Miracle of Baraja – AS.com
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Ruben Baraja (Valladolid 1975) has been working wonders since his arrival on the Mestalla bench. Like Moses in the Red Sea, when Valencia sank into the second division last season, he opened the waters for save him from relegation. This time of year, like Jesus with fish and loaves, makes bets and a reappraisal of the generation of young players to which it gave its name: La Quinta del Pipo. And thanks to Baraja, Valencia, which many predicted a worse fate in September, comes in March resurrected, like Lazarus: I save myself and look at Europe.
The main approval Baraja received when he signed for Valencia This was his legendary status. He had never managed the First Division and had not worked for three years. However, 380 days later Baraja has a poster that is valid for countless clubs. And the perfect fit for any owner: a coach who believes in youth, who acts as a dressing room leader and gets the most out of the team he is given. As if that weren’t enough, which Valencia Lima has a lot of, He’s a tightrope walker in the press room. There he says what he has to say, but does it without the largest shareholder giving up (Prandelli, Marcelino, Gracia, Bordalas…) and, in turn, without the fan seeing him as an ally of the property (Nuno, Celades, Gattuso…).
Miguel Angel Corona and Javier Solis put Baraja’s name on Lima’s table and in the coming months Leihun Chan will offer its extension to the largest shareholder. Baraja is the best thing to happen to local leadership since the pandemic ended. The Valladolid native’s contract runs until 2025. and it is planned to extend it for another year (2026) until the start of the next season. Sports management and coaching staff share the principle that Johan Cruyff advocated a lot in his time: the coach You must have at least two years of contract ahead of you when the season starts. This is an ideal context to convey a sense of project to the players and, in turn, increase their respect for the coach.
On Wednesday, Baraja walked through the microphones of El Larguero. And there he made it clear that although he is now focused on the remaining days of the championship, “I will be open to conversation.” He has a desire to return Valencia to what it was historically and what he wants is “The club’s ambitions go hand in hand with mine.” Baraja, speaking to SER, added: “I don’t have the feeling that our young players will leave soon,” referring to massive sales next summer.
Baraja’s approach to growth and ambition is not about immediate results. The coach feels like he lives in the locker room every day, Something is being built in Paterna. And this something could return Valencia to the times of wine and roses. But not overnight. “We can’t believe we’re going to give up the relegation fight. on the last day of the Champions League in two years,” he regularly comments. Stir when updating, He also does not put investment at the forefront of his requests. He’s more than money what you want to see is the project, activities of a lifelong football club. That is, he assumes that there will be sales, although he assumes that they will not be wholesale. The key is the small (zero) wiggle room that Lim leaves. anticipate sales and plan.