Valencia’s disastrous start to the season was always going to have drastic consequences. Just five games into the new campaign, manager Carlos Corberán and his first-team staff have had their contracts terminated. Also gone in the cull are the club’s CEO and football director Ron Gourlay, along with his back-up personnel Lisandro Isei, Hans Gillhaus, Andrés Zamora and Malek Shafei.The decision to make the clear-out was taken over the weekend after the club put in another inept performance away at Sevilla, leaving them rooted to the foot of La Liga with just one point from a possible fifteen.

It was not so much their position in the table that was frustrating the fans, but the lack of cohesion, tactical nous and the total deficiency in leadership that was angering supporters.

In the five matches to date, Valencia can count on two hands the number of genuine goalscoring chances they have created, while the solitary goal they did score was courtesy of a dreadful mistake by the Real Betis defence.

Just how badly the squad has declined was highlighted in the last home match against Barcelona. Dominant from the first minute, the Catalans had the game effectively put to bed by half-time and eventually ran out 5-0 winners.

On being substituted in the second half, Rodri was picked up on camera by lip-readers apparently telling one of his Barça team-mates that the Valencia players were “really weak, really weak”. The tabloids quickly picked up on the incident, with the sports papers reporting extensively on the controversy.

The upshot was that the Barcelona World Cup winner issued a statement attempting to appease the situation.

“I apologised to my friend and colleague José Gayà and to the entire squad as well. I also want to make it clear it was simply an expression of surprise; anyone watching the video can see that.”

He followed up by adding: “At no point did I intend to mock anyone or take a difficult moment for a team out of context. Quite the opposite – we all want Valencia to return to where it belongs in the league. It is one of the best clubs in the competition. At no point did I mean any disrespect. My apologies to Valencia.”

However, what Rodri said echoed the sentiments of many long-suffering Valencia fans. Relegation was already looking a much stronger possibility than last season, and that campaign had troubled the minds of supporters well into the home stretch.

The decision to make wholesale changes before the trip to Alavés and a match-up against one of Valencia’s former coaches, Quique Sánchez Flores, was therefore welcomed by many. Most aficionados thought the news would come during the forthcoming international break, but few could argue that now was not the right time.

In charge for the trip to the Basque region will be Óscar Sánchez, who has been promoted from Valencia Mestalla. The former left-back had long spells with Valladolid and Real Murcia during his playing career and has been involved with Valencia’s youth and B teams since 2024.

Taking over the role of Ron Gourlay is Braulio Vázquez, who until recently had been doing a similar job at Osasuna. He is no stranger to Valencia and the club’s intricacies, having previously served in this role between 2010 and 2013.

Coming in at a difficult time, having to balance the books and find replacements for the likes of David Villa, David Silva and Juan Mata, he performed admirably in the role and secured the signings of players such as Roberto Soldado, Dani Parejo, Aritz Aduriz and Jonas, who all gave great service to the club.

The search for a permanent manager is now under way. Ernesto Valverde had been considered one of the leading candidates, although he has reportedly rejected Valencia’s approach. Another name in the frame is Jagoba Arrasate, who has considerable experience in Spanish football and is familiar with Vázquez from their time together at Osasuna.

Valverde has previously managed Valencia, during the 2012-13 season, and was well liked by the fans during his time at the club. With more than a quarter of a century of managerial experience, he has also coached Barcelona, Espanyol and Villarreal, as well as having three different stints at his beloved Athletic Bilbao. He also managed Olympiacos in Greece.

Arrasate knows Vázquez well from his days at Osasuna, where he overachieved with the Pamplona club. His most recent domestic role was with Mallorca, while he has also built up considerable experience at the highest level of Spanish football.

Equally, the owners could decide to stick with Óscar Sánchez if results and performances are positive, or they could throw the fans another curve ball from left field and make a surprise appointment in the mould of Gary Neville or Gennaro Gattuso. Rafa Benítez will also inevitably be mentioned in dispatches by fans and media alike.

With two games to come before the international break – Alavés away and Real Sociedad at Mestalla, with Carlos Soler and Guedes returning to Valencia – it would seem a good time to try to “steady the ship” and “keep well clear of choppy waters”, whilst hopefully adding a few points to the tally. Then it will be “full steam ahead” with any permanent decisions during the league hiatus.

LEVANTE UD

Levante, meanwhile, put in the kind of spirited effort in their recent home game against Barcelona that Valencia failed to produce, and came away from the match with considerable credit despite a 4-2 defeat.

A stunning 5-2 victory over Real Betis last month, together with two goalless stalemates at Osasuna and Málaga respectively, have given ‘Los Granotas’ a decent start to life back in the Spanish top flight.

Next up is a home game against Athletic Club, which gives them a really good chance of gaining points, and a win would see them leapfrog their Basque rivals in the standings.

Their last game before the enforced international break is a local derby away at La Cerámica against Villarreal.

The Yellow Submarine have started only marginally better than Valencia and are also struggling to pick up points, so it seems the perfect time for Levante to face this particular match-up and maintain a comfortable position in the La Liga classification.

Report by John Howden

Article copyright 24/7 Valencia

VALENCIA CF

Alavés v Valencia CF – 15 September, 18:00h

Valencia CF v Real Sociedad – 20 September, 21:00h

International Break

Racing Santander v Valencia CF – 11 October, 19:00h

LEVANTE UD

Levante UD v Athletic Club – 16 September, 21:30h

Villarreal v Levante UD – 20 September, 18:30h

International Break

Levante UD v Sevilla – 12 October, 21:00h