With so few managerial options on the table for Barcelona, it appears the man who will keep it most sturdy is likely to be the one appointed.
Ernesto Valverde won’t set Barca fans’ pulse racing, but what he will do is potentially re-energise a burnt-out, flagging club. He did the same at Athletic Bilbao post their draining Marcelo Bielsa era, and while the Basque outfit may not operate at the same level as Barça, managing them does come with it’s own unique pressures.
Athletic hadn’t won a trophy for 31 years before Valverde stepped foot in the club. After just three years with club he’d ended the drought. And there is the Athletic’s rise and consolidation within LaLiga’s European chasing pack. In the 21st century without Valverde, they spent two of 12 seasons in the top seven. With Valverde however they dramatically changed face, and spent five of six seasons in the top seven. While he was blessed with much better squads than his predecessors, his work with them and ability to extract every last bit of potential can’t be underestimated.
As he’s consistently done in all his jobs, with the exception perhaps being Villarreal where the fans never really took to him, Valverde has improved teams and in some cases exceeded expectations. He took Espanyol to a UEFA Cup Final for example - nineteen years after their last one - and when asked to steady the Valencia ship took them from 12th in week 14 of the season to a fifth place finish. In Greece he’s still remembered fondly too, where with Olympiakos he achieved three league titles and two cup triumphs.
Athletic will consider themselves to be in a better place too, overall, but it maybe hasn’t ended so well. The Athletic fanbase can be demanding and intense at times, something often overlooked in Spanish football - it’s usually a claim thrown in Valencia’s direction. In the Basque Country however they have standards given the history of the club, and despite their well-known player policy, expectations remain high. It’s partly why Valverde is walking away and not heading into a fifth consecutive year with the club.
He acknowledged as much in his farewell press conference, along with the belief his work with the club is done.
“A change will be good for the players - and me too” stated Valverde, before continuing to stress this decision would suit everyone.
"It is okay for there to be movement in football and someone to come in with new ideas for the players."
After a surprise defeat in the Europa League this season to APOEL, a competition in which Athletic should’ve done far better given the talent at their disposal these days, Valverde was under immense scrutiny. For some, it was a sign of the end. Athletic are a special case however and it’s always hard to truly judge given their limitations in the transfer market and such.
Failure to qualify for the next edition of the Europa League via a LaLiga placing has left a sour taste however, and ironically Valverde’s potential next club need to do him a favour to make sure they do get there. Europe has been a sore point however, and it’s something Barça fans will no doubt focus on should he get the nod. A powerhouse coach, with European pedigree might’ve been more desirable - but with so few of those characters on the market Valverde is an astute pick-up.
If judging Valverde on his previous three years with Athletic, there would be less doubt over his ability to coach Barça. However, his questionable final season has undoubtedly left some room for doubt. This underwhelming performance isn’t a surprise however and after several years together, things had grown stagnant for Valverde at Athletic. The positives came individually as opposed to the collective, with Yeray and Kepa coming to the fore as first team players. Meanwhile, we saw the true potential of Iker Muniain being fulfilled. Credit goes to Valverde for their successes. As a team however, Athletic took a step back.
It will be interesting to see how Valverde takes to life at Barça, but one thing of certain is his personality can benefit the team. His approachable, mild-mannered attitude is reassuring for players, while in terms of tactics he’s well-versed and able to be flexible. As a player he was noted for his intelligence, with none other than Johan Cruyff declaring Valverde as one of the most impressive learners in the dressing room.
He’s carried this over to his coaching career, showing the ability to alter his approach depending on the circumstances. He won’t have the stubbornness of Luis Enrique when it comes to his set-up, nor will we see a repeat of the personal battles that seemed to overshadow the Asturian’s reign - even amongst the success.
These are the aspects you would envision as being helpful in revitalising Barça, and bringing about a better atmosphere at the club. There are issues above Valverde however, and he needs better backing from the board that Luis Enrique received. If the same tools are being used, then Valverde is destined for failure. On the other hand, offered better support and backing in the market, with the squad assessed and restructured in more thoughtful manner, Valverde could well be a roaring success.
Barça called twice in the past for Valverde, both times under previous sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta - another Athletic icon. The first was before Tito Vilanova took over following Pep Guardiola’s resignation, and then the second time when Vilanova eventually had to step down.
Another call is coming for Valverde and this time Barça will get their man.
