Saguntino crowd to come and see us at home, so preparations were made for 1 500 at the Cuidad Deportiva de Paterna.

At the pre-match brief there was a flicker of encouragement in what we were trying to do. Defence was the best form of attack against Mallorca and whatever the divisions, Mestalla are an underdog.

There was talk that Pereira was looking to make the youths a squad of 22 with the signing of youth club Orientación Marítima’s central midfielder Armando Fernández. A half century of appearances by his 18th birthday was certainly testament to his ability and I’m sure Grau will be delighted to get Pereira’s choice of player.

[Diego Imposta]

265.

It was fantastic to see a crowd at Paterna. We normally train on one of the pitches behind so to have a go on the artificial pitch was a novelty. Mallorca’s 4-2-3-1 Wide set-up was obvious from the start.

They controlled possession in the opening exchanges but no shots were made by either team in this early period but soon they had some frustrated, wild long-range strikes. Our defensive shape worked and that was the most pleasing aspect – we were by no means close to naming our best eleven. With 20 minutes on the clock we took the lead from a set piece. Jose Carlos whipped it in, Gómez flicked it on with his head and Mejía volleyed it back across goal with his left foot. 1-0 with our first shot here.

To address the possession imbalance we again moved to 4-4-1-1 early in the game, Jiménez attacked from behind. He went close with a shot in a crowded penalty area that clipped the bar. We held and looked good value for our lead at half-time. After warning this new side about complacency we set about more of the same in the second half. Two minutes after the restart their combative attacker Rui Pedro struck an equaliser in from a cheeky free-kick routine. Huesca was beaten too easily at his near post. Any changes we made would be tactical now that the squad was fit. Ortiz consulted with me on our next move. We’d wait it out. Mallorca desperately wanted to take the lead but couldn’t find a way in. We made a double substitution of Montes and Esteso out for Damián and Orquín at right wing and centre forward. The impact was immediate, Jose Carlos battled to win the ball back deep into a channel from a throw-in. Damián took it, danced around the defence and squared it to Doumbia to unleash a powerful daisy-cutter into the far side of the net. Beautiful. From 20 metres!

Mallorca had made six changes at half time and our starting select XI had more energy than them.

Some fancy interplay from Jiménez saw Orquín release Gómez down the left. The return ball was a perfect one, the striker heading in for 3-1 on the night with fifteen minutes to go. Ortiz leapt out of the technical area, proud of the attacking training he had put in place this week. Lee Kangin readied himself for a swap with Jiménez. There was space for him to work here tonight and get used to the new style of play. We had perhaps expected too much from a player who had just flown around the world. I wasn’t expecting a win today, however, and the players were lavished with praise at the last.

As Ortiz and I retired to our offices, we learned that the Hércules game had been moved to earlier in the day for television coverage. One issue we had found with our formations was a lack of width. We had scope for three at the back with the wealth of central defenders, and perhaps it was time for my 3-5-2 to make a comeback. It had been four years since I planned to bring the system to modernity.

Pereira paid us a visit. He’s taking Rivero, Doumbia, and Estació for the first team. Our only right full back and he’s taking him! I had to hold my tongue. I was so angry. All he had to do was put his hand in his pocket and sign someone. I took it graciously, silently vowing to get my own back by taking his job. Left with no choice but to call up to Ivars and Juan from the under-19s, I met with Grau. It was a part of our job, he shrugged. I had three goalkeepers so that Rivero wasn’t an issue but I needed the wingback cover and the new system more than ever. How to replace Doumbia was the trickiest part of the equation. We just didn’t have another combative midfielder. Alexanko was about to get an earful.

[Diego Imposta]

266.

Of course, he knew all about it. Alexanko was always prepared if nothing else. To placate me, he had found three 23-year-old players earmarked for loan: two at Osasuna B, and another from Sporting B. The first had La Liga games under his belt but was now being farmed out on loan a second time. One year playing Segunda football at another club when Osasuna were relegated after two years bit-part in the first team, then two years Tercera football. It was as backwards as a career could go. But why?

Our triallists had gone and if I had known, I would have taken a chance on that giant Brazilian utility player. Pereira felt sorry for them after greenlighting their moves here and gave them all the unused substitute experience in his last friendly. Porto made an offer for the striker who had left Sporting so it was only a matter of time before the rest were signed by Iberian clubs. While I didn’t trust the loan ideas from my director of football, the three players he recommended needed due diligence. Former Barcelona scout Albert was asked to get us as much information as he can in the next fortnight, with the transfer window shutting after that. Before that happened, I would get Ortiz to come with me to see the return leg of the first team’s 4-0 hammering of Montpellier in their own back yard. I wonder who, if any, of the stolen trio would get game-time in the league now. Then there’s Centelles, Pérez, Gómez, or Badal. A European week could see Pereira taking up to seven of our best players. Insanity!  

Alexanko let slip that Pereira had failed to sign that youth team player and it made me question just where his loyalty stood. Alegre would stay in the under-19s for now. 20 players was enough for Grau but it still gave me a headache in deciding what to do for the first three games, which were all set to be played inside in a week. Hércules were a traditional 4-4-2 team and we had to copy that but then it was anyone’s guess for Albacete and Racing. Technical coach López was informed of my decision in terms of formation: 5-3-2 with wingbacks. It suited our players the best and just required a little shift from left to right in terms of roles. The defensive right-back moved into a three, and the attacking on the right moved back to wingback. The left winger became a supporting midfielder between the left wingback and the two central midfielders shifting to the right in a three. It was so beautifully simple.

Goalkeeper Huesca and attacking players Lee Kangin and Esteso had been poor in training this week and Lapeña was only just recovered from injury so all four would sit out. A meeting with our medical team meant bench roles for five of our more senior players – the heavy workload was too big a risk.

Newly promoted wingers Ivars and Juan would complete the bench. Hércules was a derby but we did not want to risk injury so early in the season. With Badal suspended, our back four and ‘keeper were largely second string but they were match fit which was a result of planned hard work in pre-season.

Up top we would try Gómez, who had shown a fantastic eye for an attacking instinct on the left, and keep a solid midfield four that trounced the Tercera tour opposition. Carles hadn’t played in a couple of weeks but he had shown me a competence in goal that Abdellaoui, who was injured, did not. Full back was occupied by young duo Molina and Planes while last season’s bit-part defenders Mejía and Sergio were given an opportunity to impress. They don’t come much harder than an opening day out in Alicante. Tactically, we would throwback to those halcyon Tercera games as Ortiz was keen to say that we don’t want to go there and defend. It was on television and we should try to play football...

[Diego Imposta]

267.

The Valencia Football Review was at Paterna before we left on the official team bus, emblazoned bat crest and all. An experienced, silver-haired journalist called Juan Antonio García was indifferent to us now but he was our mouthpiece and meal-ticket to avoiding notoriety. I was quite assertive when he asked about new signings as I wanted it to be the main headline of his evening work. Otherwise, the order of the day was calmness personified. But he dug and dug and dug about my record against one Gaizka Garitano, as if I’ve never beaten him before. He’s had better players and been at Hércules for longer than I’ve been a manager. Recent records don’t mean anything to me. I told him, calmly, that I was in no mood to run my mouth, nor was I about to look at bookmakers odds or make predictions.

While García didn’t exactly bend to my will, it did get a reaction quote out of Garitano. Press officer José Manuel del Río passed me a link to the Spanish Football Informer site which quoted him saying that it must be a bit of luck as Diego Imposta is a good manager. He was a cool cat, Gaizka Garitano.

Of course, some of the players were excited about having designated squad numbers this season. So with one to eleven seniority, I handed out shirts for the game. With a defensive committee at centre back, Sergio was granted his favoured 5. Mejía was given 2 as the pacey option, while the first choice of Guillamón and Badal got 6 and 4. Jose Carlos had coveted the number 10 while Esquerdo out left wanted 8. To balance the eleven, Damián on the right or centre forward got 11 while Iker Pérez is 7. Orquín was our undisputed number 9 and the rest were given nice numbers to cherish for the year.

The José Rico Pérez was only a third full but it still crackled with atmosphere. 10 000 had come down to see the derby on this fine August evening. We would be wearing black shirts to contrast with their thick blue and white stripes. Television crews were out in force to cover the opening day of a season which promised so much. All eyes were on this fixture, two hours ahead of the rest. What pressure?

An arm around the shoulder from Ortiz to replacement goalkeeper Carles saw us out into the tunnel.

García from The Valencia Football Review was there, waiting. I was keen to remind those watching in the comfort of their own homes that this was a long-term project and nothing that happens today is representative of what’s to come, win or lose. The players had been told they’ve got nothing to lose.

Hércules got us underway, looking to get right winger Jandrín on the ball. He drove toward our box, only to see Mejía come across and snuff out the pass. A good first phase from our team. A wild shot from Jandrín showed us that they were desperate for an early goal. Our first corner of the day was a real chance as Mejía chested down for Damián to volley a shot into the legs of a defender. A couple of players looked a little nervy with their touches as we rode out the home dominance early doors.

A knock for Jandrín gave us an out and we told the players to get stuck in to him. The players had a bit too much creative freedom and were wasting it so Ortiz motioned to keep their passing shorter.

It didn’t help. After 15 minutes we were behind after not dealing with a throw-in. Deep playmaker Salinas found Jandrin in the channel and his square ball into left-winger Cedrés gave them enough time to turn and shoot from near the penalty spot. Carles didn’t have a chance with the amount of bodies in front of him. We had to get tight to that drifting winger and close down Salinas for good.

We weren’t licked yet and some lovely play between Artime and Gómez up front led to our first hit on goal. A little more structure in getting the ball to our attacking players like Orquín was called for.

Excellent interplay up front saw Damian shock the crowd with a stinging hit across goal that flashed wide. With our crosses not finding the target I shouted to the young fullbacks to get on the overlap. By the half-hour mark we were perhaps the better side. We’d look to control the ball and play into their half of the pitch. After encouraging our defence, who were now stepping out, to calm their nerves. For the final five we would be patient and work the ball into the box as we were snatching at half-chances. I wanted to shift to 4-4-1-1 for the second half to really get the front two involved now.

Stand-in captain Sergio needed to rally the troops. I only focussed on the defence, telling them how unlucky they’d been. With Gómez now in the hole, the number 30 came back in between Pérez and Artime to kickstart moves. With our crosses getting more plentiful now the idea was fed to Sergio to ask the players to whip them in. Hércules hadn’t offered anything for quite some time but were now wise to our attempt to walk the ball into their box. They hit us hard and countered so we had to get a quicker approach play. On the hour, still without a goal, we went on the offensive. We needed to.

We moved to 4-4-2 and after Pérez went down with a twisted ankle, it was time for some changes. I wanted some minutes under the belt for wingers Ivars and Juan, as Damían and Esquerdo were out on their feet but first was the like for like replacement Jose Carlos. He would support the attacking.

With 20 minutes to go we still had no goal, so the wingers were on and asked to be flexible with the runs toward the box. Our play needed to be expansive so it was time to pick out those longer passes too. A double substitution for the home side saw their own José Carlos come on up front and he was the perfect foil for target man Claudio, who we had largely kept quiet. We were camped in the final third now but just couldn’t seem to get the strikers in front of their defenders. For the last five we’d all but ran out of steam. It finished 0-1; we were unlucky out there.

[Diego Imposta]

268.

With the players on board and invigorated by what Ortiz and I were trying to do, it was an easy win if we were sympathetic. I fielded an under-strength side on the advice of the medical team and we had paid for it. The midweek fixture at home was far more important, as ex-assistant manager Camacho was coming back to Cuidad Deportiva de Paterna with his new Albacete side, another relegation rival of ours. Marrón the head physio broke the news in the dressing room that Pérez would be out for six to eight weeks with his ankle injury and it was up to me if I wanted to risk him in the midweek game. There was no chance. We had Jose Carlos and Pérez was told the same as Badal in pre-season: get fit and you’ll be straight back in the team. The fans would be doubly disappointed with the awful news.

Mestalla debuts for Carles and Molina at right back were proud moments for their families but it was not about to be their last appearance as both acquitted themselves well. I predicted any post-match press would not be as positive as me, however. The Spanish Football Informer representative again tried to bring up my record against Garitano. Instead I changed the topic and talked up our chances of getting above the feted 45-point mark to survive. The assembled press couldn’t get a word in as a forthright line of questioning about Montes not coming on just wouldn’t go away. ESPNFC finally got a question and asked about Orquín’s late disallowed goal. It didn’t even occur to me that it might be a close call as it looked too good to be true from the dugout. As the evening panned out, no draws in the league meant we had half the league as company on zero points. To keep up the tradition, I took Ortiz and technical coach López into the tape review room on our return. The highlights were ready.

Particular interest was paid to Albacete and Racing to confirm their tactical plan. The former would be 4-4-1-1 so we would match that and the latter a more refined 4-2-3-1 Wide. To combat this we’d give an airing to our 5-3-2 WB formation away from home. To have such tactical flexibility inside the first week was very important to me. Sergio and Artime had been our best performers and had done enough to be included in our thoughts for the first team. The first goal that saw us exchange glances was Quique’s superb volley from a chipped through ball for Osasuna’s 4-1 victory or Reus. Albacete’s woes began an earnest with a cheap set-piece goal at home to Zaragoza. The two central defenders were then guilty of being too far apart for a free shot on goal just before half time. They did half the deficit in the second half, though, with a close-range strike from a low cross from the left wing just a shade before full-time. A comical own goal got Racing off to a poor home start too against Huesca. I laughed out loud at the second, a disaster of a back-pass going into their own net! I couldn’t wait to get our new formation against a defence like that. It was time to decide on our team for that game.

Esteso and Lee Kangin had still not improved their performances but Huesca had. Carles would keep goal as he earned it. As for managing the heavy work load, Guillamón and Badal were in. Mejía made way, his attitude irking me, while Sergio had to stay. This pushed Guillamon into the space vacated in midfield by Pérez. Jose Carlos was still too unfit to jump into the starting eleven. Centelles was back in at left back but Molina’s free-kick ability kept him at right back for now. Gómez was benched, the experiment put on hold, while Montes would start and push Damián up in the number ten position.

Huesca and Lapeña would make the bench for the first time.

[Diego Imposta]

269.

Some bad individual news for the squad was that Doumbia, ineligible for Mestalla due to registry in the first team, and Jose Carlos had been called up to the Spanish under-19s when both had already been capped at a higher youth level. Both weren’t starting; I had no fear for my home league debut.

With the breeze outside and a still air in the dressing room, the players looked a little distracted. We made sure they knew that we expected the win. Ortiz was keen to relieve the pressure from Carles and Molina in only their second games, whilst Artime was encouraged to pick up where he left off.

Albacete’s pink shirts, black shorts, and pink socks shocked me. Guillamon was told to play a natural defensive midfield role rather than aping the playmaker he replaced. Good work in the opening two minutes from him saw the ball worked out to Damián and Artime. It bodes well for the game ahead.

We were winning all of their high forward balls, the trio of natural central defenders doing their job.

Orquín was getting so much joy in behind early on that we moved Damián next to him after only five minutes. A good spell followed for Albacete and they punished us with some good passing, a superb ball into Dalmau and an even better finish. It would be even harder to break down their narrow line.

A minute later Damián lashed the ball into the net from close range after a terrible clearance from a cross he put in himself. We had pegged them back immediately and were back on top of possession.

We were knocking on the door after taking attacking midfielder Bela out of the game. An incredible challenge from Badal kept the scores level as the away side looked to hit us on the break with balls over the top when we didn’t let them build. We looked better on the counter ourselves and with the space Orquín had to run into, it was inevitable he would get his chance. Penalty! They waited until a poor touch took him wide before tripping him. Damián stepped up and goal! Straight at the ‘keeper but it didn’t matter. The power was immense. We popped him back into the hole to hold on to our lead. The man who tripped Orquín was at it again and he had to come off on the half hour. I was up in arms – neither challenge was a booking! Damián was unleashed up front with Lapeña rewarded in kind for his pre-season form. A switch to a more defensive mentality to suit him saw Montes speed up the wing and blaze a shot over from his one-on-one. This is why he didn’t start for me last time.

Two minutes before time Dalmau powder in a wonderful header for the equaliser. They hadn’t come near our goal in so long! We had the chances to win the half but were perhaps too comfortable now.

Both sides were guilty of giving away possession cheaply so we’d get the drop on them and play out from the back. We just couldn’t finish our early chances so I looked to the bench. Jose Carlos got the call again, Artime having a poor game by his standards. A pass a fraction too late had denied Damián a goal for offside. The playmaker’s deftness of touch had the crowd on their feet. Molina was doing a wonderful job with his delivery and it led to yet another penalty. Damían for the hat-trick! Yes! We’d finally wrestled the lead from Albacete’s grip on the game. Another shift to two up top reflected our total dominance. Lapeña made it 4-2 with a tap-in to give us the score we deserved. An ovation saw Damián leave the pitch for Gómez to come on up top for 20 minutes. Albacete were looking for their third and we had to stop standing off them, I didn’t want us to respect Camacho. Then Montes made it five with a stunning late strike.

[Diego Imposta]

270.

Orquín would be out for six weeks – another twisted ankle. It was a huge blow. On the bright side, a poor Racing fell 0-2 away at Zaragoza and looked in all sorts of trouble. Only Alavés, Barcelona B, and Zaragoza had perfect records after round two and only Albacete and Racing had lost both their ties.

Nuevo Mestalla was the venue for the first team’s home leg against Montpellier. It was full strength side, much to our surprise. Another unconvincing opening to the game bored the half-empty stands to tears. They just couldn’t break down their French visitors. A first half of football was played with a lack of shots on target from either side. Then, in injury time, Montpellier scored. A routine corner led to a close-range smash and grab to restore some pride after the 0-4 hammering they got in the first leg. Gilt-edged chances, when they did arrive for Valencia, were put agonisingly to the wrong side of the posts. The second half was much of the same fare, Montpellier holding firm. Ten minutes from a terrible result, Zaza headed home. A towering leap to meet the cross was more than this side should have deserved. The complacency was thick within this side and it was awful to see early in Pereira’s reign. Three minutes from time Zaza pulled it out of the bag again, a strong low finish inside the box to give those looking at the result after the fact no need to question what was going on in the club.

The following day Montes was called up to Pereira’s squad for their league game against Leganés. It was a great chance for the highly paid youngster but if he played a part we couldn’t use him for that weekend fixture at Racing. If Lee Kangin and Esteso couldn’t train their way into form then we would have to play them into it. With Orquín out and Damián in need of a rest, and Esquerdo without a role to play in a 5-3-2 as well as Montes, Lee Kangin and Jose Carlos would come in alongside Artime. We needed the versatile Jiménez to get more minutes too and he would partner Esteso up front. Ivars or Juan could expect to make an appearance at wingback with Centelles and Molina needing their rest.

A thrilling Saturday game saw Tenerife beat Barcelona B 5-4 with a 95th minute winner, despite being a man down for the last ten minutes of play. Barça had finally been toppled and in emphatic style. If the game was missing anything, we didn’t spot it. Fantastic goals, goalkeeping errors, a red card, and a crossbar being hit for good measure. Barcelona thought they’d tied the game in the 91st minute for good but the resilience of the islanders was no match for the Catalans. Zaragoza made it three wins.

A late decision to bring Huesca in to the starting eleven and Abdellaoui to the bench was part of the plan to complete every player to have matchday experience inside the first week. There was still two spaces in the 25 for a right back and any other, so with the news that other teams had made offers I had to do the same with Alexanko’s suggestions so we had to the same. I was really interested in the Basque Osasuna graduate Aitor Buñuel with his ace experience from the Tercera to La Liga. If Pereira wouldn’t sanction the deal then I would move for our Brazilian trialist. It had been a long two weeks since he’s been here and the window would shut after the Racing tie. I may even sign both of them.

I was still hoping for some availability of stolen Rivero, Estacío, and Doumbia at some point so they’d also be included in our squad registration. It was more of a token gesture than anything but the final squads could change and I had to be prepared. We travelled to the north coast to Santander, taking the state of the art team bus again.

[Diego Imposta]

271.

We wanted the players kept on from midweek to pick up where they left off. With Sergio, Badal, and Guillamón we had a back new-look back three and only Jose Carlos and Artime remained in the side.

El Sardinero was half-full with 10 000 spectators and immediately Racing attacked our flanks, as we expected. The extra man over in the middle seemed to be holding steady but our forward passing is poor. We were allowing them to play in front of us. A lot of work was required to amend this style.

We had no width with a five v five battle in midfield so that was the first lesson learned. The rain had started to come down and a disallowed goal for the hosts made us wake up. Tarsi was controlling an overwhelming about of possession from the middle so we needed to target him and also close them down as they were running away with the game. Our new side and formation was struggling to gel.

After 20 minutes we had to reign in our play and try to hit them on the counter but aggressively. The risk involved was huge but if we didn’t change anything we would lose. Jose Carlos was on set pieces today and he was linking up well with Lee Kangin. We were much better bar a strike that hit the post from lone striker Poveda on the break. Ivars and Juan were too peripheral on the flanks and we had to get them on the overlap. We simply couldn’t get the ball of Racing and so retreated further into a defensive shape for the remainder of the first half. If we could just keep our shape until half time we would change it. We had to concentrate and at last we made it. After relaxing the players I told them to push higher up at the start of the second half. If they beat us let them try and get in behind us. If we can get the ball played in their half we will score. So go out there and play without any pressure.

We controlled the ball much better playing out from the back but we were perhaps now overplaying and the rain was relentless, meaning Racing couldn’t now counter at pace. They pondered with the ball and kept taking desperate long-shots. After an hour I had seen enough from the trialled strikers so Gómez and Damián got changed. Artime went close with a speculative effort and as we tried the possession route into the tail end of the game Racing went to three at the back, clearly frustrated at what we had done. Lee Kangin and Damián needed to be our focal points now so we’d give the ball to them at all costs. We thought it had worked a treat until the South Korean’s cross to the near post was cut out and Racing were able to counter down the right wing. The move ended with Sanz, who’d not long come on to partner Poveda up front, being bundled over in the box ten minutes from time.

The taker sent Huesca the wrong way and a huge roar. There was still belief in this team, we just had to make things happen. Joan Carlos was moved into Artime’s position while Guillamón moved into a defensive midfield role. Mejía was on at right centre-back and we’d move the ball a bit quicker now.

The game was as open as it’d been all evening. We pushed and pushed and Lee Kangin drew a great save from their goalkeeper in the last minute. We were so close. Despite the result I was pleased at how we grew into the game, just like the 0-1 loss at Hércules, and the confidence of the fringe men is so important. We can now get on with playing one game a week until the winter break. News was in of the first team’s Europa League group: Zorya of Ukraine, Standard from Belgium, and PAOK from Greece. It might be tough.

[Diego Imposta]

272.

Ortiz would want us to knuckle down with 4-4-1-1 ahead of the visit of table-toppers Zaragoza. In a couple of weeks we would play current second-placed Alavés away, also on a Sunday, so already we had decided to alternate defending and cohesive training. The latter was to stitch together wounds suffered from any losses to in-form sides. Huesca and Almería would visit Paterna after each tough fixture respectively. I still wanted Buñuel and I still didn’t trust Periera. I contacted Osasuna myself.

Zaragoza had a one-in-two striker in Marc Gual and what he lacked in stature he made up for in his poaching ability. Two inside forwards would come in to meet him, so 5-3-2 was out of the question.

Deadline day. I was desperately waiting on our utility wingback and the other two that Alexanko had suggested were securing moves. The key to negotiations was speaking with the money-men. If we’d log the payments as an expense rather than pay the player ourselves, they were happy. The ‘Baeza’.

By nine in the morning Buñuel was in the building. I was ecstatic. We tried to get a few more deals in but it just wasn’t to be. I was more than happy with the squad of 25. The next day Doumbia and Jose Carlos didn’t have the best of games for Spain under-19s, despite a 5-0 win, with the latter taken off at half time. It was a crushing blow to them both, having already established themselves at under-21 level. After that I took Ortiz to see a hastily arranged youth fixture away at Pontevedra. It was a hell of a trip so we put another expense claim in and took the plane over to Vigo along with Grau’s team.

A good, tense opening half hour saw the trio that Pereira had tried to promote to my squad lead the line. Elías on the left, Calvo on the right, and Brian up front. They combined well but there wasn’t an opportunity for them when I’m just getting to know my squad of senior professionals. Speaking of a senior professional, the first team’s Ortolà was given a vital game in goal but clearly felt wasted now.

The game was generally a stalemate and all three forwards were hooked in the second half, as well as some valuable minutes for fringe players. Not one had convinced us they deserved a place in our squad. They were all good players – they wouldn’t be at Valencia’s academy otherwise – but none of them were great players, exceeding their age group right now. Still, it was an improvement on those earlier pre-season games and we were beginning to understand their playing personalities and roles.

At the very least I was assured that Grau was not the problem. He had set them up well. Robust and hard to play against. Now that his squad was settled, more than Pereira had intended, he could plan.

Travelling coast to coast for a 0-0 might not sound like a great getaway but it refreshed us. News of a better performance from our international duo was fed back from scout Rico. Beating Scotland 4-1, Jose Carlos was still substituted early but at least laid on an assist. Marron texted to say that a poor movement from Mejía in the gym would keep him out for a couple of weeks with a knee damaged.

Pereira called. He had made his choice and would relent on the three players he had taken from us! He needed them to come into the first team for pre-season and now he was happy for them to come back, but… Lee Kangin would move in the other direction. I wasn’t going to argue that – he struggled to hit the ground running with us. The signing of Buñuel proved to be a masterstroke in squad cover.

I instructed technical coach López to pick us up at El Prat airport – we had much to discuss before we viewed the tapes from last week. On the plane, we discussed the new squad to face Zaragoza…

[Diego Imposta]

273.

Of course, Rivero returned in goal. He was lacking match practice from a couple of weeks out of the team but he was our undisputed number one. Mejía’s injured paved the way for a Buñuel bench slot while Estacío was welcomed back with open arms to his right-back throne. Centelles would come in at left back, Ivars and Juan still being gently eased into our squad. Sergio had the heavier workload of the defensive committee so would drop to a bench place. Montes and Esquerdo were two of the wingers most in need of a game so it was an easy decision. Artime needed a rest, while Jose Carlos only really played two halves for Spain under-19s and would be fit to start, as would Doumbia back in central midfield. We were still looking to play Esteso into form up top and Jiménez, bless him, was so patient we would try him in the hole once more. His ability to mainly play on the wings and as an auxiliary forward gave us the option to switch to two up top at any point in the game. Gómez is sub, while Damían misses out, an experimental ever-present ever since his release from pre-season with the first-team. Damian won’t maintain his, so the top dog Jose Carlos wins out as most used player.

The small matter of squad numbers had to be decided for our returning trio. Doumbia was a robust 16, Estacío at right back got 15, and Rivero had to settle for 23 in goal. Lee Kangin would still keep a number, 22, in case we got him back in the winter window. We also had to consider shirt sales, too.

The four teams we were scouting on arrival back at Paterna were involved in three fixtures. Huesca were away to Zaragoza, while Alavés and Almería were away to two we had already faced: Albacete and Hércules. It would be a good barometer of what to expect. Hércules recorded a routine victory against a defence that refused to track the centre forward and played themselves into a 3-0 win at home. Huesca struck the post early on at Zaragoza but were punished with a missed header from a corner five minutes later. A predominantly counter-attacking team, they doubled their lead late in the first half and saw out a goalless second half. We would need to learn how to press on the break.

Albacete and Alavés were last on the show, playing out a dull 0-0 of two teams sat far too back to do anything but hit long balls into strikers that weren’t clinical. The early matches the next week would see Almería at home to Albacete and they smashed them 3-1, putting the Hércules game in the past.

We would set up with Doumbia in my preferred ball-winning role next to the deep playmaker, Jose Carlos. The players were instructed to stick to their positions and not give Zaragoza gaps to exploit.

A slight drizzle set the tone for the evening. The team was wished good luck and sent out to explore.

After controlling possession from kick-off, I realised that our shape was all wrong. Instead of playing the wingers out wide we were inviting them in. Squeeze! I was heard all around the ground and we tightened up. Confident we had locked the gate, I encouraged Esteso to put himself about and get a physical presence in the box. A cute low cross from Montes to put him in and we were ahead! A bad injury for striker Gual forced him off on the half hour and for a time it rattled the visitors. Our tail up, we battled to the end of the half, unable to double our advantage once the rain had stopped. On the resumption of the second half, we left a tired Jose Carlos behind and built a wall in midfield, pushing Guillamón alongside Doumbia with Sergio at the back. We were surprisingly the better team, seeing the game out and claiming the points. ¡Ganar ganar y ganar!

[Diego Imposta]

274.

Our celebrations were much fun that night, toppling the league leaders in style. The performance of Doumbia in a later box-to-box role made use of his excellent technique with both feet. He was a big guy and terrified the opposition defenders when we he found space outside their box. Quite what a game it would have been if Gual had stayed on the pitch longer is anyone’s guess but we dealt with threat after threat. Rivero in particular was assured at the back but Lapeña’s appearance as a sub in the hole for the diminutive Jiménez was a joy to behold. He was full of running and got his head up.

Alavés recorded a stunning 4-0 win over Racing so we couldn’t take them lightly. Central midfielder Morlanes scored a fabulous half-volley on the counter to take the lead inside a minute and he was supported by former Barcelona starlet Maksimovic. Morlanes then doubled the lead just before the end of the half after running beyond the striker. We simply had to track those runs next weekend. I was surprised to see Racing such a shambles at the back but we were yet to find our Liga 1 2 3 level.

Huesca had a Copa del Rey match against Zaragoza three days before playing us, having just lost 0-2 to them in the league. Both matches would be away before they travelled to us, so we wished for an anguished fatigue from them. We had two wins and two draws now and hoped to improve the ratio.

Huesca’s 4-4-1-1 or 4-1-2-3 DM Wide would see us roll out our 5-3-2 WB formation again. It needed tweaks and we could only iron that out by playing games with it. A short trip to see the under-19s in action away at rivals Levante was in order for midweek. They steamrollered Albacete 4-1 at home in the season opener so confidence was high. Levante looked strong and enjoyed the ball at their feet.

Their probing down the wings led to the opener, a bullet header from a decent cross into the middle.

Soler added his second from another Romero cross and the tie was over. Levante’s physicality was a grade above ours and something for Grau to think about. A trio of substitutions before the hour gave some hope but it was too difficult to get the space to shoot. There was still nothing here to suggest it was time to give any of these players a chance with Mestalla yet we learned the youth shortcomings.

This would be the last game that Orquín and Mejía would sit out as they recovered from their ankle strains. Sergio’s substitute part in the clean sheet earned a start in our back three, while Buñuel got his full debut at wing-back. He had come on and offered a real threat down the right. We’d soon play a friendly to keep the second-string fit, perhaps after the next few weeks. Damián leads the line with Lapeña, while Esteso was reprimanded for his consistently poor effort in training. He took it well and kept his place in the matchday squad. Doumbia and Jose Carlos were in need of a rest soon but we’d play them this week as we were short of central midfielders. The bench was made up of wingers so I could switch to four in midfield if it looked like we were being overrun. Centelles was given orders to attack.

[Diego Imposta]

275.

A brutal half hour for the home supporters saw us wade through Huesca’s deep mud. We gave away possession time and again and were too deep to get anything going. Relying on the wingers wasn’t a problem – if only we could get the ball – but the back three were rock solid and kept out all chances.

In short, we were a dreadful spectacle. Yet we got a bit of luck. A defender was adjudged to have hit the ball with his hand and a penalty was awarded. We had just started to get going as well. Stepping up was Jose Carlos and he calmed passed the ball into the top right-hand corner. 1-0 to the Mestalla!

We let them straight back in with Centelles heading out a cross into the path of midfielder Viedma to volley in from outside the box. It was a stunning strike and their first shot on target. There was much work to do. Some of the combinations were incredible, though. Sergio, stepping out of defence here, intercepted play, and the direct ball into Damián’s path was clipped in at the near post after a terrific dribble from the front man. Lapeña was nowhere to be seen and we had to find a role for him before Huesca got wise to our direct approach. Our relentless closing down across the field made it happen.

A twisted knee for Buñuel saw Estacío come on before the half was out but the real meat before the end of the half was in our maligned forward being asked to throw his weight around. Artime running from deep was creating overloads on the right but we needed time for Centelles to get ahead down the left, too, and Lapeña had to hold the ball up. With Jose Carlos told to sit ten metres forward, we had cracked it. Opportunity after opportunity came our way, Lapeña striking the post from Estacio’s lofted cross. Huesca were there for the taking. A stubbed toe for Damián in injury time meant Esteso was on in the target man role while his nimbler striker partner took up the mantle. What a squad we have. In the second half, my demand to give the fans their money’s worth ringing in their ears, there was a brilliance to the 5-2-3 WB that wasn’t found in our other formations. Two minutes in and we’d furthered our lead, a deep throw-in on the left fed into the box for Lapeña to sweep home with that unfavoured left foot. Esteso made it 4-1 three minutes later after a sneaky little pass from Doumbia!

Confident that the race was won ten minutes into the second half, I gave Jose Carlos a rest. 4-4-1-1’s in with Guillamón and Doumbia in the middle, Artime wide right. Jiménez was finally in his preferred position on the left wing. The switch naturally opened up some doors for Huesca but they weren’t an overly threatening prospect. Our back three or four were simply too good for what they had to give.

So, 0-0 for the final 30-odd minutes and yet another victory at home – that’s three from three. Two obliterations of the opposition and a resolute one-nil over top of the table. Until Sunday evening, we had sat pretty at second in the league table! It would just so happen that results would largely go in our favour, leaving us third on goal difference with five teams on nine points already.

[Diego Imposta]

276.

Doumbia would be afforded a rest as the games were beginning to take their toll on the engine of our side. Alavés were the current league leaders and four points clear of the chasing pack, so we’ll treat them with respect. If we lose it’s ok, but the rest of the league will want us to stop them dead.

With the midweek games played, the table was reset with everyone having played five games each. We slipped to fourth, behind Alavés, Granada, and Deportivo but still only four clear of the danger zone. It was folly to read too much into it so early on but when you’re in the chasing pack you can’t help it. The players were clearly enjoying it, having been tipped for relegation by so-called experts.

López, Ortiz joined me to review the last week and a half’s tapes. For all of us it was about noting not just who we had to play soon but what the other clubs looked and played like. We were beginning to build an identity here and I wanted my two trusted lieutenants to bring all the best Segunda ideas in.

No sooner had we turned off the lights, our Director General Alemany and his cohort Lora took their seats around our large oval table. Please proceed, gentlemen. They were here to watch us work. We suspected that perhaps Peter Lim was reaching down in order to understand how the Mestalla team was doing so well, and we just tried to act normal. We were wrong. About ten minutes in, our forced conversations about opposition teams as if we were all on trial were halted. The fans want to see the team play exciting football – like that! The director motioned to a particularly counter-attacking play.

Listen. Your jobs are secure but the fans, always the fans, want more and more every week. There is no fan of Mestalla – these are superfans of Valencia that come and watch you play. They want to see the birth of something special in the youth teams. So keep on doing what you’re doing and we won’t have a problem. I was stunned. I just stared wide eyed at my coaches, and the same stare was found on their faces. With that, the two directors got up to leave and wished us good afternoon. Was this a threat? Or were they just throwing their weight around to make sure we aren’t getting comfortable?

Guillamón would be moved into midfield, Badal and Sergio shoring up the back line. Estació returned to right back with Buñuel nursing a slight injury, while Damian also dropped to the bench to recover. We really liked what Artime at right midfield and Jiménez on the left had to offer in the last match so both would keep their place. Esteso earned another starting shot with Orquín still out, and as Pérez’s rehabilitation was still ongoing Doumbia would take the final bench position. The only tactical shift I wanted in this 4-4-1-1 was to release Centelles down that left flank by having Jiménez coming inside, thus creating the space for more crosses into our target man. There was still more to come from our little magician Lapeña and he would operative in a more aggressive role alongside or behind Esteso.

Away at top of the league – I sighed. We didn’t want this too many times this year. We’ve been lucky with the fixture computer until this weekend.

[Diego Imposta]

277.

The first 20 to 25 minutes were low on quality, both sides unable to get a clear chance on goal. Then the rain began to pour. I made the decision to switch to two strikers midway through the half. There was a chance Alavés were beginning to figure us out. We were doing ever so well in defence, but the effectiveness of Artime on the right was our only weakness. We tried to help him but Montes was on before the half was out. The men made it to half-time with the clean sheet intact. It was great but it was all Alavés at the end and by no means nailed on for full-time. We had to keep our spirits up now.

Ten minutes into the second half, Esteso’s race was run. He just wasn’t getting any headers despite good approach play so on came Damián to improve the game on the deck. Lapeña would move into his preferred deeper role of the two and, for a time, it looked like we might get a decent opportunity on goal. Jiménez was having a great game and so it was a shame to take him off. The rested Gómez was tasked with being the third principal attacker with fresh legs, back in his favoured left-wing role which he had not played since the Mallorca friendly. Montes was making a mockery of Artime’s stint in his position but it came at the cost of falling back to 4-4-1-1. This game could go either way, here.

Somehow Damián profited from two central defenders going to head the same ball but he just didn’t have the verve to bring it around the goalkeeper. It would have been highly undeserved. Not as bad as when we took the lead, though! A calm run infield from Montes saw Guillamón lose the ball to his marker and it fell to former Valencia man Maksimovic. He cleared the ball into the marker, watching on mouth agog as it fell to Gómez who completely understood the situation and slammed it home!

Alemany will be pleased! I quipped to the bench with an in-joke for Ortiz’s ears only. This was almost fun. I was under no illusions about the quality we were facing and thoughts were already on picking up a creditable draw. Discipline is required. Alavés were allowing us possession, just waiting for the mistake to counter at pace. The rain was worse the longer the game went on. It would play right into their hands. Time moved so slowly towards the final minutes and our support players were so tired.

We pushed our defensive line higher to stop all the running. Rivero came out to claim a cross and it relieved the pressure in injury time. There was a chance we could pull off this coup. Four minutes of added time seemed like an aeon to these players. And there it is! The final whistle and a perplexed bench behind me could just about hear a pin drop in the home stadium. In the dressing room some of the players found that we were now higher in our league than the first team were in theirs. It was all part of the plan, I thought. Pereira will be toppled. I intend to replace him and campaign for Ortiz to take control of Mestalla. The man was a coaching machine and suited the higher level. As for me, I had to keep on winning...

[Diego Imposta]

278.

Almería had one win in six and that was against rock-bottom Albacete. They should, in theory, be no trouble for us, yet we would steam into more cohesion exercises. 5-3-2 WB would get another game as the first eleven was starting to take shape already – Ortiz and I were keen to avoid schisms within the squad so early on – and Almería played a joyless 4-1-4-1. Orquín and Pérez would finally return to training this week and could make the bench. We needed to get them both up to speed - quickly.

A friendly in the next midweek was asked of Tercera side Paiporta. We would give games to both of our reserve goalkeepers, fullbacks, wingers and at the very least get a runout for our returning duo.

Huesca needed minutes to keep him sharp in goal so Rivero was asked to step aside for this week. I wanted a scrap in the middle of the park so both Guillamón and Doumbia would play together. The former would take on the destroyer role while Doumbia got the box-to-box that suited him so well.

Mejía was recalled to the right side of the back three, Centelles given a rest, and Buñuel in his stead. Damián led the line once again in place of Esteso and I couldn’t wait to partner him with Orquín, too.

A driving run by Jose Carlos set the tone. He slipped the ball in to Damián who sent a rocket towards the near top corner. The play and following acrobatic save was applauded on all sides of the ground.

A fierce strike from Guillamón three minutes later put to bed any fears that we wouldn’t steamroll the visitors. The second goal was much more difficult to come by, as Almería stood off and allowed us to control the ball. At half we spoke about complacency and either side of the break Huesca had to be on red alert to save a certain goal from a counter attack. We just couldn’t break down the wall.

On the hour I moved them back into a 4-4-1-1 to accommodate a few things. Mejía was only just in the side from a spell out so we would slip him out while the going was good. Second, Guillamón had picked up a petulant booking and was hooked, Doumbia taking his old role back. Two wingers were sent on with a view to our third sub being either Pérez or Orquín, depending how the game played.

After an initial scare or two with the change in formation we soon settled, although the game was a bit too open for my liking. It was an easy decision between Pérez and Orquín as Damián was having a particularly poor game by his high standards. A couple of rusty offside calls went against him and we were worried on the bench that Almería were growing in confidence with ten minutes to go. A late change in formation from the visitors seemed to have backfired just as ours had. Jose Carlos hit the free-kicks we were earning at goal but the goalkeeper was equal to them, he was having a fine day.

The one that he did spill was unfortunate for Orquín as he was called offside when he side-footed it in on 92 minutes. The referee soon blew for full time and it was another excellent 1-0 victory for us.

By virtue of playing on Saturday night, we’re top of the league!  

[Diego Imposta]

279.

Sergio and Mejía had an idea of where they were in the pecking order with a start against Paiporta but could be buoyed with being well-used parts of the defensive committee already. There would come a time when we could play Pérez, Doumbia, and Jose Carlos as our midfield three, and when the towering Guillamón was added into the mix everyone would get a game with a back three used.

The wonderful thing about this team is that even if our season went off the rails, we had reserve on reserve to fill the gaps. One such gap would happen next week. We had three players away for their national duty and the league administrator asked if we would like to postpone the next game. We’d surprise them and reject the opportunity, putting the ball firmly in Oviedo’s court. We may not have fielded our best eleven yet but we were making a mockery of our relegation odds from bookmakers.

Lee Kangin had yet to be used by the first team so we would give him a game as an attacking central midfielder alongside a deeper, controlling Pérez. Once the latter is back to full fitness I can finally get him and Jose Carlos up front together to see what sort of havoc they would wreak. Gómez was given the number ten role today, the principal left winger having flattered to deceive there and up front in bit-part appearances. Ortiz’s eyes were on Ivars and Juan, auditioning for a go at a proper wing role.

The players were told there are places up for grabs - this friendly was not put on as a favour to them.

Gómez headed us into the lead after seven minutes, a delicious cross-field ball from Molina finding a free Juan on the left flank to pick his cross. We were by far the better team but it was a big ask to get these players to gel together. Orquín cracked the bar after restart - we had asked for more – and the team was beginning to turn the screw. Artime was the only substitute used, tried in a playmaker role in the number ten position. He impressed. Orquín finally got the goal he deserved 15 minutes from a stalemate second half, a long searching ball from Pérez leaving the striker delighted at scoring on his full return. The team were enjoying themselves. Juan’s volley in the last minute hit the top of the bar and cleared – it would have been some goal. In the end it was an excellent, injury-free runout for us.

Deportivo exercised their option to postpone the game after Oviedo so we had a two week break. If our players needed anything it was games, and Alemany would be asked for another friendly or two. These games would be against teams three divisions lower than us in order to give us an easier ride.

The same matchday squad for the last league fixture was selected on merit. Mejía and Sergio drop to the bench having played ninety minutes in the friendly but Ortiz was insistent that full strength was the way to go. We had a chance to depart before the international break top of the league and that psychological bait was priceless. Doumbia and Jose Carlos were the first away on duty so Pérez and Guillamón would fulfil those roles through the middle. Artime started and Esteso would now join the bench. With the preparations complete, I took my assistant to watch the first team’s match against a side called Zorya from the Ukraine. A tap-in by defensive midfielder Vanlerberghe got things off to a good start yet the visitors were no pushovers. Abdennour’s header made it two so that Nou Mestalla could breathe easy. Traore made it an underserved three before half time with a wonderful distance strike. Zorya rallied, however, and scored a vital goal midway into an abysmal second half for Pereira and Valencia but it was all in vain, Alioski’s neat strike making it four, Zaza’s tap-in two minutes later five!

[Diego Imposta]

280.

I’m manager of the month! How wonderful to be recognised for the first time in my career, four wins from four still not making it an easy decision for the panel. Alemany had brought the champagne he had received from the league into my office and, true to form, opened it himself. We shared a good half of it between us before Ortiz walked into the office having heard the cork pop. Celebrations had been in short supply until now as we had kept our feet firmly on the ground. Now we toast Mestalla!

There was an injury crisis with the first team. Alemany had deliberately chosen his moment. Pereira would take Pérez, Montes, and Badal as replacement for Boga, Bakkali, and Abdennour who all had short-term problems. Undeterred, Ortiz and I immediately began preparations. Mejíá and Sergio got drafted in at centre-back with Guillamón partnering Artime in the middle. With five players missing it was certainly not full strength as planned. We simply had to go to Oviedo and win. Build our dynasty.

The depleted side looked badly off the pace, not supporting each other and wasting possession soon after regaining it. Oviedo’s high line was making it so difficult and a wayward cross of theirs had even hit the post. Things were not going well. A corner goal was snatched, despite our work on set-pieces before the game, on 20 minutes and we still hadn’t woken up. With some instruction we got a brave face on and started to play. A wonderful save from home goalkeeper Herrerín kept out a finish from Artime in our best move of the match, but time was running out in the first half. Hit the spaces, lads.

Lapeña looked great but Orquín was rusty up top, being caught offside and losing races to the ball. If Sergio’s hamstring injury five minutes to go weakened us further, not bringing a central replacement exacerbated it. He stayed on and won challenge after challenge! We shifted the routes of attack. The break gave us room to think about it. Esquerdo and Artime had to get forward, Centelles and Lapeña hanging back. It just wasn’t going for us today and Ortiz echoed my sentiments. Don’t give in just yet as it’s a long way home from here. Oviedo had nothing at the end of the half. Let’s see what I can do.

An heroic knockdown from Sergio to Guillamón gave us the equaliser after a stunning cross from one of our triple substitutes Juan. We had sent on both young wingers and sent Damián up front to sit on the shoulder of the last man. He was a terror from the deep. Oviedo broke at speed from every foray we had, and one gilt-edged chance was spurned wide by the number ten. It was a huge let-off for us.

We didn’t learn our lesson. Seven minutes from the end a left channel ball found Garro, and a swung cross to the back post saw Vadilo arc a looping header that spent forever in the air before nestling in the side-netting inside the goal. The crowd celebrated the winner with the biggest noise of the day.

But we fought on into injury time. Juan and Ivars combined around Guillamón outside the box to set up Sergio… saved. Herrerín was having a fantastic game. Sergio was a terminator staying on this long and wasn’t able to track back. No matter – Estació headed the clearance to Damián and he drove at the defence, finding Juan wide left. The cross came in… handball! Artime was impeded by a hand! It had to be a penalty! The referee blew his whistle, pointing to the spot. It was clear as day. The clock held at 45 minutes but we must have played four or five more. Damián grabbed the ball, looking for three from three from the spot. Low and just to the ‘keeper’s right… goal! We’d done it! We’d kept the run going! He coolly slotted home under enormous pressure. What an enormous relief for us…

[Diego Imposta]

281.

A point gained, with limited congratulations. The squad was told how bitterly disappointed we were to not keep our winning run going. They had to learn to win in adversity and the penny dropped. We told them that youthful inconsistency is forgiven in losing games but not when you aren’t improving.

The two friendly games against Burjassot and Mislata were a chance to get them back up to speed in terms of wins, and we would finally get to trial Pérez and Jose Carlos up front together. The match fit second string would largely keep their places and the heart of defence would be martialled by Badal and Doumbia, both back from a couple of matchday squads out. It was time to tweak our set-pieces.

All three of our international players met on the same pitch as Spain U20s brushed aside their South Korean counterparts 3-0. No player was said to have a good game and all three would feature in the second friendly match if they could return in time. Pérez stroked us into the lead on two minutes, an excellent run into space from Juan providing the pull-back. He was enjoying the deeper role and the second goal came from his corner, Esteso’s strike deflecting in off an opposition player on 5 minutes.

Planes played a great ball over the top for Esteso to make it three inside seven minutes. Ortiz was on to the touchline ready to assess for complacency but the endeavour was still there. Jiménez scored a penalty after being felled once clean through. A fifth followed after the break with the little man and Esteso combining well again, the striker on for a hat-trick. It was a very good workout for these boys.

Montes was in fine form for Spain U19s, bagging a goal in back-to-back 3-0 wins for the national side in their qualifiers. On the advice of the medical department we would let Pérez sit out and unleash a fearsome front line in the league on Nástic. Lee Kangin was called up to replace him along with a few other changes and had an immediate impact – volleying in after 40 seconds at Mislata. Gómez rolled in a square ball from stand-in captain Jose Carlos before Artime got the goal he deserved from right wing with a stunning strike from outside the box. Another early battering ram showed our top spirit.

Jose Carlos made it four with his own daisy-cutter on twenty minutes before Lapeña profited from a bit of misfortune by Orquín – his lob coming off the post and being tidied up by his strike partner. It was so pleasing to see every type of goal from this side, no matter the personnel. With every attack player scoring except Orquín, it certainly was a worry that he was not the same player. A wonderful assist laid on for Lapeña reaffirmed our faith in his quality but where was the killer instinct we knew?

6-0 at half-time and the amateurs were disenchanted. Lapeña’s hat-trick did little to diminish those feelings, running from deep after being advised to by Ortiz. It was Doumbia’s second assist from the back today. Moments later a blot on Carles’ copy paper occurred as he failed to deal with a shot that hit the crossbar and it was slammed home by the first responder. Lee Kangin made sure we won the second half with a low drive before Jose Carlos limped out with a kick on the shin. It capped a great week of active training for the fringe players and it was needed, too. Three games inside a week are to greet us, culminating in a televised game at home to Reus. We would welcome Deportivo on the midweek night and the fans were certainly looking forward to seeing Montes in action, afforded an eleven-minute cameo against Luxembourg. It appeared that he had already cemented his status as a player to wrap in cotton wool for the national U19s! With the players all pulling together we couldn’t wait to get back out there.

[Diego Imposta]

282.

A groin injury to Montes the day before the game ruled him out of the trip to Nástic. Artime was in after joining the rest of the squad’s high level of training during the week and also impressing with another stint in the position in the friendly. We would start the game with a 4-4-1-1, playing with an advanced playmaking Jose Carlos in an effort to find gaps in the Tarragon side’s expected flat 4-3-3.

A thoroughly professional performance in each half saw us keep Nástic at bay, finally a performance in Catalunya to make people take note of me. Both goals had come from set pieces but in truth we’d not been able to carve them open. Jose Carlos provided a deep free-kick to Guillamón to head in on 15 minutes before the same play saw the defender hit the bar late in the first half. Nástic didn’t have a chance on goal worth noting. A bit of fortune once Pérez and Jose Carlos were moved up front got us a penalty which the latter coolly converted. Damián had been unusually quiet up front given that amount of goals last season but he seemed just as uncomfortable on the right wing, Artime moving inside. The two substitutions were a tiring Badal off for Mejía and Ivars on for Damián but both were merely to salve the only lowlights of a fantastic team performance. A second yellow ten in from time took the gloss off our win as all the headlines focused on the home side having ten men. The reality was that they’d been second best for much of the game. We were now six games unbeaten. Quality.

Huesca pulled a thigh in training on Monday and it was perfect timing as I could get Rivero back with no qualms. Deportivo had the legendary Álvaro Negredo in their ranks and we had to be at our best.

Juan was still flying in training and Gómez would lose his place on the left wing. It meant the tactical shift of an inverted winger going back outside. To compensate, Doumbia would relinquish his role in the middle from box-to-box to ball-winner. The runners would move from the middle on to the wing.

I wanted to start this game as we’d finished the last, so Jose Carlos would lead the line with Pérez in behind, Damián on the wing, and Artime in the middle. Montes and Sergio were fit but would be on stand-by until the Reus game. It made little sense to rush back players when the squad was so good.

I wasn’t scared of Deportivo and communicated that to the players. Their relegation meant that the team was worse than the one these kids were expected transition to. We duly dispatched them 1-0!

A cross from Damián, much more comfortable on the right, deflected into the goal on 14 minutes. It was the worst way to take the lead but over 90 minutes we were dominant, if a little profligate. The back five were immense all evening and shackled Negredo so much that even when presented with a penalty he cracked the top of the bar, clearly nervous at bigger and younger men man-handling him.

The Pérez/Jose Carlos experiment wasn’t working in the manner we had hoped and to see the game out it had to be disrupted again. After our post-match briefing, news came in that we were now top of the Liga 1 2 3!

[Diego Imposta]

283.

The last time we were on television was the opening day defeat at Hércules. How far we had come in that time! The fans and board, although ecstatic at our league position, still expected the style of the team to be attacking. Given our less than glamourous wins recently, not to mention the murmurs of discontent about Orquín’s ability to lead the line, I had to agree that now was the time to step up an impetus in our approach play. We had the pace, we had the defence behind them, and we also had a 14 point gap to the relegation places to play with. Reus would be caught cold if we could pull this off.

Guillamón was singled out for praise for his performances, three goals in five not-withstanding. He’d not been the first name on my team sheet at the start of the season but that versatility was vital. He could play the giant centre back or the bustling ball-winner with ease. In many ways he’s Doumbia in another guise but that man had the engine to get forward, too. Ortiz felt there was a case to drop an out-of-sorts Damián and with the way we were playing we could afford that. Esquerdo had sat out in the last four games and his training level had only earned a bench position due to heavy rotation of a trio of other players. We had a better left midfielder in Gómez cutting inside but he was also run into the ground. Montes and Sergio were thrust back into the squad following injury and Orquín chanced.

First, there was a trip to Nou Mestalla to see Valencia take on Standard. Mejía was a surprise call-up to the bench, perhaps a nod from Pereira that my other centre backs were doing so well that he did not dare risk my ire when top of the league. Mejía would be on my own bench later as Sergio was fit.

An absolutely abject first half hour brought the boos and it was music to my ears. Part of me knew it was only a matter of time before the Portuguese management duo got out of jail with a headed goal but it was always going to be a waiting game. Half time. There were plenty of shots but this was not your average European game. They were going through the motions. An Alioski cross saw Zaza head off the near post and wide. And that was about it. The game finished 0-0 and they top the group but it remains wide open at the half-way stage. Zorya had no points but Valencia on seven were only one ahead of PAOK and three ahead of Standard. It wasn’t good enough. I would relish taking over them.

Reus were unbeaten in seven and climbing up to mid-table. The wet evening should help the ball zip.

An extremely fortunate goal, again, broke the deadlock. Lapeña pounced on a spilled shot and struck the post before firing a second rebound into the empty net. It had been a tense opening half an hour and the relief was palpable. Reus were looking to his us on the break but a Guillamón knock-down to Pérez sealed the tie before half-time. We were still struggling with open play so went for two up top.

A groin injury to Lapeña got Damián on and his impact was immediate – teeing up Orquin to volley in from point-blank range. Centelles was hauled off to save his energy, Buñuel moving to left back and Estacío on at the right. The game hit an ebb but Carles kept sight of a wonderful strike to tap it wide.

For the last 20 or so minutes we tightened up, not wanting to exert too much more energy. It made us even better although the goals didn’t follow, the fan appreciation certainly did. We took it easy in the final ten and it was a good win for us. The players purring with confidence at game management.

The Chile job was now available…

[Diego Imposta]

284.

The medical team held an intervention. Led by head physio Marrón, the professionals felt that with a quad of tough games ahead we had pushed the team too far for Reus. That attacking mentality slain their condition needlessly and players were not given their regular requisite rest. We had done it all season but greed got the better of us. To that end, Ortiz and I agreed to slip eight men out from the squad this week. Granada at home, second, and a double header away to Elche and Barcelona B, out in fifth and sixth, before a home game against Tenerife, in fourth, represented our first horrible run.

Not that we were throwing the tie. We would still field a very strong side but the bench wouldn’t be.

The squad was told that we were going back to basics for this one but with a twist. A deep-lying role alongside a utility midfielder held the middle of the park while both wingbacks would bomb forward.

A terrible first half in the rain saw the players admonished at the break. We had really gone through the motions, got the half-hearted shots and kept Granada out. This was not good enough now we’re top of the league. I challenged the players to attack – ganar, ganar y ganar. Get the ball into Orquín!

1-0  after 12 minutes, that man taking it on the chest around a defender and whipping it in near post.

Orquín made it two with a rocket from outside the box. We had got our goal-scorer back! It was the best goal I’ve seen from us this season. Esquerdo’s corner from the right found Montes lurking, and a square pass to the striker saw him go for it, raking a rising shot from the left to an opposite corner.

We were a lot fitter than Granada and the game became about brinkmanship. I wouldn’t budge, we would continue as planned with no substitutes. Granada made three but were struggling to push us back. We racked up shot after shot without every really threatening but at 2-0 we didn’t need that.

Four points clear. This was dreamland. Ortiz and I have private discussions about our next steps. We desperately wanted to be in La Liga and clubs would become available. Have we done enough here?

The return of a ball-winning midfielder would give us the bite needed and the returning players had a job on their hands of keeping the unbeaten run going. We needed to get more out of Centelles on the left that protection in front of him should facilitate that. The right winger would return to a more attacking role to give us asymmetrical depth. Three at the back would be shelved until everyone was fit again but for now our 4-4-1-1 was unstoppable. We were brilliant at the back and to a man they’d be able to step up to the senior team if given the chance. The unsung heroes of our amazing season.

Our form had been recognised and the last of four title-rival matches would be televised: away at an improved Barcelona B and home to top-scoring Tenerife. Concentrating on defending set-pieces for these games was key – we didn’t want to be embarrassed on live tv. Elche are our next opponents in Liga 1 2 3 and right now even defeat wouldn’t derail what we have achieved. We’ve got our cushion.

Manager of the month again! I am ecstatic!

[Diego Imposta]

285.

A rearrangement of the Barcelona B game due to international call-ups for them saw it moved to the midweek before Tenerife. It wasn’t ideal. However, it was an excuse to give the players four days off after Elche. They would come in for the long weekend before the usual Monday break and I needed rested and relaxed players for these two stressful games. There might be a job at Getafe to consider.

Four changes were made to the starting eleven and a concession friendly arranged for the players I’d felt weren’t going to get any match time over the next few weeks. It’d play during the long weekend.

Elche manager Claudio Barragán had been responding to my second manager of the month award in complimentary fashion. He too had done brilliant work with his club and held iconic status among an increasing fanbase for both his work as a player and manager. We would meet for a drink afterward.

Wins for Barcelona B and Tenerife kept them in good form heading into our double-header up next.

Elche’s enormous stadium should hold no fear for these starlets but my record against this team did not bode well. Our black shirts, orange shorts and orange socks stood out against the green stadium.

We started well, controlling the ball, but a beautiful passage of play saw the home side take the lead in the 14th minute, their right back getting inside our fullback and standing up a cross for number ten Pedro to head back over Carles and into the net. Three minutes later Jose Carlos latched on to a ball from their corner, ran half the pitch, rounded two players and walloped it in. What a goal he scored!

I sensed that a high tempo would unsettle Elche deep into the first half and we went for it, although Orquín was nowhere to be seen. After a ten minute spell of dominance Elche scored a fantastic head from a corner and we were behind against the run of play. At the break we talked about having to be much better to come away with the win tonight. Jose Carlos had to get into the box to help Orquín.

Three minutes after the restart, consecutive terrible defensive clearances gave away another goal. It was game over. I hooked the striker and brought on Pérez to lead the line with Jose Carlos in a 4-4-2.

A rare missed header from Mejía allowed striker Álex Lopez in on goal and he made no mistake. 1-4 down and our biggest defeat of the season already. This was no preparation for Barcelona next time.

We simply could not cope with Elche now and after 15 minutes I demanded a shift to 5-3-2 WB so I’d salvage some pride from the game. The wingers made way for a new front two of Esteso and Damián but in truth we couldn’t get close to them. We started the better team at keeping the ball and finish as a distant second. Elche were the real deal and would get back-to-back promotion, I was sure of it.

How we conceded four goals from seven shots is beyond me. I let rip in the dressing room. The stats had us 50/50 all the way and yet you’ve lost 1-4? Ortiz did his best to offer ‘unlucky’ to them but we could not have been any more lucky. One serious chance on goal today. It’s not good enough.

[Diego Imposta]

286.

Badal and Mejía would be punished with a run-out for the friendly match, as well as Guillamón. He’d picking up a fifth booking of the season which ruled him out of Barcelona B. Doumbia was taken on a ride by the first team last weekend for a spot on the bench at home to Barcelona, which we won 3-2, and would feature from the bench here to get him up to speed. Orquín would also be punished from the bench here while Lee Kangin, fresh from international duty, sits in midfield to top up that fitness.

An initial apprehension about the Foyos’ 5-3-2 WB formation was put to bed after Juan found Esteso to thrash the ball home. This was perhaps more his level as at 22 he struggled to make an impact for us in the league. 25 minutes in the same pair combined to cap a wonderful two-touch move. If we’d match the formation, we might get even more joy here. Mejía atoned with a free header from Ivars’ cross just before the half ended. Happy that our stand-in wingers were having a great game, neither would reappear for the second half. Planes and Molina would be trilled in the wing-back roles with a returning Doumbia coming on. Lapeña and Orquín would take up the strike partnership for the half.

The front two shook off a few cobwebs to set up Doumbia for a resounding third from inside the box and it had followed neat goal-line play. A touch of complacency followed but we weren’t unhappy in the slightest. News came in of Tenerife losing at home and we again had the chance to go five clear…

I would be up against Joan, a young central defender that I had given a league debut with Badalona. The press loved it. I had prepared a player for Barcelona! It coincided with finally gaining a coaching licence of continental renown. I made sure the entire squad travelled to Barcelona as we would stay overnight. The line-up was only announced to the players before kick-off, whereas we had normally given notice on the day off during the week to allow them to prepare. Last week’s chastening loss is a low watermark that I didn’t want reproduced. A couple of players had dropped their performance levels so were given a start to ensure their heads didn’t drop: Rivero in goal and Buñuel at right back.

Orquín, Lapeña, and Esteso would not make the matchday eighteen. Damián was preferred up front.

We got off to a good start at Miniestadi, zipping the ball around nicely. For the rest of the half, it was a keen tactical battle. We had supressed them well, limiting them to two shots, yet we weren’t near their goal. I wasn’t one for revenge talk but this time I let them have it. We had lost 0-1 up here last season after dispatching them over two legs in the cup and drawing at home in the other league tie.

Ortiz’s advice was misguided, and we conceded instantly. As our quick paced move broke down the Catalans countered and had it in the back of the net before our midfield knew what was happening.

Just as we were beginning to get overrun Doumbia crashed into their midfielder and released a late Damián run. He was away. Goal. How did we ever doubt this man’s goalscoring? What a huge goal!

A double change showed my faith in young wingers Ivars and Juan: an appearance at the Miniestadi.

Joan was removed and Busquets moved back into defence, glad of the rest from being man-marked by Pérez. A routine throw-in was taken and Jose Carlos curled a nothing ball looking for Juan. He was impeded! Penalty! Busquets pushed him! The Barcelona B players were raging. We had rattled them.

Damián, top right corner. 2-1 with ten minutes to go. The cross was lazy so off he came, Artime in his place and asked to run into those gaps from the middle. He had bags of pace that we weren’t using.

We took our foot off the gas for five minutes before the official gave five minutes more. Ivars or Juan were clever when they were on the ball, as if part of the furniture. Mejía sent a ball into orbit for our forward to chase and he got it. Damián… wide! He’s missed the hat-trick with the last kick of the day.

That was really special lads, nobody gave us a chance but you played magnificently. Congratulations!

Five points clear at the top of the league in late November. Who could have predicted that from our promoted side? But we didn’t have long to drink in our victory and return to form – Tenerife are up.

Rivero was invigorated in training so kept his place. Mejía was under strain and sat out, Badal called.

We were favourites because these boys had come a long way to play here. It was a four to five-hour flight with security checks from the Canary Islands - unsurprisingly they didn’t often return winners.

Pérez struck the opener from outside the box after a well-worked short corner on ten minutes. Just what the doctor ordered, Doumbia with the square ball assist. He should have made it two minutes later but pulled his shot wide. We adapted well to the visitor’s 4-3-3 and were playing so creatively.

Jose Carlos made it two after we had some joy getting low crosses in and we were cruising. Warning again of the need to keep their levels up, Jose Carlos made it three with a sublime free-kick in off the bar on 50 minutes. Artime and Guillamón were brought on in the middle of the park to rest Doumbia and Pérez, with Jose Carlos moving into the hole. Centelles was brought off earlier for the same idea.

It was the most tired I had seen our players all season and yet the most professional. I was so proud. The medical department suggested some more rest days for players and I was more than happy for them to be rewarded with time off. It had been a relentless week that needed a response to the bad day at the office in Elche. There was seemingly no stopping us now. Five games to go until the winter break. We had palmed away three of our four rivals and were heading for the league title, even if we couldn’t get promoted. It was dazzling stuff. Even the first team were doing better now and there is a feelgood factor in the community and city of Valencia.

[Diego Imposta]

287.

The last four games before the winter break were a nice mix: home games against lower table teams Córdoba and Valladolid sandwiching two trips to promotion-chasing Osasuna and Sporting Gijón. We had a few days off now but in truth the starting eleven were red-lining again so we’ll see who’ll play.

We would look to play three at the back in two of these games, and Ortiz and I discussed with coach López over which pair. The relegation-threatened sides generally played a defensive 4-4-1-1 while at the opposite end of the league we could expect 4-2-3-1 Wide. We had a few days to think about this.

Granada and Deportivo finally played their game in hand midweek and failed to beat mid-table sides which meant we were now eight points clear at the top! We were on 34 points after 15 games but a bank of six teams in the play-off positions were on 26 points. We could not let ourselves spiral down.

A welcome break was a night out at Nou Mestalla, where the first team would take on PAOK. It was a chance to blood in some of my youth players as they had already qualified but PAOK needed a win to join them. Only four points separated the top seven in La Liga so the pressure was immense each week. They had five games to go, plus a trip to Ukraine and a second leg of the Copa del Rey to win.

I was delighted to see Doumbia and Jose Carlos on the bench. A knock to Traoré in the middle of the park after ten minutes got us wishing to see either of our men replace him, but his determination in staying on led to the opening goal, Zaza eventually tucking away a stramash following a corner shot.

Standard were beating Zorya so as it stood PAOK were out. A terrific volley from Zaza ten minutes to half time confirmed it, Bakkali’s electric run down the left feeding him around the penalty spot. They were so reliant on their striker but he was brilliant – what could you do? Injury forced off Bakkali in a rough start to the second half and on the hour Jose Carlos was finally on for Traoré. Ortiz and I were delighted to see him get his chance. Bakkali’s replacement was then injured which meant no role for Doumbia today which was a shame. Jose Carlos was solid with his tackling, heading, and shooting for his part but that passing accuracy was sorely lacking. Perhaps it was the new system with two behind him in midfield that left his options limited. Either way, he will have endeared himself to the faithful.

We decided on three at the back for Cordóba and Valladolid. Huesca was given a chance in goal and a want-away Jiménez was asked to partner Damián up front. Doumbia was benched, Jose Carlos now ineligible after coming on at home in the 2-0 win over Real Madrid. Pereira was keeping him close by and thankfully it shouldn’t derail our plans. An early scare saw Cordóba hit the post with a poor cross in the second minute but Cuidad Deportiva de Paterna was still buzzing. Once we had sorted a shape out Damián crossed a wicked ball for Jiménez to volley in. He will be delighted to be back in the team today and even more so after proving his worth. We had no place for him at left wing so he was used as part of the front line more often than not. It was his first senior goal and he will never forget that!

His day would be cut short with a twisted knee on half an hour, and recently recovered Lapeña took his place. Both teams switched formation 20 minutes from team with us going for a more defensive 4-4-1-1 with Montes and Esquerdo on. It was now a game within a game as all quickly began to tire.

Lapeña played a sumptuous diagonal ball for Montes who took it down in space and crossed for the ever-hungry Damián to tap home for 2-0 with fifteen minutes to go. The tie was seen off with ease.

Cordóba and Valladolid had lost their managers over this week and it was a sign we were doing well.

For the first time all season we went away with intent of defending. We needed the practice for the second half of the season when teams would come at us, knowing what to expect. Pérez had to lose his playmaker role and be a cog in the machine. We needed quick and direct football to get past the 4-3-3 Narrow that Osasuna played. We could have taken the lead after 24 seconds but Damián’s hit was expertly saved. Pérez wasn’t giving up his ball-playing ability just yet! It was a message to Ortiz.

A Guillamón push defending a free-kick gave away a penalty on eight minutes. Saved! Rivero’s return is a magnificent one. Damián should have buried another early one-on-one chance but he shot wide.

A devilishly easily opener was scored by our hosts after we gave away a long ball. After withstanding a barrage from Osasuna we eventually got out foot back in the game. The second half began with an about-turn, back-to-basics approach and within three minutes Esquerdo had atoned with a tap-in at the second bite. Rumours were that Atlético were looking at Montes and another fine assist here to equalise is only going to fuel them further. We went 4-4-2 looking for goals as we couldn’t keep ball.

Zabala walked in his second goal of the game and we just stood off them and allowed the ball to get all the way through us. It was 1-3 less than a minute later with a strike from outside the box beating Rivero near post. For the last fifteen me moved to three at the back and after much labouring we did get another goal, with another rebound. Damián the culprit this time. It was a terrible performance, our two goals flattering us, and the players were asked to understand how annoyed Ortiz and I were.

Jose Carlos had impressed enough to earn a full promotion to the senior team, leaving us short of a central midfielder. Lee Kangin had followed him a week earlier so in fact we could now look for two.

It was all part of the plan here at Mestalla, to lose key players to the first team. I was glad to see him go as it meant we were fulfilling our remit of developing players for Valencia.

[Diego Imposta]

288.

We had nothing to lose at El Molinón, Sporting Gijón’s vast stadium. The young fullbacks Planes and Molina were given a rare start as both had complained to Ortiz about their chances. With two games to go before the winter break it was best to keep them happy. Vice-captain Badal led the team out in torrid conditions, and within five minutes it had claimed Guillamón to a foot injury. We hadn’t taken any cover. Centelles would have to play left centre-back for the second time this season. We’d push forward our deep line to compensate. We were here to come away without defeat ahead of what I’d hoped was a much easier game against relegation-zoned Valladolid next week. Even Jiménez got his place in the number ten role, such was our squad rotation. Doumbia was again out with the seniors.

A robust yet uneventful first half made way for the second, where we would again ask the players to defend from the outset and feel their way through it. Orquín was on for Jiménez and Damián went in behind him in an attempt to dislodge the firm-footed defensive players for Gijón. As the game began to open up we stepped up to the challenge and opened ourselves up. Then came Hernán’s red card…

It was so uncharacteristic of their game plan, a two footed lunge from behind after Artime got ahead as instructed at half-time. I doubted we could even break down the wall with ten men they had kept it so tight at the back. Fifteen minutes to go and all to play for. It took seven minutes for Damián 1-0.

A first-time hit from a direct ball into his path sailed across the goalkeeper and in. It was technically brilliant, just inside the box on the edge of the area. An outrageous backheel gone wrong gave us the ball two minutes later and Gijón were lucky to not be two down. They were falling to pieces already.

Gómez was thrown on as playmaker for the last five minutes, Damián earning the rest as we moved to a 4-4-1-1 again. The two men up top during those first ten minutes against ten men had really put Gijón to the sword with their running. It was yet another slightly fortuitous but magnificent win in an already competitive league. We had yet again responded to an abject defeat with telling guile. Now eight points clear with a game out of hand we had laid down a marker. Who would dare to catch us?

The Gijón manager lost his job the next day – I was beginning to think that we were putting a hex on opponents! As it transpired Osasuna were starting to pull away from the chasing pack and won their game to sit five behind us. They had only lost once all season, whereas we had lost four, but are poor are closing games off and had drawn as many as they had won. We had only drawn once. We were a superior side or we had an off day – it was as simple as that. Manager-less Valladolid would be a real unknown and while it was sacking season in the lower leagues things had yet to heat up in Liga 1 2 3.

The perfect time to leave would be after the Valladolid game. We had a two week period of rest for agents to do their deals and chairman to sack their managers.

[Diego Imposta]

289.

Fourth-choice goalkeeper Abdellaoui had really pulled it out of the bag and turned in a performance of the highest order in the training sessions during the week; he’d earned his first professional game.

It was all change at the back as Mejía and Sergio returned to the heart of defence with Estacío and a versatile Centelles either side of them. There were a couple of players still short of match fitness so we would try them up front – Gómez and Esteso. Both needed to improve to stay at the club longer.

A massive 3-0 home win for Oviedo over Osasuna left us with the chance to go eight points clear. It was down to us, although we would again be without Doumbia who had been involved in Pereira’s first team in recent weeks. We were making do, Artime getting invaluable experience in the middle.

Ivars and Juan, the two exciting young wingbacks or wingers were given a start to keep their match fitness up too, with Montes and Esquerdo dropping to the bench. The verve of all four in training is never questioned. As the early game results came in, the first Liga Santander sacking of the season came in: Eibar. They were second from bottom with one win all season, the same as Cádiz, while an amiable Girona sat just two points ahead of them but there was never any question about a sacking.

Valencia had gone top of the league for the first time all year and my chances of replacing Pereira or Luis Miguel the assistant were slim to none. Dani Perejo’s testimonial was on Boxing Day and we had to attend in a show of how successful the club had become: both teams top of the top two divisions.

A lazy pass into space from Estacío caused a nightmare for the young ‘keeper in goal as the counter came and a shot fizzed off the top of the bar. It was a narrow escape and we had to play out better.

Valladolid’s 4-1-4-1 was so hard to break past but they offered nothing going forward unless we gave it to them. As a disappointing half came to a close, the players were told what we expected of them.

After ten minutes Gómez and Esteso were hooked for the inability to win challenges of any sort and Damián and Orquin jogged on, knowing exactly what was at stake. In the end, it just wasn’t our day.

We managed one shot in each half. Abdellaoui kept a clean sheet which is a huge positive, but it also marked a watershed moment in my career – teams were coming to Cuidad Deportiva to defend with their lives. Mestalla are six points clear at the top of Liga 1 2 3 and they would have to adapt to those pressures every week until the end of the season, with or without me. Away on the other coast Celta had dispensed of their manager, too. It was time to try my hand at climbing the ladder into La Liga…

My application to Eibar had been leaked, and both myself and the board were asked about it by the press. I talked them up as a fantastic side and that I felt could do very well at Ipurúa. It was a small, 15 000 all-seater and easily the smallest in La Liga but it was a club that was going places. I also said how I had worked well with an ambitious chairwoman before and, of course, the Barcelona colours were an attraction for me! The board made a statement about how they were disappointed that my low release clause left them helpless to resist any offers from the money of La Liga, but none of the directors had the decency to speak with me or even offer a new contract to ward off suitors for me.

The Spanish Football Informer ran a fan poll and I was one of the leading candidates. Was this really happening? Four years in management and already on La Liga radars. It was the stuff of dreams, yet I couldn’t fulfil those dreams in Catalunya. The gap between the big and small clubs was just too wide.

With the lack of information from either club, I informed Ortiz to gather the players as normal for an appearance at Parejo’s testimonial. I would make other arrangements, and he understood perfectly.

Eibar would play a friendly at B4 side Villanovense and I would be there in Extremadura to see it. It’d be the perfect way to endear myself to the travelling support – if there was any. If not, then my face would be seen by Amaia Gorostiza, chairwoman of this wonderful, inclusive family of a football club.

As fate would have it, their first league game would be live on television… at Nou Mestalla. I needed this job to pit my wits against Pereira straight away. I’d even take in the under-19s match days later.

It was abysmal conditions for a football game, 2°C and hailing, but it would show what these players were made of. The long balls began in earnest from the home side, forcing the red and blue striped Eibar deep into their own half to deal with them. The director of football had taken caretaker charge of the side and urged them to play out from the back. The midfield were not so cautious with a pass.

Lone striker Nano missed a sitter and showed why this team score so few goals. He was one of only two regular players in the starting eleven, Man City loan starlet Manu García in the hole behind him.

A ludicrous opening goal saw a wayward shot deflect in under the ‘keeper on 14 minutes. Nano did manage to tuck one away before the half hour, beating everyone to a sloppy through-ball but there was a smell of complacency about the team. Villanovense were rock bottom of B4 and no challenge.

A corner was headed in at the death of the first half with both centre-backs combining but changes weren’t made until the hour had gone. Defensive prospect Iker Suárez and left-wing Malaga loanee Fran Garcia were the changes, followed by more first-teamers in Portuguese central defender Paulo Oliviera and transfer listed winger Álvaro Garcia, before a trio of bit-part reservists. It’d finished 3-0.

So no, I was not very impressed by the second string. Would the youth team offer any alternatives?

Ahead of the six hour train home the next day, I got a call from Celta asking me to head the six hours in the other direction…

[Diego Imposta]

290.

Director Juan de Dios Lara invited me in to A Madroa, the state-of-the-art training ground. He was at pains to mention that the director, Hugo Mina, was away on business with president Miguel Martín.

If it seemed like the others were off interviewing preferred candidates over at the 31 800 all-seater, Balaídos, the opening gambit from the director confirmed it. Was this how La Liga clubs operated, in covering every eventuality? He proposed that it would be quite a change if I were to leave my job to come here. Then he was very frank about me looking to take advantage of how high my stock was in this moment. My body of work spoke for itself, and I’ve literally got Mestalla as high as they can get!

The Celta ethos was about buying young, developing, and augmenting that with high-profile players. It was something that I could get behind, and the longer the interview went on the less I felt like the outsider being given lip-service. Former Tenerife stalwart Felipe Miñambres was the man in charge around here as Director of Football and I imagined he was doing a fantastic job to have kept his job across five managers in five years alongside trusty assistant Roberto Moreno, a former data analyst.

I ruled out the need to make a large number of high-profile signings because ultimately I ran my own kind of meritocracy. My wish to fill the team with youngsters certainly did seem like preaching to the choir, though. Mestalla had taught me that anything was possible with the right players regardless of their age group. Data analysis had been such a useful tool for me at a big club I asked what, if any, is available here. Unfortunately they had not leaned on Moreno to set this up, so I recommended they did so whether I got the job or not. You have someone who you are never going to give the big job to so why not put him to work? He’s the board’s mole is he not? I was met with an uncomfortable smile but he knew what I was getting at. I continued anyway. Get him to be the club’s mole, giving staff an advantage over how to train the players each week ahead of every fixture. You are three points from the top 12 and Celta are in danger of finishing the season with more defeats than not. Think about it.

I could afford to be bullish with a flight to catch, a one-way ticket to the Basque region to see Eibar’s youths play. I may never be offered an interview but I had nothing else to do with my players back in Valencia enjoying ten days off without a friendly game to play in between. Then the call came. It was Anil Murthy, President of Valencia. He wanted to discuss the club’s ‘vision’ with me, to see if there is anything that they can do to keep me. An improved contract. They expected it and the voice of Peter Lim piped up. The owner was listening in the whole time. He was willing to offer me a new contract, on the proviso that I pull out of the running for other jobs. This was not acceptable. I needed to see what the offer was before committing, as I felt I had done more than enough to earn a new contract anyway. I reminded him that the remit was to develop players for the first team and avoid relegation and I had surpassed both of those expectations within six months. I would not reject the opportunity to manage in La Liga on a vague promise. But now I have to go. We can talk again when I return from my - potentially fruitless, I didn’t add - break travelling across the north of Spain. I wanted this badly.

There were a number of players I had already recognised from the first Eibar team sheet I saw earlier in the week, and perhaps this home game against Espanyol youth would be a better sight of the level they were at. Most, if not all, of the starting eleven were a good ten years too old to be considered a youth player and the Espanyol under-19s manager would have every right to be furious at having the surprise sprung on him. It was literally men against boys. Still, they more than held their own and got the lead on 20 minutes. The shambles of an Eibar defence dissected easily between full back and the centre back, and then again between both centre backs, saw the goalkeeper stranded. A simple shot from close range justifying the narrow 4-3-3 against a more defensive 4-4-1-1 than I’d seen last time.

Half time came and Eibar were looking like a joke. Had the professionalism gone from the club? They must have known that prospective managers would be watching. The attitude was as if they already had been relegated. Two minutes in and they were ripped apart by the kids again. 0-2. A simple ball through the middle unchecked by either defender and side-footed in by the central striker. This club may actually be unsalvageable. It took an hour for them to get a shot on target. Something stirred in them and a decent cross was met with an even better header from the central midfielder rushing in.

They tried, you could see that. Three minutes from regulation time they got the equaliser. Against a team of young adults, it must be said. An overworked cross finally found the young striker in the box and it was acrobatically volleyed in. A gratuitous five minutes of added time from the local referee is not enough to help this shell of a team record a victory and the match ended with limp handshakes.

The very next day Amaia Gorostiza was on the phone, impressed that I had taken in the not-so-youth game. One of the key points of discussion was about how I felt replacing a very popular manager. It took me by surprise. He had managed them for six years, delivering mid-table after mid-table to this tiny gem of La Liga but this year it felt as if he had lost control. They knew how hard it was to return.

What made me the ideal candidate? My cool head was probably the only thing going for me. It was clear that the finances were dwarfed by Celta and I would need a bigger budget than what she was proposing to beat the drop. Reinforcements were needed to avoid relegation. And fast.

[Diego Imposta]

291.

On Saturday afternoon some of the players arrived fresh from the winter break and others still very hungover from their New Year’s Day celebrations. It didn’t matter, we prepared as normal. Ortiz was brought up to speed with my negotiations and López would be sounded out later about his thoughts.

Similar to the start of the season, the two youth goalkeepers would be used well. Abdellaoui’s verve on his return from the break meant he was still hungry for that start, but an injury kept him out for a couple of days, meaning Carles might take his place. We had two quick games in succession against a second-from-bottom Getafe at home and then promotion-chasing Numancia away. Tactically, we set ourselves up in a 5-3-2 WB and reset the dials in terms of instruction as teams would play differently against us now. Ortiz would be vital here in identifying what could or couldn’t be done during games.

A young Montenegrin striker’s agent had been in touch so we took him on trial. A host of youths had sent their details to us but the mass South American trials in the summer had borne little fruit. He’d a lot of pace which was useful, not to mention a few seasons playing European qualifiers for his club side, but his six months out of the game was more than a little worrying. The poor kid has a real lack of self-belief and it was something that I felt his agent had done nothing to change, perhaps hawking him out to the highest bidder had spectacularly backfired and this 20-year-old was on the scrapheap.

I lost the Celta job to Mancini, without a job since his nine-month spell at Valencia last season. It was not to be but the feedback I received was invaluable. They wanted high-profile players so appointing an effervescent Italian should certainly help them achieve that. Eibar is perhaps the job I didn’t want.

A welcome return to the squad of Doumbia meant we had our ball-winning role properly fulfilled. He had spent the last month in the senior side matchday squad, racking up three consecutive starts too.

Lapeña and Gómez would lead the line and it was a huge concession. They needed the fitness but to play out of position could only be allowed at home to a team deep in the relegation mire. Otherwise, we were full strength everywhere but ‘keeper where Abdellaoui miraculously recovered just in time.

A disappointing start to proceedings required 20 minutes of manic touchline presence from Ortiz or myself, urging the players to do the basics. In the end a mean cross from Estacío found Gómez at the front post to head in. We had got in Getafe’s faces, squeezed the pitch and tried to energise play. It was too much like the off-season game we decided against having and at 1-0 up the bench relaxed.

By 25 minutes it was game over and the players could relax too, another Estacío cross was met by a volley from Lapeña. Both centre-forwards had justified their inclusion with perfect one-touch goals.

Four minutes after the restart Pérez’s header into the strikers bobbled into the net for 3-0, a blinded goalkeeper remonstrating with his defenders for not going for the ball themselves. They were giving us goals now. And we them – an uncharacteristic loss of possession from substitute Jiménez inside a packed Mestalla half leading to a swift through-ball which was eventually tucked in on the rebound.

We looked to bring back that first half tenacity and Jiménez duly atoned with wonderful feet to lay a fabulous reverse pass for Artime to smash in from outside the box. A high tempo finish to the game’s embers was necessary for the fans to see that there was plenty of desire left. Back eight points clear.

The next morning I had an email from Amaia Gorostiza to say that I had been unsuccessful and that she had gone with Davide Biondini, who had guided Granada to second place behind us. It was really disappointing.

[Diego Imposta]

292.

Further rotation was needed three days later away at Numancia. Liga 1 2 3 was still very tight at the start of January, with only 10 or 12 points between the playoff and relegation places. We were great value to be eight points clear of the rest and could afford to add something different to our squad. I liked Mladenovic – there was something endearing about his lack of belief and big physical presence.

A switch to 4-4-1-1 for the trip north to Soria meant we could start work on amending our tactics. In the post-match review of the Getafe tapes the coaching staff had agreed we would attack with 5-3-2 so this game was still a trial of sorts. It remained to be seen how good teams would set up against us and if the staff still had any ambitions of getting into La Liga we had to keep on winning. I had a 70% win record at the moment and it won’t be long until we are picked up – by better teams than Eibar.

It was 2°C and sleeting. A huge job was on for our returning wingers to keep running today. Esteso is up front on his own with the little magician Jiménez in behind him. Mladenovic was mulling over his contract offer while we were away. His trial finished in a couple of days and he’d to make a decision.

Another slow start wasn’t a surprise but Carles in goal had to be alert when Gerard broke through an otherwise solid defensive line and saw his one-on-one parried away from the onrushing goalkeeper.

It wasn’t until the 40^th minute that we were able to get in behind Numancia’s defence, Esquerdo on the left whipping in for Montes to volley against the post from an angle. The latter whipped in a real curler of a free-kick two minutes later and Jiménez poked home to give an undeserved lead. Esteso had been such a peripheral figure up top that if Mlandeovic was watching he’ll think there is a place for him here. Damián had been left at home while other players get much-needed minutes. With an hour gone and both opposition fullbacks on a yellow card, Ivars and Juan were sent on to run at the men. Ten minutes later a centre back was booked as well so Esteso was hooked, Lapeña on in a deep role working the channels. It worked a treat and we came away with the three points, far from what we call our best. On the coach back, López and Ortiz wanted to know what the plan was. Well, I said, we’ve not fallen away. Not once have we thought we were going to win this league but that gap isn’t getting any smaller. Should we stick around and try to pick up a league win for our CVs? That does all depend on what comes our way. We can’t get promoted, we can’t really take over the first team any time soon, and in the business end of the season more La Liga jobs will become available. Whatever happens, we must try to win every game wherever we are. Together we’re on the cusp of greatness.

The next match was at home to our first team’s rivals Hércules and naturally the TV people were all trying to hype up the rivalry, giving us less time to prepare with a Saturday kick-off. A win here could rubber-stamp our notoriety.

[Diego Imposta]

293.

Hércules were a lower mid-table team these days and we were taking a risk by playing so many unfit players: Huesca returning in goal, Molina at right back, and Ivars and Juan on the wings. The bench is packed with attacking talent to save the game should we need it. With back-to-back away games at relegation battlers Albacete and Zaragoza to round out January, the plan was to earn some big wins.

I wanted revenge. The opening day defeat at their place while we were still getting to know the side stung. Pérez and Doumbia patrolled the middle in a late change to 4-4-2, Mladenovic not fit enough to lead the line on his own. We had forgotten what an aerial bombardment had felt like but Badal or Guillamón were more than a match, having played a few games together now while Mejía or Sergio were given vital rest from the matchday squad. What kind of player was Mladenovic, then? He had it all in terms of that Montenegrin heft and Mediterranean technique but mentally he’d a lot to learn.

The game was entirely run by Doumbia and Pérez but we could go no further. Both were told to get loose from the middle of the park and go to the ball at all costs, one roaming and one supporting. It was two banks of four from Hércules and their effort matched the name. Mladenovic, as complete a forward as we could accommodate, telegraphed a diagonal ball cleared from a rare away attack into the path of Esteso ahead of him. The elongated one-two was tamely struck on the volley when a bit of composure was called for. We were better than these anti-footballers and the players had to take that on board at half time. More of the same followed and ten minutes in confusion reigned in front of Badal with a long goal kick, Pérez got sucked in, and the ball was loose behind them. The kick was taken wide, crossed back in along the floor and swept home by that other namesake of theirs: José Carlos. Offside! It was offside! The backtracking Guillamón had lost his man but done it just in time.

The chickens will come home to roost with this side unless we get back to quick, direct football. So onto the back foot we went, soaking up an on-the-deck foray from Hércules. Allowing the ball over the flanks and into the grateful arms of Huesca, the goalkeeper punted it onto the head of our only foreign European. Eventually it found the new number 10 again and he picked out Esteso outside a guarded box. With nothing on, he put his laces through it and sent the home crowd into raptures. It sailed in! It was a fabulous strike that we had no idea he was even capable of. Mladenovic was now an instant hero – the man to improve other players. On came Damián and Gómez on the wings, an energetic Orquín up front and we sat back. Hércules would not fall for it, happy to leave with their tails between their legs than concede again and again. We had done it. News was feeding in from an important fixture in the league. Granada had fallen 0-2 at home to Barcelona B – we were 11 points clear at the top of Liga 1 2 3! They had drawn level on points together. But we were Mestalla: ganar ganar y ganar

[Diego Imposta]

294.

The next four fixtures were favourable – four sides in the bottom quarter of the table – but three of them were away. The only saving grace was that none of these were particularly far to travel. In fact, a bigger trip faced Racing coming to us all the way from Santander as the third fixture. A short trip to Albacete came first and they would want revenge for our biggest win of the season. The added spice of ex-assistant Camacho still struggling vindicated our 5-2 demolition of his side in hindsight, and the beleaguered ex-manager Vílchez recently washed up at mid-table B1 outfit Lugo. Both were not able to command a decent job in Liga 1 2 3 and should have stayed at Mestalla – I am reaping the fruit of their work after all. Technical coach López recommended that we tweak our system to really try and attack teams fighting for their life, as we struggled to open them up lately. We’d push the wingers up and ask them to affect the box. Two up top just wasn’t working for us so the 5-3-2 WB was tweaked to reflect similar roles to the other formations. The idea was that we had a style of play to adhere to.

Either side of the home fixture we had trips north to Aragon for Albacete then Zaragoza. These four games had training tailored to a lower, more general intensity in order to ease any exhaustion in the players. The subtle tactical tweaks needed their brain power. In theory our 5-3-2 was our 4-4-1-1 of another guise. The right back came into a back three, the left back becoming an advanced wing back. The left winger moved inside, to a kind of mezzala role, while the central midfielders shifted over to the right. The right winger then drops back into a complete wingback role while a false nine up front moved himself back into the number ten position. It was all very complicated at first, but the players were now ready to understand the links between the two formations. Previously we had struggled in central areas during transitions with a flat midfield and attack. The 4-2-3-1, however, would be used in these games as we wouldn’t face a run of such inviting opposition again. We would have to pick or choose our roles wisely depending on who was selected but the loose idea was the left winger came inside to allow captain Centelles to attack the flank ahead of him while the right had to be an outlet.

Five players would sit out the first game on the advice of the medical department and it was a huge blow. Doumbia and Pérez would be missing from our engine room. Esteso and Badal weren’t such a worry as they had replacements, while Centelles was current flavour of the month for Pereira’s side.

There were a few sides interested in our players now and the window suddenly became vital. It was important to call a team meeting to galvanise them. We were doing so well and the coaching staff in the dressing room gave the players a round of applause. Everyone gets a chance to get fit playing for this team, I said, so whatever we achieve this season will be a squad effort. That squad may soon be depleted, however, with Cádiz meeting Doumbia’s € 4M release clause. It was more than ten times his market value but a steal for anyone that saw him play. They weren’t quite doomed at the bottom of Liga Santander but he would need to come in make a hell of a difference to stay in the league too.

Within ten minutes Jiménez had forced an own goal from a corner, his deep-lying role causing havoc. He should have made it two after Lapeña’s improvised headed through ball but he was no finisher. It turned in Albacete’s favour as the half wore on, their ability to keep the ball forcing us deeper. In the last minute of added time they scored a simply breath-taking one-touch counter attack. It took us 15 minutes after the break for our harsh words to take effect. We were not used to conceding a sucker punch and we expected them to switch on. Thankfully, Lapeña the architect drew a parry from their goalkeeper and cat-like reactions from Jiménez made it 2-1. Fresh legs from the young fullbacks had the Albacete threat neutralised and an all-action substitute appearance from Doumbia in the middle had the game won. He helped us to a high-tempo finish that led to the hat-trick in all but name – the close range clip into the far netting after excellent work down the left flank. There was still time for a disallowed goal in the last minute for the hosts but their heads had gone with two players offside for it. We had played very well but the lads were told in no uncertain terms that complacency now is not acceptable. A couple of bruised shins showed how much of a battle it was, but the real pleasure was from Mladenovic on the right wing keeping their wing-back busy and Gómez on the left forcing their inverted winger to track his own runs inside. We had amended the tactic to cope with the opposition and that was here to stay. Another draw for Barcelona B pushed us 13 points clear! It was becoming an incredible season and the press were starting to say that we could really win the league outright.

Villarreal sacked Rueda at the weekend. They should be in the top six pushing for Champions League but were languishing in 11th, a good five points off the chase. The league had split in two some time ago, with five points between 12th and 13th, and six between there and the rest. They needed to put together some wins together. The top four was settled now, Valencia dropping to third, and it would be dog eat dog between eight teams for the three Europa League spots with the other top three into the semi-final of the Copa del Rey. It wasn’t far to travel so of course I applied. They would want the manager to play attacking football, build a youth dynasty and bring in big players. This is a huge club.

Doumbia was gone, tripling his wage to take on that challenge at Cádiz. With a week to go until the deadline we could only dream to replace such an all-rounder. A central midfielder was a must so we again had to talk to Alekanko, despite his recent distance from us.  

[Diego Imposta]

295.

Zaragoza were a very good attacking team so we would look to hit them on the break. It wasn’t our usual style but they would leave gaps at the back and our strongest eleven was put out to exploit it.

Damián would be used on the right, cutting in, with Orquín ahead of him. The team was told to give the ball to them at every opportunity. Esquerdo was recalled to run the wing with Centelles curbing his attacking intent behind him. The ever reliable and versatile full-back Buñuel would soak up balls into his channel. In midfield, Guillamón reprised the ball-winning role alongside a deep-set Pérez. In front of him would be Artime, asked today to facilitate quick passes to the three men ahead of him.

The gusty winds would make or break our evening. We would pass balls into space and hope these forwards had enough pace to get in behind Zaragoza’s high line. Our early discipline gave way to a very even game of football, and although neither side could work a shot on target there was some nice approach play. The rain began to fall as the half came to a close and we stole a goal at the death after patient play from every one of our forward line, Esquerdo applying the finish from an Orquín through-ball. Pérez was the hero in the build-up, calmly picking out pinball machine return passes.

A missed header by the last man put Orquín through on goal and he fluffed his lines. We had upped the tempo to match the worsening conditions and he wasted the best chance of the game. We had to push harder. An injury to their goalkeeper on the hour was a free hit – shoot on sight the shout.

A wonderful move by Zaragoza saw a backheel in our box create the space for a curling back-post hit which just needed the finish but the volley hit the near post and was cleared. It was a huge let-off. I cursed our defence in the closing stages as they let the home side rack up chance after chance for an equaliser. Our three attacking substitutes Montes, Esteso, and Gómez offered nothing to suggest we could get a second but despite that we again came away with the three points. Reluctantly I called a recalcitrant Alexanko straight after the game. I need a defensive midfielder, Guillamón can’t do this all season. Who do you have in mind? He wasn’t being his usual helpful self. Get me that young boy from Reus, if you can. I’ll see what I can do. And he was gone. Alejandro Masó was an enthusiastic, clean destroyer with bags of pace. He was storming their under-19s with a goal or assist every other game – the same as he did in the Tercera last season for their B team. At 17 he may not be ready but he obviously found that level so easy he could affect attacking play. I didn’t hold any hope, though.

As expected, the half-hearted negotiation was a failure. I’d have to call them myself. Again. The day got worse – Guillamón sold to Osasuna for a measly ten per cent of Doumbia’s € 4M fee. Now free of ball-winning midfielders, I contacted Reus and offered them Masó’s minimum fee release clause, the same as Guillamón’s. I was angry. It was worth it – the player’s agent was keen. I dealt with the men direct and offered the kid the chance to play football at the top of the league – who could refuse it?

When I put the offer to Peter Lim earlier that day he flatly refused to let me spend the money. That was all I needed to hear to make my mind up about my future at the club. I then called a meeting in Paterna between myself, Alexanko, and Pereira. Here’s the deal you couldn’t broker between you…

By the afternoon he was at the training ground, signing his deal. Those cowards. By masking it as the first team manager’s idea they got it done, no questions asked. At least Mestalla had a defensive mid for the season ahead. Deadline day was tomorrow and I slept uneasy, not knowing who else I would lose. I needn’t have worried – no more left and we were finally given Lee Kangin as a central midfield option. What’s more, I earned manager of the month yet again for our five wins on the trot. Three of six possible months have been won now – I must be doing something right. It all felt so positive with Lee Kangin, Masó, and Mladenovic freshening up our squad. The losses of José Carlos, Doumbia, and Guillamón were great but we were 13 points clear at the top and could afford to bed in some quality replacements. Why would I leave? Well, quite simply it was the call of La Liga. One more game sets a record for consecutive wins at Mestalla and everything was pointing at finishing the job, galvanising a club. We had heard nothing from Villarreal – or Chile for that matter – and the window had closed, meaning clubs were not so keen to pull the trigger for a few more weeks yet. I had to be patient and hope that my stock was high at the end of the season. Sometimes the jobs available are not worth it.

After motivating the players for revenge at home to Racing, we got our controlling style under way. I asked for concise football from the off and once we’d got the better of them aerially, I knew that our crosses would lead to the opener. Gómez, coming inside from the left, found Montes at the far post to head it back where it came from and into the net. It’s not the type of goal we had scored a lot of.

Gómez made it two with a fierce strike from inside the box and we could relax after half an hour. If not for a few frustrating chances for Racing, the second half could have seen the scores equal but an ugly downpour put paid to their faith. We played with the arrogance of a team that had done their job in the first half. On another day we should have conceded four. I was not impressed with them at all. My frustration was eased by a call from Villarreal managing director Andrés Blanco. He invited us over to interview for the job. It was strange to ask for Ortiz as well, but he explained that both teams were in Madrid so no suspicion would be aroused.

[Diego Imposta]

296.

With Valencia’s first team playing Atlético and Villarreal away to Rayo we had the perfect excuse to be travelling to Madrid. Blanco met with us at a hotel and worked over the details of the job. There were other candidates being interviewed and it seemed a little odd that the owner wasn’t involved.

Still, we put forward our philosophy and felt we had a chance. The budgets were insanely large when compared to Eibar or Celta. We came away thinking that there was no way we would be entrusted in La Liga with that kind of money. We would have to again jump to a promoted team without a boss.

An unnecessarily defensive formation from the caretaker manager backfired in the first ten minutes.

A quick and direct opportunity was worked for the left winger to run in behind the right back and get a through-ball so perfect it forced the ‘keeper to over-commit. Villarreal are in trouble. Rayo were an easy win as much as Levante were, both sides languishing in the now remote bottom third of La Liga.

A turgid twenty minutes followed, neither side able to work an opening and wayward long-range pot shots were all that could be mustered. The frustration was evident on the faces of the away side. We all had to watch the half come to slow close. With a rocket up their backsides at the break, a bundled header from lone Iranian striker Azmoun got the equaliser inside two minutes. It was a total fluke for Villarreal but it wouldn’t have been possible without the running of Serbian summer signing Kostic in the left channel. But no! The referee spotted the assistant’s flag and ruled the goal out: it’s handball.

It wasn’t until the 70th minute that any more action occurred. Again Kostic was involved, whipping in to the corridor of uncertainty only to see opposite winger Emre Mor nudged too hard and floored. It was a clear penalty. The Turk dusted himself off and celebrated with his striker, who would take the spot kick. A lovely kick into the side-netting couldn’t have been saved by the ‘keeper but he got close enough to feel it hit his back. All of a sudden Rayo were very nervous and soon lost a second player to injury this half. And yet, there was no charge from the caretaker. No will to win. They just kept the shape the same and popped long-range shots off to no avail. This isn’t a Europa League ability team.

I had declined to apply for the Sevilla job a few weeks before as after the double rejection of La Liga teams haunted me. Villarreal had a reserve side in B3 so at least were local to a Catalan dreamland.

Back to work, then, with a trip to Huesca. Two friendlies were arranged in the midweeks after these next two fixtures to get the squad up to speed. On the morning of the game came the rejection call.

A drab affair got off to a bad start with Damián being our first player sent off this season after he got his timing all wrong when the winger cut inside. Mladenovic moved wide right and Lee Kangin had to offer the only central attacking threat from deep. We had 70 minutes to hold out. The wide men got a wide angle cross to each other and the Montenegrin struck the post from an impossible angle. We held out, Pérez moving to left flank after Esquerdo pulled up with an injury and Artime coming on to shore up the middle. An exhausted Lee Kangin was replaced late by Orquín and his willing running in the final third earned an unlikely victory, four minutes from time. He caught a direct ball and had the verve of early season to pick his moment, commit the defender, and curl in from just inside the box.

It was a bizarre end to the game, top of the league holding on for dear life, but we were still learning opposition tactical adaptations.

[Diego Imposta]

297.

Artime put in a diagonal ball for Ivars to smash in at the near post after good work from Lee Kangin. The young midfielder was enjoying his role next to the more experienced advanced playmaker, with Lapeña and Esteso were dovetailing well, swapping positions in the hole and deep striker, taking the defenders’ attention for the inside forward to get in behind. Soon after the left winger Juan headed back to set up Kangin to smash home, the chance coming from wing-back Molina receiving a spread from Esteso to enable the second string to pack the box. This tactic was indomitable, a third coming before 18 minutes with Juan getting on the end of Molina’s deep cross to make it two goals in three minutes for 3-0. Acero were reeling when excellent overlap between the number ten and striker had us 4-0 up after a quarter of the game, Lapeña playing a one-two with Esteso before lashing it home.

Acero were reeling, the Regional Preferente Valenciana side just no match for these unfit but largely professional bit-part players. Ribarroja next week would present no better challenge but at least we were all out of local sides to play this season. A volley in the rain from the second striker made it five after an hour, the game done. In the second half, Acero pulled one back with a goalmouth scramble.

As we tried to eke out more and more attacking play, the more it broke down. On the hour we took stock, retreated, and made a trio of changes. Mladenovic and Jiménez as the forward pair, and Masó on for Artime. Ortiz wanted to see if he can replicate his attacking instincts at this level. Planes at left back had finally found his role, too. A defensive minded full-back in the mould of Estacío, he enabled so much ahead of him by just being a solid all-round defender. On the other flank, Molina got caught out by his opposite number and a sumptuous volley from the centre-forward made it 1-2 to Acero in the second half with fifteen minutes to go. They had made it quite a game after a dominant opening from us. Unfortunately, the trio of subs couldn’t have looked less interest until the final five minutes.

I saved the praise at full time to remonstrate that I was unhappy with their Jekyll and Hyde attitude.

We were still undefeated at home this season and 10th place Alavés would provide a stern test ahead of 3rd place Oviedo the following weekend. We would roll out 5-3-2 to combat their counter attack in the first instance and possession-based alternative. Oviedo would employ either a packed middle for their recent games with a 4-3-1-2 or a forceful 4-2-3-1 Wide. Hopefully both would suit our attacking wingbacks formation and we had just one game to iron out any kinks. Masó would miss out due to a larger match-load than the other midfielders, while bench spots were earned for the wingers and full backs from the friendly as well as Lapeña and Esteso. In the middle of the park we would trial Pérez, Lee Kangin, and Artime as our mezzala, box-to-box midfielder, and midfield general respectively. The tactic had to work, especially as we were now planning on attacking with it. I disagreed with Ortiz or López when they said we had to stick to a rigid 4-4-1-1 but I made sure the bench was packed with a cover position should we need to switch to it. We were now 13 points clear at the top and I felt that I could afford to experiment. Our heads had been turned by jobs in La Liga but it was now clear we’d to wait for them to call us, as the interview process was just a token gesture while high-profile ones were ushered in. We were back in business, and we were going to win this league. A win would see us 15 clear as Granada drew yet again. Beating Oviedo would make it a three horse race.

[Diego Imposta]

298.

During the week we had the usual sift of trial applicants from South America, desperate to get on my coat tail into a La Liga club. Chief Scout Rico was more than a little mischievous, though. I wanted to know what was up. Well, he said, we have had a professional ask for a trial. Who? An international, he said. Come on, spit it out! You are going to love this Diego. Come on, man, spit it out! It’s Nicklas Bendtner. What? Nicklas Bendtner! I was speechless. Why on earth does he want to come here? We are of no interest. Rico was laughing. Well, he has just been released from five years at Rosenborg and I would guess he just wants to retire in the sun, and pick up another medal while he’s at it! That did not sit well with me but… to hell with it. Let’s see what he’s got! One week, take it or leave it. My reservations would be checked in the friendly with Ribarroja. The call was made. We’ll find out soon.

Two days later he was here. A mountain of a man at 194 cm – instantly the tallest person at the club. He was affable, and we were able to communicate in English. His motive was clear – he wanted to be involved in football after retirement and had heard good things about the club challenging for a rare double of top two leagues at the same time. He felt he had a lot to learn and a lot to give. I couldn’t just offer him a contract, and made sure he was aware that he would have to prove himself to us. He seemed happy enough with that, and within 20 minutes he was changed and ready to train, defying expectations of a trouble-maker. He was 34 years old now, and perhaps had finally matured after his time in Norway, becoming an increasingly bit-part player in a league he was initially far too good for.   

Aláves had a real attacking threat in the rain, their counter attacks picking out lone forward Sáinz at every opportunity. We held firm, and after a long shot clipped the top of the bar a couple of position tweaks were required as Artime and Mladenovic were having a poor game. The former was asked to keep hold of the ball while the latter needed to drop deeper and get moves going. Sergio was offside when tapping in a spilled Lee Kangin drive from a corner but just before half time the Korean was off injured and we had to completely change our plans, switching to 4-4-1-1 due to no central players in reserve. Lapeña was brought on to go in the hole, Gómez moving wide left and Artime wide right. It was an unusual role for Sergio, though, the ball-winning central position a little more forward than I would like him. Still, he had shown attacking instincts in the box. Before the hour we had the lead, a nice recycled ball from Sergio picking out Gómez the corner taker on the left. His whipped cross to a lung-busting Artime saw the youngster power it high and inside the near post, catching the pushing defence off guard. With the pressure of finally scoring lifted from our minds, we switched off. Within two minutes we had conceded our first shot on target, a throw-in on our right flank worked inside to attack midfielder Borja who rounded two players and struck through Rivero’s arm to get an equaliser which had been coming. Youthful wingers Ivars and Juan were sent on to pin them back. It worked in a sense but Mladenovic was desperately ineffective up front, his fragile confidence making him just a withdrawn figure up front. In the dressing room it was bad news all round. We had got our 10 games unbeaten and were still 14 points clear, but the league had caught up with Granada and Barcelona B.

Lee Kangin would be out for two months with an ankle injury. He was devastated.

[Diego Imposta]

299.

With Lapeña captaining the side, running from deep as part of the double-pivot, Bendtner had the freedom to express himself today. He was involved in the opening goal, playing a direct ball from a throw-in over to Maso joining play. The through-ball to Orquín was saved but Ivars cut inside from the right to take advantage. As the game went on, the towering presence of the Dane was making a real difference to the second string. Lapeña added a second from a scrappy corner, driving the ball into the net on 22 minutes. A complacent looking Bendtner raised an eyebrow from Ortiz but soon he barked at the players to express themselves, hoping to get the best out of the enigmatic Dane.

Juan made it three in injury time, reacting to a cannoned clearance off Bendtner and at the break we needed to mix it up to get more from the trialist. Masó and Lapeña had been imperious in midfield and a further goal was added deep into the half with the captain picking out Orquín over the top for 4-0 and job done. An ineffectual quarter hour with a man in a trequartista role saw him replaced in the hole, with three other substitutes joining him to his left, right, and in front. Jiménez got a go on the left, Montes returned on the right, while Damián played second striker behind a deeper Esteso.

We fell asleep from a free-kick on the wing at the half-way line, letting a ball over the top and then a simple tap-in for an unmarked striker. It wasn’t acceptable and again these reserves would stare on as we lost a second half. There was a small dressing down for the team as yes, it was only a friendly but no it is not acceptable to carry that attitude into the league. There won’t be another chance now so if you want a place in the team you’d better train hard and earn it. As for Bendtner, well what he had done was enable the others. Was it enough to earn a contract? We sure needed the extra cover.

It was an easy discussion with the man back at Paterna. He held out hope for a year’s contract, but I made it crystal clear: four months with a year’s extension if he plays ten of the last fifteen games. He soon agreed, happy with the bait and certainly not asking for the world. He would be our mid-range earner – Montes for example would be paid ten times as much – and was not guaranteed a position.

The night before the game with Oviedo he arrived in his flash car, presumably astonished to find the car park full of them. He left us sweating for a few days but soon he was wearing the unused squad number 17 in the dressing room. His press conference was hastily arranged for a local journalist from The Valencia Football Review. I spoke openly of how I wanted him to lead us to glory. He would have to be managed expertly, with specific one-to-one feedback before, during, and after games. For the players to respect him they’d have to see him work hard to score and create goals. He reacted well.

Bendtner would lead the line against Oviedo, his first appearance in front of the home fans. Tailoring our game to suit him, he would play with his back to goal, spread play to the supporting midfielders and go on and get into the box. Artime would run from deep in the manner that Lapeña had proved working so well in the friendly, while Pérez would sit in the hole and look for the former Danish star.

Oviedo were a frightening prospect, a technically proficient side that had wingers darting in and the wing backs overlapping. We would have to amend our play, drop deep and try to play quickly so that we would unsettle their very fluid passing network. Norwegian playmaker Herman Stengel was their main threat and we had to shut him down.

[Diego Imposta]

300.

Huesca had to be alert to deny a wonderful strike from range inside five minutes as we failed to clear a corner. We stymied the visitors from then on, making sure Stengel wasn’t able to pick and choose.

However, it came at the cost of any attacking intent or passing ability from our own play. We had to slow it down and, in a rare defensive concession, drop Masó back in front of the defence and pull an already beleaguered Pérez alongside Artime in midfield. Bendtner would have even more to do now.

We limped to half-time and discussed getting out of this alive, giving the fans something to cheer on.

Stengel struck the post after being given far too much time on the ball following a corner and I urged the team to push up from their well-worked depth. A lovely headed knock from Damián was then an agonisingly wrong side of the post with their ‘keeper caught in no man’s land. Twenty minutes into a drab game Bendtner had pulled his groin, and the groans around the ground were audible. He was in and about the defence but with the way Oviedo were playing he never stood a chance. On came our hungry poacher Orquín and I was the first manager to blink. A double change soon followed, with an energetic wing duo of Montes and Gómez on to get on the end of our direct balls. With five minutes to go we launched quick passes into the wings and Orquín’s fantastic ball saw Montes released, the well-salaried youngster escaping a last-ditch challenge before being scythed down by a second. We had a penalty! Pérez would be trusted with the pressure-cooker spot kick. He steps up… and scores!

Oviedo could not believe that they’d lost this game, absolutely bossing us all over the park but they weren’t able to create many chances against the league winners-elect. We were now a full 16 ahead and getting away with it. There would be no resting on laurels here, though, with the lure of winning the league at home to Barcelona looking like a real possibility. We celebrated harder than usual, with the team knowing it was getting closer and closer. It was our first hard-won tactical battle in months.

With the new signings still needing to bed in and four away games in the next five, training was lean on actual work and tailored to team-building. They were finding their voice, too, with the players pre match briefing raising concerns about the proposed attacking 4-2-3-1 Wide against Almería’s varied 4-3-3. A last minute switch to our flat 4-4-1-1 was granted but Bendtner also made it clear tutoring is not what he’s signed on for. Mladenovic could have used it but the Dane was still recovering as well.

Ortiz had mentioned that serious concerns were being raised to him from Esteso and Jiménez about their playing time. A start here should make them pipe down. They were good players; we just had a better option in their position. I couldn’t forget they both have scored and created important goals.

Almería were first in the form table ahead of us. It was time to start improving. Planes, recalled to be sated for game time, was involved with Jiménez down the left flank in the first minute. Gómez and a penalty-winning Montes started in the hole and on the right wing ahead. Bendtner, unfit, was left at home.

[Diego Imposta]

301.

Esteso was bullied off the ball and a swift counter-attack saw us 0-1 down after 5 minutes. Almería’s pace was terrific, and the movement in between our gaps devastating. Attempts to close them down proved fruitless; we simply had to keep the ball. Esteso could do his part too, and break down passes among their back four. Again the ball didn’t stick, though, and a speculative effort on our right flank this time saw the ball clip the far post and go out for a goal-kick. We were under severe pressure but showed no sign of tightening up. The weaker team selection seemed to have no bearing – they were just streets ahead of us and when a corner was headed in on 20 minutes we needed a rethink. A real wondergoal of a third was added at the half hour with a thirty-metre free-kick deceiving our ‘keeper.

We sent them out in the second half with the attacking formation I wanted. Gómez and Esteso were off, Damián and Orquín the replacements. We pushed up and tweaked Pérez’s role in the middle but the meat in the match came from our direct play. Damián looped a strike from outside the box to cut the deficit on 13 minutes. We huffed and puffed but were soon squashed. It was time for the captain to come on, Centelles into a more supportive role on the left. Planes had done well but we needed a kick down the flank and it led to Orquín stealing the ball off a defender after losing a footrace and an excellent finish off the same post that was hit earlier by the home side made 2-3. A brilliant take on a counter by Orquín left us free to play the ball on the half-way line ahead of Almería’s midfield. It fell to Montes who unfortunately found Masó on the underlap and the ball was hoofed clear. We are so close to the equaliser that we just couldn’t give up. The clearance was picked up by Centelles, into a tired Jiménez, back inside to Pérez and then sumptuously on for Orquín to finish. It was an incredible brace from the striker, his start of season pace back to its best. There were ten minutes to go and we wanted to win it! It was the first time I had come back from 0-3 down in my managerial career. What a team this is. Two minutes later a corner was lashed at goal three times in succession but it found a body in the way each time but the last, Damián firing wide from inside the box. Was this the chance?

We were looking for the spaces and finding them but leggy forwards just couldn’t get shots on target in the dying minutes. At the back, a rare second-half attack from the hosts saw a nervy Rivero spill an easy save out for a corner. We had already been punished once. Sergio powered it away! I asked the players to give everything and up the tempo for the last few minutes. As we flew into added time, an exasperated Ortiz shouted for them to pick one more chance and take it. We piled forward, the ball falling to Pérez but he skewed a close-range shot wide. Our finishing had been appalling in these last 20 minutes. But there was still time in the last minute for Montes to hit a searching ball up to Orquín and the speed daemon was away, 48 minutes on the clock. One touch… two… over the bar! He’d put harder chances away! It was amazing but the legs were gone after such a sprint. As we panted into a last minute I pleaded for a shot on goal from anywhere but there wasn’t time. What a comeback we achieved. An impassioned debrief galvanised the players. 12 matches unbeaten and we’ve done that the hard way. In the press room they mentioned that Simeone was here tonight, perhaps to watch a talent in Montes. Things were looking very good for him…