"When Valencia CF called, I told my wife we had to come here." That's how Javier Aguirre described turning down four other job offers to take charge of a club sitting second-to-last in La Liga with five losses from seven games. Either he sees something others don't, or he's a man who genuinely loves a fight.
The 67-year-old was officially unveiled as Valencia's manager on Monday, becoming the seventh different Spanish club he's coached — a list that includes Atletico Madrid, Espanyol, Osasuna, Real Zaragoza, Leganes, and Mallorca. He arrives fresh off a third stint as Mexico boss, which ended with a last-16 defeat to England on home soil at the Estadio Azteca.
A club in crisis, not just a bad run
This isn't just a rough patch. Valencia haven't finished above ninth in La Liga since 2018-19, and the rot goes deeper than results. Fans have been openly protesting against owner Peter Lim, whom they accuse of running the club purely as a financial asset. Carlos Corberán was sacked. CEO Ron Gourlay was removed at the same time. New sporting director Braulio Vázquez has now brought in Aguirre to complete the rebuild.
Vázquez made one thing clear at the presentation: "We didn't even discuss financial terms. He really conveyed a strong desire to join." In modern football, that's either a green flag or a sign the money was always going to be modest. Probably both.
Aguirre knows exactly what the situation demands. "People are going to be tired of messages," he said bluntly. "We're going to play Racing Santander and we're going to go for the win. The victory is what is needed." His first test comes on October 11 against promoted Racing Santander — a winnable game on paper, and one he can't afford to drop.
What this means for Valencia's season
With five defeats already banked, Valencia are in genuine relegation trouble. The gap to safety won't get more forgiving as the season progresses, and the squad's confidence looks shot. Aguirre has pulled clubs back from the edge before — Mallorca and Leganes both know what that feels like — but he's never walked into a situation with this much institutional dysfunction behind it.
The contract runs until the end of the season with a club option for a further year. That tells you exactly how much runway he's been given: prove it now, or don't bother coming back. Valencia's relegation odds are going to stay short until results change the conversation.
"The fans will gradually get on board as the wins start coming," Aguirre said. Gradually isn't really an option at this point.
