Prandelli the right man to lead Valencia forward / Image via 101greatgoals.com
It is getting increasingly difficult to describe the situation Valencia are currently in as a poor patch.
Los Che are going through troublesome times that last far longer than anyone in the club would have bargained for and it is becoming extremely painful to watch one of the biggest and most successful La Liga clubs being dragged through the mud over the last couple of years.
The arrival of Singapore businessman Peter Lim in May 2014 was supposed to bring stability to the Spanish giants, but it only prolonged the agony that lasts to this day.
Struggles
The billionaire from Singapore, notoriously investigated on illegal drug-related activities ten years ago, was given a split reception in Spain with some of his moves – like appointing the inexperienced Gary Neville as head coach in December 2015 – being described as a marketing stunt.
Unhappy with the atmosphere around their club, Valencia fans watched Lim change a man at the helm on five occasions during just two years with the club, hoping for stability on the bench and a figure that could steady the ship and return the third most supported club in Spain to glory days.
Valencia’s most recent records however include finishing the season at 8th place in the standings in 2013-14 season and at 12th last year. With four consecutive La Liga defeats under his belt, Pako Ayesteran proved that things can still get worse as Los Che currently sit at the 15th place, with only 6 points that were achieved by the caretaker manager Voro.
Club delegate Voro will oversee Valencia’s high-profile clash against Atletico Madrid and Los Che are standing at 17/20 betting odds to grab what will be a surprising win over Atleti.
The losing streak understandably cost Ayesteran the job and gave Valencia executives a splitting headache as they embark on a mission to find the right man for the job.
New Beginnings
After two years of wandering about, Los Che have identified high-profile name of Cesare Prandelli as their top managerial priority.
The Italian was reported to have already held the talks with Valencia sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch, who extended Peter Lim’s beliefs and convictions that former Italy boss is the man to revitalise the club.
The 59-year-old tactician has reportedly accepted the offer and is likely to sign a two-year deal with the Spanish club. According to different reports from Spain, Prandelli is set to take over next week when he will join the club together with his coaching staff.
The Italian will meet with club officials once more in the next couple of days, but the two interested parties seem to have found the agreement over Prandelli’s appointment.
Cesare Prandelli is ready to take his managerial career back on track and it appears that a relationship with Valencia could bring mutual benefits and help both club and manager restore their former glory.
Best known for his five-year spell at Fiorentina during which he revolutionized the club, Cesare Prandelli used all of his knowledge and experience to build up on a successful four-year stint with Italy. Leading your country should come as a highlight of one’s career, and Prandelli’s time with Italy certainly fitted the profile.
Prandelli was tasked with rebuilding the squad and restoring glory to Azzurri, but he had a difficult start to his Italy reign. Despite the fact preparations for the EURO 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine were affected by domestic match-rigging scandals, Prandelli still managed to bring back honour to the national team after six years of relative famine.
The 59-year-old led Azzurri to the final of the continental competition, where their European journey ended with a heavy 4-0 defeat at the hands of rampant Spain.
Match Made in Heaven
Huge loss in the final did little to tarnish his reputation, but the same could not be said for the 1-0 defeat to Uruguay which eliminated Italy from the World Cup 2014 in the group stage and ultimately forced Prandelli to submit his resignation. Proud in defeat, Prandelli accepted responsibility and left the national team when he felt there was nothing more to be given.
Prandelli’s next appointment in Turkey with the giants Galatasaray however marked the whirling decline which affected his career significantly.
Fond lover of the 3-5-2 formation was sacked after only a few excruciating months during which he was heavily criticised for his tactics and man-management and Prandelli was out of work ever since.
Valencia and Cesare Prandelli are locked in the same situation of despair and disappointment with La Liga club struggling to gain footing over the last two years of Peter Lim’s reign and with Prandelli out of work during the very same time.
Their proposed collaboration could ultimately bring overall success. Prandelli and Valencia’s symbiosis could prove to be beneficial for both sides involved, as they look to get their respective reputations back on track.
Will Prandelli be a success at Valencia?
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