Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Di Matteo hoping for Valero return
Thursday 19th November 2009, 11:00AM GMT.
Albion boss Roberto Di Matteo is ready to persuade club record signing Borja Valero to return to the Hawthorns for another crack at English football.
The £4.5million midfielder, who has been loaned back to Real Mallorca where he has enjoyed a stunning revival in fortunes, has declared his desire to stay in his homeland.
But the Baggies still have Valero tied down on a contract and, although Di Matteo gave the green light to the deal which returned him to Mallorca after last season’s desperate struggle at the Hawthorns, the head coach has not closed the door on the 24-year-old coming back.
Real Mallorca have such a black hole in their finances that buying Valero at a price agreeable to Albion is out of the question.
It is also possible that the player’s form could attract other La Liga interest, but the Baggies boss is hoping promotion back to the Premier League can combine with the challenge of a fresh start in England to tempt the player back – if his form rate continues.
Di Matteo said: “Borja is doing very well,. If somebody is doing well and he fits in our team and our squad, why shouldn’t I take him back?
“Last summer I had too many players in the same position. I can only play 11 and a midfield four or five. We just had too many and I had to make decisions.
“I made the decision he could go on loan because he wasn’t playing week in, week out. He wanted to go out and I thought why not because La Liga is a good league.”
Valero was a personal pick of former boss Tony Mowbray whose faith in the player’s ability never wavered even though form and results forced him to eventually drop the midfielder.
The Spainard, who made 31 scoreless appearances for Albion and is now helping the cash-strapped Mallorcan club make a surprise Champions League challenge, said recently: “I want to stay in Spain and hopefully at Mallorca. I feel very happy here.
“The big issue is going to be the money. Mallorca did good business when they sold me.”
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It sounds like RDM’s open to a return rather than desperate for one, I can’t see how he’d get in the side, but would perhaps provide cover if Koren were to go (which is now far more likely given Slovenia have qualified).
I wrote yesterday on another thread that Guillem Balague had described Valero as ‘Europe’s next great midfielder’, I was wrong (apologies!!!), it was a Spanish football correspondent called Phil Minshull, but Balague has compared him to Xavi and Iniesta.
Valero’s undoubtedly got talent, would he flourish with a Mulumbu or Jara behind him that he didn’t have last year? Or is he just not suited to the Premiership? Would he have the hunger if he came back? Big decision for RDM if we go up.
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1. He obviously has talent BUT it is negative to even contemplate bringing him back, looked horribly out of his depth last season and like a few over-seas playersdid not enjoy the weather. Is the manager assuming you wont go up? Is he trying to soften the blow that if you do go up thats sufficient funds will not be available to bring in enough quality? I wish the albion way but getting rid of Koren and Cech and not replacing will cost you dear. Best regards, Laughingwolf
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1 Warren.
I think this is probably RDM being pragmatic. It looks as if Mallorca can’t afford him, so unless anyone else comes in, he will be coming back. If this is the case we don’t want to give the impression that we’re trying to get rid of him because as you say he is playing well we may now get more than the amount we had agreed to sell him to Mallorca for.
I think I was in a minority of one, or perhaps two if you count Judas, in liking Borja. He did a similar thing to Greening in that he was always there to take the ball, even when he was under pressure himself. He rarely gave the ball away and looked as comfortable on the ball as Jara although obviously not as strong. Having said all of that, I can’t see where you would fit him into our current midfield. The sort of problem we could only have dreamed of ten years ago.
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2 Shadrag
Nice of you to post under your own name today.
“Looked horribly out of his depth last season”…….I didn’t know you went to our games laughingwolf?
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I think if Borja was able to work on the defensive aspects of a midfiled role in this country he would be outstanding – however I’m not sure he has that side to his game.
He would be better protected with Mulumbu and Jara in the team, and may operate well just behind a main striker like Miller or Bednar.
He would also be an asset if we were to lose either Brunt or morrison – however i think we will probably sell him to another spanish club.
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If anyone is in need of a laugh to cheer them up – have a look at LW’s post on the “wolves family” thread on their pages (its post No3) – funniest thing I’ve read in ages – pure comedy genius.
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That wasnt actually me as many of the posts are not but if the sad baggies are hmoured by it go for it. Did it take you long to write that happy? I thought you wasnt posting anymore? Another comeback huh?
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Bully
Good to hear from you, I agree for a change!! To me, Valero’s technique and first touch was sublime.
Quite often last year, with one man upfront, it was difficult for Valero to be penetrative in possession, but with a better balance in the midfield, and 2 strikers, he may still prove a gem. If Koren does go, we’d have to fork out for someone of genuine quality to compete with Dorrans.
Like you say, it’s a problem we’d have dreamed of ten years ago. I’m not sure a lot of the Premiership fairweather fans would agree with us though!! Maybe Winston White and Kieron O’Regan were that good…….
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There`s definetly room for Borja Valero in the
starting 11 aspecially if RDM decided to play
5 in midfeild.
CARSON,ZUIVERLOON,JARA,OLSSON,MATTOCK,
BRUNT,MULUMBU,VALERO,DORRANS,MORRISON,MILLER.
If Birmingham City want Dorrans then 10M would
be the price and not a stupid 1.5M bid which
has been talked about,this kid has proved himself in the Prem so wouldnt be a gamble.
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laughingwolf
i haven’t posted on here for sometime either, mainly down to work loads, shame, but thats life.
not sure where you got your pearl of wisdom from with ‘is your manager assuming you aren’t going up’ can you explain that one for me??
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Happy,
By the way, I love it. comedy genius 101.
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8 Warren.
Hard to believe we would agree on anything I know. Winston White I’d completely forgotten about and Kieron O’Regan was another of our great white hopes. But to be a real supporter you need to have lived and cried through the desperate times and come out the other side. Like you say, how many of our Andy Fairweather fans would have stuck with us through the mid seventies and late eighties and nineties.
10 DLB.
Good to see you are now a supporter of Joe Mattock, you may remember him as ‘donkey.’ The lad must be thrilled.
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Sorry that should have read 9.
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1.5m for Dorrans hahahahahahaha! Don’t know where the E&S get their rumours from but it sounds like someones took them for a bunch of mugs lol
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Dorrans for 1.5m – what an insult. Wasn’t convinced by Valero though he did show some skill.
Re 7. Sorry LW, they think you’re a bloke with cerebral palsy who sits in the East Stand – silly beggars!
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it will be a close race this year for the most whinging fans trophy dingles v the irish,aye boing boing
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I’d have him back.
So many players take a season or so to settle in the Premiership, he would not be the only first year flop in the history of English football. He seems to be playing even better now than before we signed him so the year of hard slog has developed his game further. He can easily be our price competitive version of Arshavin.
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valero looked like a quality player towards the end of last season and i thought that despite us going down he would do well this season and was shocked when RDM loaned him back to mallorca.
hes been getting rave reviews already in la liga and i WOULD like to see him return as most overseas players need time to adjust in england and im hoping he gets another crack to prove his worth.
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“I want to stay in Spain and hopefully Mallorca” he doesnt want to come back as simple as that, anyone that doesnt want to be at the club should go hence why Mowbray, Robinson, Greening, Kamara, Koumas, Mc Shane, Curtis Davis, Valero to name a few have left because they dont want to be here only keep players that want to play for the club.
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could be agood move as weve got more midfield enforcers to do his donkey work but would he be to much of a load to carry?
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he could slot into our squad, i think behind the striker or infront of jara or mulumbu.there wore no protection last season with greening and as soon as mulumbu came in valero was dropped. he looked amazing against barcelona like a xavi type player.either a high fee of around 5-6 mil after a good season or bring him back
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Class player i think, but might just lack the stomach for English football. But I think Di Matteo could fit him into a system, either that or as 21. says you want to be looking at 6 Million for him, he looks the business in Spain he’ll definitely be wanted.
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