From Villafranqueza to La Cartuja

Many boast in Alicante of knowing Bordalás. But few can say that they saw him walk through the door of a locker room to lead a team for the first time. This happened three decades ago. back in 1992. Today’s coach of Valencia had just hung up his boots and I did not have in mind to make a career on the bench. But a member of the Alicante CF technical secretariat, Ruano, offered to fuck his youth teamwho had started the season somewhat irregularly and needed a change.

Y that day began the long career of José Bordalás that tomorrow will have its culmination in Charterhouse, in the final of the Copa del Rey, against Betis. In that first group that he had to model there were three soccer players who were climbing categories from your hand: David Bauza, Luis Ortiz and David Carrasco. The three made their particular career in football. Bauzá played 12 years in Second; Ortiz he still plays, at 45 years old, in the Young Spanish, in Third RFEF; Y Carrasco was a classic of the Alicante Preferred and Third. But all three were marked by Bordalás when they were barely 17 years old.

“I remember as if it were yesterday when the first day came to the Villafranqueza locker room. He had long curly hair and from day one he instilled in us what he now says at press conferences: the important thing is to win, win and win”, says Bauzá, a former Albacete, Nàstic, or Sporting player, among other teams. “He is a leader and that was already noticeable when he barely had experience on the bench. He got 200% out of the player, just like with the professionals, “explains Luis Ortiz, a strong and seasoned centre-back, one of those Bordalás likes.” One of his strengths as a coach was the talks before matches. You went out totally plugged into the field“recalls Carrasco, whom Bordalás gave him the soccer name. “Kid, tell the newspaper that David does not, put Carrasco on youone more football name”, he remembers between jokes.

The three children that the Valencian coach sponsored in his day remember that very soon it was seen that Bordalás would become a professional. “In a short time you could see that he wanted to be a coach,” says Ortiz. Bauzáhoy Cesar Ferrando’s second coachin La Nucía, corroborates it: “When you have him there, in youth, you think he could become a professional but You can’t imagine that I would play a Cup final“.

Already in amateur football, Bordalás was a tan demanding trainer as it is today. The three remember in unison when made them train on New Year’s Day, in the morning, because on the weekend he had left. “He made us train in a field of land in Rabassa, in his neighborhoodbecause all the facilities were closed”, recall the three between laughs. “I prepared bottles in the locker room to kick them and let us see that he was pissed off. I’ve seen that he still does it sometimes on the bench,” says Carrasco.

It’s been a long time since then but, by all accounts, Little has changed today’s coach of Valencia. “He likedand I think he still likes them, that type of seasoned player who leaves his horns. I think that’s why I played with him,” says Ortiz. “When I see him on TV, there are things about him that we already saw in the dirt fields. to us already we got 200%just like these years he has done with footballers from Getafe, Valencia…”, says Bauzá.

The three expupils of Bordalás they will see tomorrow the duel against Betis with the hope that Valencia wins, for the one who was his technician. But Carrascohow confessed valencianistayou will see it even more nervously. “When he signed for Valencia I was very happy. I’ve been from Valencia since I was little and if we beat Betis the happiness will be double”, he comments.Valencia has many options. It is true that Betis is having a spectacular season, but Bordalás will have studied very well how to hurt them and they will be very competitive. I think it will be a very disputed final”, concludes Bauzá.