End of an Error

By: Mando | May 26th, 2008

Well, it’s what I’ve been saying for weeks and it finally hit. After losing the plot when Tamudo was injured, failing to deal with the fractured locker room early enough, giving up on Europe and giving up on the city, Ernesto Valverde quit today as coach of RCD Espanyol.

“The atmosphere around the club at the moment is not the best, and so this is the best decision for both me and the club. These have been two marvellous years, and it hurts me to leave Espanyol and Barcelona, which I consider to be my home.”

As I said before, Olimpiakos is said to have contacted him. He leaves the club during one of their most successful periods in memory, but the signs are written that management is looking very seriously at blowing up the squad and weeding out the cancerous few that tarnished a stellar half-season.

Carlos Idriss Kameni, who was set to join Tottenham just weeks ago, is looking around at a group of keepers hitting the market that is stellar. A few, like Lyon’s Gregory Coupet, will be receiving the “Euro-bump” and others like Herelho Gomes of PSV Eindhoven are on the outs with their squads. Marco Amelia of relegated Livorno or Christian Abbiati of Atletico Madrid are experienced alternatives who will also likely be on the market. Kameni might have to set his sights lower and the saga of his leaving may continue. Regardless, Espanyol let Inaki Lafuente return to Bilbao, and they have also signed 23 year old Argentinian, Rosario Central keeper Cristian Alvarez as his direct replacement, so the door’s open Idriss, move quickly before it closes.

Quick hits: Corominas, Torrejon and now Zabaleta are on the radar of Blackburn Rovers in England. Expecting Espanyol to cave in on the cheap, Rovers boss Mark Hughes is mulling over the “inflated prices” of our youngsters. Riera definitely wants out now, as his feelings were hurt by banners stating that the club had started their vacations early. Well, they did, why cry about it? Move him, please. As for us buying? Apparently we have an offer out on Sochaux’s Turkish striker Mevlüt Erding as possible cover for Captain Tamudo. We’ll see.