Valencia have officially appointed Javier Aguirre as head coach of the first team, with his contract until the end of the season with the option to extend for another year if sporting objectives are met, the club announced. The Mexican replaces interim coach Oscar Sanchez, who took over after Carlos Corberan was sacked.
The decision comes at a time when Valencia are 19th in the La Liga standings with four points. Corberan was sacked after the team won just one point in their first five matches, and Sanchez then led the team in two matches before the international break.
Experienced coach returns to Spain
Aguirre returns to Spanish football after a two-year break. Most recently, he was the coach of Mexico, leading the team to the round of 16 of this summer's World Cup. It was an important result for the Mexican national team, as the team achieved its first victory in the knockout stages of the tournament since 1986.
Valencia will be Aguirre's seventh Spanish club. He previously worked at Mallorca, Osasuna, Atletico Madrid, Leganes and Zaragoza, and now he takes on a new role in La Liga at a time when the club is looking for a quick response after a weak start to the season.
The club is looking for a way out of a difficult situation
On 13 September, Valencia announced the departure of executive director of football Ron Gourley and brought back Braulio Vázquez as sporting director for a second time. Thus, the new head coach and the sporting director will work together in an attempt to stabilize the team and get it out of the relegation zone.
In its announcement, the club indicated that Aguirre arrives to help Valencia stay in the Primera Division and fight for a better performance in the championship. According to the announced conditions, the contract can be extended for another season if the team achieves the set goals, among which is qualifying for the Europa League.
The appointment puts an end to the short period of uncertainty following the dismissal of Corberán and gives Valencia a coach with extensive experience in Spanish football and at international level. For the club, which is near the bottom of the table, the next matches will now be directly related to how quickly the effect of the new bench change will be felt.
Sources: BTA, Valencia, À Punt