Fight Night - Toldrá (Soldado) vs Salvo (Valencia)
Good evening fight fans, some of you are probably to young to remember that, anyway it's rather appropriate to what you are about to read, as you'll see in due course.
In the blue corner we have players agent Alberto Toldrá and in the red corner Amadeo Salvo. Now let's have a good clean fight gentlemen, fat chance of that.
First though if you missed the delayed article (which should have gone out last night) then you might want to catch up with that first and share it on your social media outlets, this article adds a bit more for you into the mix (opens in a new window): Valencia & Soldado - The media posturing
There is actually a history of Valencia players forcing a move from the club once they have become the star of the side, Jordi Alba and Pedja Mijatovic to name but two.
As with every club, fans expect their heros to stay and be loyal, which today quite frankly is just pie in the sky. Times have changed, money rules in all walks of life, players move and they move for money.
Where is the money, well it's in the Champions League or the Premier League, which of course has had a large influx of money in the form of bumper TV deals, remember the American NBC company more than trebled what ESPN were paying.
Roberto Soldado has been offered a double your money move and exposure to a worldwide audience, the Premier League being the most watched league all around the world. Not much of a choice to make really.
Soldado played for Real Madrid as a youngster and they don't sign rubbish, he is a good player, but do you know who he joined from? Valencia. He left when he was just 14, then returned there to replace David Villa, which wasn't a popular with the fans, and now might be leaving again.
He has spent 3 seasons back at Valencia and for the first two didn't have the full support of the fans, they only embraced him last season when he banged in the goals, so the tie to Valencia is probably not that strong.
The marketing at Valencia centres around Soldado, but by all accounts he is just a nice guy and not full of charisma, and as such he is not an ideal marketing tool. Valencia want Valencia people and charismatic ones at that.
Now if you have read the article I linked to above, you'll know the situation is, we'll make all the right noises to keep everyone happy but this is not an ideal arrangement. Both sides would be happy to end it or at least that is the impression everything points towards, as you'll see in a minute.
OK now we get to the nitty-gritty.
Alberto Toldrá, Soldado's agent and Amadeo Salvo, Valencia president, do not get on and that weak working relationship has virtually evaporated completely.
The former president, Manuel Llorente, was a well liked figure in and around Valencia. He build up a close circle of friends that consisted of players, Valencia's business partners, agents (including Toldrá , local journalists, radio stations (who both had access to everything that goes on at the club) club employees and former presidents. All in all a close knit happy circle.
Along comes a new guy and this happy circle, who had such a close relationship with the former president, were now out in the cold effectively. On top of that he defeated one of the circle to get the presidency. The new guy would have to build his own circle, he is not a part of this close knit one.
Now put yourself in his shoes, do you a) try to take over a network of friend that already exists, very difficult or b) break it up and put your stamp on things?
If you are in a group and the life and soul of that group leaves, the group is not the same and you wish it was like it was before, that is not conducive to an easy ride for a new guy.
What did Amadeo Salvo do?
Well he told one of this circle, a Valencia player David Albelda, that he would not be retained. Who is his agent? You guessed it, another one of the close knit group, Alberto Toldrá.
Toldrá and Salvo are now in opposite camps and the agent now wants his star man, Soldado, out of Valencia. They will lose their goalscorer, their captain, their star and their marketing 'poster boy'.
But there is more. Toldrá has been negotiating with Liverpool to get Valencia's star academy player out to them and he has already sent the other academy players he represents to Barcelona, Real Madrid and Athletico Madrid.
Guess what route Salvo feels the best way forward for Valencia? Yep the academy and bringing players through.
Are you starting to get the picture, these two don't like each other and one is basically doing his best to screw the other.
Soldado has not been at the club since Salvo took over on 5 July 2013 but is due back tomorrow for the start of pre-season.
Do you think Toldrá wants Soldado to stay at the club, you're bloody right he doesn't so remember that when you read the quotes.
Valencia fans see themselves as the third best team in Spain, indeed someone left a comment to that affect in an earlier article and statistically they are right, it is something they are fiercely proud of, just as Spurs fans are proud of our history. They see themselves as better than Athletico Madrid.
Now remember that as you read Soldado's words to the media:
“My hope is to remain a Valencia player."
Which was followed a week later by:
“I have a contract with Valencia and intend to fulfil it. I am enjoying myself playing for Valencia. I feel honoured that a club like Atletico is interested, it is a great team. I see friends succeed in other leagues. Germany and England is attractive and we all would like to enjoy that.”
So he is honoured for a club the fans don't like and consider to be a lesser team, to be interested in him and he even says they are a great team, yet he is your captain, your star, your clubs marketing man.
All is not well in the pond is it, but he won't force a move remember!
Well he's not doing a bad job of undermining the president is he, egged on by Toldrá no doubt. The guy couldn't have written it better himself.
Soldado may not have come out and said publicly that he wants to leave, but put yourself in the fans shoes, what are they thinking? This guy is only after money, he wants to leave because they'll pay him more, he's got no loyalty etc.
Not much good as a marketing tool anymore is he when he is turning the fans against him. The guy is doing what he can to get out, even though he has hardly done anything. The little he has done is highly effective.
The Valencia coach, Miroslav Đukić, had these words for the press:
"Soldado is a professional player. If he stays, I am sure he will give his best. There is a lot of speculation about Roberto, but the fact is he continues to be our player and we count on him.
"Piatti is still our player, for now. I have to get the best out of all I have available. We want Soldado to lead our project, but if it isn't so, the club continues to be great. We need goals. Paco (Alcacer) cannot have that burden. In the press you can say whatever it doesn't affect me. I only care about what happens on the pitch."
Not quite the same as AVB's Gareth Bale is not leaving at any price and we are negotiating a new contract quotes is it.
Toldrá is winning the fight but Salvo is going to get every last drop out of Soldado he can. There seems little future for him at Valencia anymore. Liverpool or Spurs seems the only question.
In the blue corner we have players agent Alberto Toldrá and in the red corner Amadeo Salvo. Now let's have a good clean fight gentlemen, fat chance of that.
First though if you missed the delayed article (which should have gone out last night) then you might want to catch up with that first and share it on your social media outlets, this article adds a bit more for you into the mix (opens in a new window): Valencia & Soldado - The media posturing
There is actually a history of Valencia players forcing a move from the club once they have become the star of the side, Jordi Alba and Pedja Mijatovic to name but two.
As with every club, fans expect their heros to stay and be loyal, which today quite frankly is just pie in the sky. Times have changed, money rules in all walks of life, players move and they move for money.
Where is the money, well it's in the Champions League or the Premier League, which of course has had a large influx of money in the form of bumper TV deals, remember the American NBC company more than trebled what ESPN were paying.
Roberto Soldado has been offered a double your money move and exposure to a worldwide audience, the Premier League being the most watched league all around the world. Not much of a choice to make really.
Soldado played for Real Madrid as a youngster and they don't sign rubbish, he is a good player, but do you know who he joined from? Valencia. He left when he was just 14, then returned there to replace David Villa, which wasn't a popular with the fans, and now might be leaving again.
He has spent 3 seasons back at Valencia and for the first two didn't have the full support of the fans, they only embraced him last season when he banged in the goals, so the tie to Valencia is probably not that strong.
The marketing at Valencia centres around Soldado, but by all accounts he is just a nice guy and not full of charisma, and as such he is not an ideal marketing tool. Valencia want Valencia people and charismatic ones at that.
Now if you have read the article I linked to above, you'll know the situation is, we'll make all the right noises to keep everyone happy but this is not an ideal arrangement. Both sides would be happy to end it or at least that is the impression everything points towards, as you'll see in a minute.
OK now we get to the nitty-gritty.
Alberto Toldrá, Soldado's agent and Amadeo Salvo, Valencia president, do not get on and that weak working relationship has virtually evaporated completely.
The former president, Manuel Llorente, was a well liked figure in and around Valencia. He build up a close circle of friends that consisted of players, Valencia's business partners, agents (including Toldrá , local journalists, radio stations (who both had access to everything that goes on at the club) club employees and former presidents. All in all a close knit happy circle.
Along comes a new guy and this happy circle, who had such a close relationship with the former president, were now out in the cold effectively. On top of that he defeated one of the circle to get the presidency. The new guy would have to build his own circle, he is not a part of this close knit one.
Now put yourself in his shoes, do you a) try to take over a network of friend that already exists, very difficult or b) break it up and put your stamp on things?
If you are in a group and the life and soul of that group leaves, the group is not the same and you wish it was like it was before, that is not conducive to an easy ride for a new guy.
What did Amadeo Salvo do?Well he told one of this circle, a Valencia player David Albelda, that he would not be retained. Who is his agent? You guessed it, another one of the close knit group, Alberto Toldrá.
Toldrá and Salvo are now in opposite camps and the agent now wants his star man, Soldado, out of Valencia. They will lose their goalscorer, their captain, their star and their marketing 'poster boy'.
But there is more. Toldrá has been negotiating with Liverpool to get Valencia's star academy player out to them and he has already sent the other academy players he represents to Barcelona, Real Madrid and Athletico Madrid.
Guess what route Salvo feels the best way forward for Valencia? Yep the academy and bringing players through.
Are you starting to get the picture, these two don't like each other and one is basically doing his best to screw the other.
Soldado has not been at the club since Salvo took over on 5 July 2013 but is due back tomorrow for the start of pre-season.
Do you think Toldrá wants Soldado to stay at the club, you're bloody right he doesn't so remember that when you read the quotes.
Valencia fans see themselves as the third best team in Spain, indeed someone left a comment to that affect in an earlier article and statistically they are right, it is something they are fiercely proud of, just as Spurs fans are proud of our history. They see themselves as better than Athletico Madrid.
Now remember that as you read Soldado's words to the media:
“My hope is to remain a Valencia player."
Which was followed a week later by:
“I have a contract with Valencia and intend to fulfil it. I am enjoying myself playing for Valencia. I feel honoured that a club like Atletico is interested, it is a great team. I see friends succeed in other leagues. Germany and England is attractive and we all would like to enjoy that.”
So he is honoured for a club the fans don't like and consider to be a lesser team, to be interested in him and he even says they are a great team, yet he is your captain, your star, your clubs marketing man.
All is not well in the pond is it, but he won't force a move remember!
Well he's not doing a bad job of undermining the president is he, egged on by Toldrá no doubt. The guy couldn't have written it better himself.
Soldado may not have come out and said publicly that he wants to leave, but put yourself in the fans shoes, what are they thinking? This guy is only after money, he wants to leave because they'll pay him more, he's got no loyalty etc.
Not much good as a marketing tool anymore is he when he is turning the fans against him. The guy is doing what he can to get out, even though he has hardly done anything. The little he has done is highly effective.
The Valencia coach, Miroslav Đukić, had these words for the press:
"Soldado is a professional player. If he stays, I am sure he will give his best. There is a lot of speculation about Roberto, but the fact is he continues to be our player and we count on him.
"Piatti is still our player, for now. I have to get the best out of all I have available. We want Soldado to lead our project, but if it isn't so, the club continues to be great. We need goals. Paco (Alcacer) cannot have that burden. In the press you can say whatever it doesn't affect me. I only care about what happens on the pitch."
Not quite the same as AVB's Gareth Bale is not leaving at any price and we are negotiating a new contract quotes is it.
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