Some Big Names Reportedly in the Running for Valencia Manager Gig

It isn’t often in the football world that a desirable coaching job opens up in the middle of the season. More often than not you see a veritable list of unknowns linked to jobs like the one at Bolton. The better gigs come at the end of the year when the big clubs have had enough time to fully underperform and their directors have had enough time to grow impatient. Rare is the time when a good position becomes available when there is still a lot at stake.

One way to measure the attractiveness of a position is to look at the names rumored to be in the running for it. Sure, these names often are little more than that, but the fact that can be linked to a club without us all laughing tells us something. In the case of Valencia, the names Jose Mourinho, Marcello Lippi and Luiz Felipe Scolari are being bandied around as possible replacements for Quique Sanchez Flores, who was sacked following his club’s 3-0 defeat at Sevilla.

Big names those are, certainly bigger names than Sanchez Flores who did a nice job guiding Valencia the past couple of years. His team finished third in 2005 and fourth in 2006. He steered them to the Champions League semifinals last year and despite a disappointing loss last week to Rosenborg they are still in the hunt to advance out of the group stage this year.

And perhaps that is one reason why the big name managers are being bandied about. Valencia sit in fourth place in La Liga, a mere four points behind leaders Real Madrid. They are not exactly a sinking ship whose season is ready to be written off. Whoever takes the position will be inheriting a solid team and a solid club that still has a lot to play for this year.

Is that enough to attract a high profile manager? There are certainly worse opportunities out there.

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Category: Spain La Liga, World Football