Bordalás: “We have all the excitement in the world to try to get into the quarter finals of the Copa del Rey”

Our coach José Bordalás has spoken in a press conference ahead of Atlético Baleares-Valencia CF.

Do you think that the club are making a fool of you in terms of signings?

"That is not a very logical question at this time. We have the transfer window open and there are 15 days ahead of us. We trust that players will come in."

In December you spoke of the possibility of holding a meeting with Peter Lim in the near future. It hasn't happened yet. Has this meeting been scrapped?

"We had it scheduled, but I have said several times that everything was cancelled due to Covid. It was a high risk, and we decided not to hold the meeting. We should not give more importance to it, we are in regular contact with the president and sports management. It's nothing strange."

You’ve earned the love of the squad and fans. How do you rate your meetings with the club about signings?

"There is a good understanding. I have expressed some needs and I have said this on numerous occasions, but it is the club that make the decisions. I cannot say anything more about the matter. We meet, they know the needs, I'm the coach and I limit myself to coaching the team, and nothing else. I know that work is being done so that players come in; players have left and we need to balance the squad."

Does the president understand the transfer market?

"The answer is clear. I have always transmitted the positions that need to be reinforced as a coach, in order to balance the squad. From there, the president makes the decisions and must assess many things, including the situation on an economic level and other variants that are beyond me."

At the press conference for your presentation we asked you a lot of questions about your predecessor, you said that you saw us as pessimistic and you were more optimistic. Seven months later, are you still as optimistic?

"I am always an optimistic person and I never look back. I insist, as I said before, that there are fifteen days left in the market and there are still possibilities. The club realise this. Everyone knows that we need signings. We fully trust that they could come in."

Have the club assured you that Wass is not leaving?
"The data shows the confidence I have in that player. He has played practically every game. He is a committed player and he has shown it. From there, the club must decide."

Do you rule out any kind of meeting soon with Peter Lim?

"I'm not ruling it out. It could happen at any time. I'm always open to dialogue and the possibility of having a meeting. I've not ruled this out ever -on the contrary."

Have you given Wass the OK to leave?

"No. I don't decide this. He knows he's an important player for me and that I have full confidence in him. Besides, I've shown this to him. But I am not the one who decides."

In your presentation as the new coach you spoke of consensus. Now it seems that you are no longer pulling in the same direction. Can you explain the situations with Álvaro González-Aridane?

"I can confirm that it is not like that at all. The meetings are held. They cannot be made public. I have seen in some media outlets what my preference was, or that I was insisting on Aridane. Not at all. Aridane is a possibility, but the club values and decides on this. The club assesses whether he is finally a player who could be interesting, for many reasons. Many reasons are taken into account. I can know footballers, as happened in the summer, but I have never requested top players. Foulquier came here because I had coached him before, and he came from Granada. He was always consistent for me. Hugo Duro was initially a player who wasn't playing. Alderete is somebody who I knew from the Europa League. In that sense, the club know that I am not a very demanding person. With the needs that many teams in LaLiga have that are being strengthened, I propose the need to incorporate players to balance the squad."

Has Wass said he's leaving or not playing anymore?

"That has not been transmitted to me. He told me that he had received an offer and that his idea in principle was to be able to leave. But, once again, I do not decide in these situations, because I am not the owner of the club, I am the coach. I decide in my role as coach."

Do you feel like the winter market is over for you?

"I'm not pessimistic at all. There are 15 days left and obviously things can still happen. Let's see, let's trust that footballers who can help us can arrive. I can't say anything more."

What happened this week? Hasn't there been friction with the club after the meetings?

"The only thing I can comment on, and I am being generous, is that we have meetings. What is discussed, what we share in them, is private. I cannot say any more, and it has never been my style. Yes, there may be discrepancies of opinions, as that happens everywhere. By opinions I mean tastes or interpretations. I look for the best for Valencia CF and if I ask for something, it is looking out for the good for the team, the club and the institution."

Don't you need to talk to Peter Lim?

"I'm not giving up. It can happen at any time. It doesn't depend on me. I don't call meetings, I'm the coach. If the owner wants to talk to me like we did before, we'll do that without any problem. I'm with the president, with Corona and with the people from the club every day."

What will happen if on February 1st you have not been called to a meeting with Lim?

"We're going to wait until February 1st and see what happens, but I am confident that players who will help us will arrive."

You have said Valencia CF have to sign because they cannot be left behind. Do you feel that way now?

"Perhaps other clubs have signed earlier. As a coach, I would have liked to have had players available as soon as possible when the market opened. It hasn't happened yet, but there are still days left. Clubs like Alavés or Getafe are incorporating signings. LaLiga is super competitive, and nobody wants to be left behind. Nobody wants to be low down in the table, and everyone makes an effort to strengthen and be as competitive as possible, because the competition is getting more difficult every day. That is part of this competition."

The cup match against Atlético Baleares

"LaLiga is difficult, and football in general in Spain is tough. Atlético Baleares are from the Primera RFEF, but they are professional and they have already eliminated two Primera División sides in Getafe and Celta. Tomorrow we have a very difficult game. We have players out, but we have all the excitement in the world to try to get into the quarter finals of the Copa del Rey."