Valencia announced on July 27 the signing of Javi Gracia. The Navarrese coach clearly prevailed in the casting of coaches from Peter Lim and Anil Murthy. Grace landed with great enthusiasm. He never imagined that his first months at Mestalla would live on a roller coaster of emotions … and disappointments. Gracia celebrates 100 days at the helm of Valencia this Wednesday. The Navarrese, who came to put his position at the disposal of the club, hHe has had to live with the agreed sales, the unexpected ones, the frustration of not signing anyone, the lies and some sports roll. Everything has happened to Gracia at Mestalla and this is a small calendar of his first 100 days at the club.
July 27th
Valencia officially announces the signing of Javi Gracia until 2022. The Navarrese is chosen by Meriton for several factors. He has experience in clubs with leaders and knows the language perfectly. Accept the challenge despite a difficult time ahead, marked by sales.
SOCCER 19/20 JAVI GRACE THE DAY OF ITS PRESENTATION.
valenciacf (DAILY AS)
28 of July
Gracia is introduced as the new ché technician. The coach shows his face and leaves several sentences about his style book, on and off the field. “I am not an official coach “ or “I want the fan to feel the project as theirs” were some phrases of his debut.
July 29
Two days after signing with Valencia, Gracia has to live with an expected exit, that of Ferran torres. The canterano goes to the City, although it takes a few days to become official.
Ferran Torres, in his presentation with City.
DAILY AS (DAILY AS)
August 3rd
Indirectly, the Navarrese technician is experiencing a new wave of layoffs in the offices and of people who could have worked with him side by side. Camarasa is no longer the delegate of the first team. Bellver, Jorge López and doctors Casañ and Giner will not share their day to day with the Navarrese.
August 9
Coquelin and Parejo, two of the pillars of Valencia in recent seasons, they go to Villarreal. His departure has been agreed, but it takes a few days to be formalized. Gracia is convinced that a midfielder will arrive.
August 11
Gracia takes command of Valencia. The technician conducts his first session like ché. Of course, he does it in the gym and with the typical stress tests. The Navarrese has a first contact with his new team.
August 12
Carlos Soler and Kondogbia, two pieces called to be very important in Javi Gracia's scheme after the exits, they cannot make the preseason. The Navarrese begins to plan his team without two of the best players on the squad, who did not rejoin the team until a week before the start of the course.
August 14
Valencia issues an open letter in the official media through its president. Anil Murthy leaves a phrase that does a lot of damage in the Ché dressing room and a bomb in Gracia's booth. “Some players are getting old and prone to injury. We can't keep them and we shouldn't, “says Murthy.
17 of August
New explosion in Valencia. The club informs its squad that it cannot pay salaries and asks them to accept promissory notes. The discomfort is palpable in the players, who do not reject the club's formula.
SOCCER 20 / 21MURTHY MET WITH THE FOOTBALL PLAYERS, BUT GRACE HAD TO MEDIATE.
ALBERTO IRANZO (DIARIO AS)
August 18th
For the first time, Gracia has to put out a fire. The technician interceded for the squad in a meeting he had with Anil Murthy after collection problems. The Navarrese asks the president for explanations due to the concerns of the players.
20th of August
There is a long way to go before the market closes, but Anil and Gracia have an important meeting in which they agree, somehow, bring a central and a midfielder, As minimum. The coach knows the financial problems and that the negotiations are at a standstill due to the need to cut costs.
August 22nd
First victory of the Grace era, although it is a friendly. Valencia starts to walk with the Navarrese in a gig against Castellón. The Ché team, with fan demonstrations in the outskirts of Paterna against Lim's management, prevailed 1-0, with a goal from Manu Vallejo.
August 25th
Leeds lands in Valencia to close the signing of Rodrigo Moreno. Gracia had some hope of having the international striker, but they disappear with the offer of the Premier. At least, the Navarrese is excited about being able to replace Rodrigo with Borja Mayoral, something that never came to fruition, despite the fact that the footballer was guaranteed that when the Spanish-Brazilian left he would sign for the Che club.
FOOTBALL 19/20 RODRIGO AFTER PASSING THE MEDICAL TESTS TO SIGN BY LEEDS
ALBERTO IRANZO (DIARIO AS)
August 28
Grace achieves a prestigious victory in the friendly of the morbid against Villarreal. Maxi, with a double, gives the victory to the Ché team. The idea of the Navarrese begins to show in Pinatar. Valencia faces when many see him inferior to the Submarine.
August 30th
Piccini's physical problems, which does not finish starting, and the poor level shown by Correia lead Gracia to order a right back. Everything comes to nothing because the Italian goes to Atalanta and Correia stays in Valencia.
September 8th
The march of Piccini al Atalanta it's official now. Gracia loses another cash and no replacement arrives. The Navarrese has already lived the goodbye of Ferran, Coquelin, Parejo and Rodrigo. And it still lacks more 'surprises'.
September 9
Anil feeds the hope of Grace when in an act acknowledge that reinforcements will arrive before the season starts. The Navarrese, two days later, cannot take any more and explodes at a press conference.
11 of September
In the previous derby against Levante, Grace drops a bomb. The Navarrese feels cheated and does not hide his discomfort. “I am disappointed because the reinforcements they told me have not arrived,” says the Navarrese hours before starting the League against Levante.
September 13th
Valencia starts the competition against Levante, in Mestalla. In a derby marked by the 'crack' of Gracia, the team that pulls on self-love and wins the game 4-2 after making a brilliant comeback. Grace adds her first three points.
SOCCER 20/21 IN A DERBI MARKED BY THE CONTEST, JAVI GRACIA'S TEAM ADDED ITS FIRST THREE POINTS.
ALBERTO IRANZO (DIARIO AS)
September 14
One of the names that sounds strongly and with which Gracia is excited is that of Jeison murillo. The Colombian central seems to be entering into a negotiation that ends in nothing. Murillo, hours later, ends up at Celta. Grace is still without a central.
September 15
Injuries also take their toll on Valencia de Gracia. Mangala breaks and Gracia already sees the arrival of a defender as urgent. Of course, the Navarrese already knows that it will not be easy because of the economy and that it will have to be almost at zero cost.
September, 17th
An unexpected 'actor', the counselor Jose Luis Zaragosí, feeds the never-ending story about the arrival of reinforcements. “There are going to be signings, Lim continues with the project,” said the counselor, who also wanted to settle any divorce between Gracia and the property after criticism from the coach. “We go hand in hand,” said Zaragosí.
September 18
The rumors about more sales in Valencia are beginning to make Navarrese despair, who already sees ghosts everywhere. On the eve of playing against Celta, he launched a message that was transferred to him from the top. “I think neither Kondogbia nor Maxi will come out“, affirms the Navarrese.
September 19th
In Balaídos comes the first defeat de Gracia as Valencia coach. A double by Iago Aspas sentences the Che team. An action, that of Nolito leaving everyone and traveling meters without opposition, hurts the locker room.
September 22
In a summer and endless market for unfulfilled messages, Gracia hears another blow from Murthy. The president, in each public act, feeds the hope of the technician. “I hope we can soon strengthen the team,” says Murthy. Grace, meanwhile, keep up with yours.
24th September
The name of Capoue It's been on the table all summer. Own Grace wears out so that the card is lowered and reinforces the core with a player who knows from his time at Watford. Valencia negotiates his signing, but the coach is disappointed because it does not materialize.
September 26
Valencia gets stuck in Mestalla with a Huesca that deserves to take the victory. Grace is not satisfied with what he sees. “In the last three games we have been worse than the rival,” said the coach after a bitter draw.
September 28
The Agrupación de Peñas, tired of unfulfilled promises and seeing that Valencia does not make a move in the market, issued a statement. The rocks are with Grace. “It is good that they tease us. We are 100% with the coach,” they say in the press release.
We want to express our unconditional support to Javi Gracia. ????????
We ask that you continue to be the captain of our sports ship so that it does not sink. ????
We are with you to the death, and the entire Valencian fans will surely be too. Amunt and a lot of strength ???????? pic.twitter.com/qj1FDjbS0O
– APValencianistes (@APValencianiste) October 7, 2020
September 29th
Gracia takes one of the few joys since landing at Valencia. His team Real is imposed 0-1, thanks to a goal from Maxi. Valencia competes, although they also suffer because the VAR cancels the tying goal in the last play. Grace explodes with joy on the bench.
October 2nd
Grace, at a press conference, shows that he does not have any type of communication with Peter lim. After 66 days in office, the Navarrese leaves a hard phrase. “I have never spoken to Lim,” says Gracia.
October 3
A few days before the market closes, Valencia loses again in Mestalla against Betis. Gracia has less and less hope of strengthening the team. “The needs we have have been seen in the last games,” says the coach.
October 5th
The bomb explodes in Mestalla. Valencia closes the market without any signings and after several sales of weight, in addition Anil Murthy and the board do not make any pretense of signing during the afternoon. Gracia feels cheated and forces a meeting in which he proposes to resign. The Navarrese is close to leaving the club.
October 6th
Between the closing of the market and the meeting with Anil Murthy, the squad meets with the coach to ask him to continue and not leave the project. Gracia receives the support of the players, especially the captains, but despite everything still in his thirteen of leaving.
October 7
Another crazy day in Mestalla. Gracia is absent from training to speak with Murthy in person. Coach makes his position available to the club. The Navarrese has decided to leave unless he can talk to Peter Lim, something unfeasible, only a penalty clause of 3 million euros stops him.
October 8th
Grace is forced to issue a statement. Go back to training, with Murthy as witness. The Navarrese sends a press release in which he acknowledges that he has made his position available to the club, but confirms that he is staying at Valencia.
SOCCER 20 / 21MURTHY WAS IN PATERNA IN THE TRAININGS AFTER THE ALMOST DEPARTURE OF JAVI GRACIA.
ALBERTO IRANZO (DIARIO AS)
October 9
There is not a quiet day at Valencia. The name of Kondogbia and his relationship with Atlético begins to appear in the media. Thomas' march to Arsenal makes Kondogbia a rojiblanco target. A new earthquake is predicted because Gracia is assured that Kondogbia does not go out.
October 15th
Kondogbia stops training with Valencia, claiming some discomfort. That same day, the Frenchman, in a statement, explodes on Instagram and the controversy splashes Gracia. “You had to cheat on your coach and finally me. Thank you, Anil Murthy, “Kondogbia says.
October the 17th
The 'Kondogbia case' becomes another hot potato for Gracia. At a press conference, the coach affirms that the president has informed him that the midfielder is not moving. “Murthy called me to make sure Kondogbia is still“, said the coach. In addition, Gracia, in his first appearance after being about to leave, assured that” he will never regret having signed for Valencia.
October 18
Things don't go well for Gracia on the pitch. His team falls in the derby against Villarreal. To top it off, Dani Parejo, one of the most controversial sales, puts the finishing touch to his former team.
October 19
Javi Gracia's name appears in a negative statistic. The Navarrese, after the defeat in La Cerámica, signs the third worst start of the 21st century, all of them with Peter Lim as owner of Valencia.
October 22
Kondogbia still does not work with the group, but Gracia stands up for the midfielder at a press conference. In the club they keep telling him that the medium is not going to come out. For this reason, the Navarrese comes out before the media and affirms: “I trust that Kondogbia will be important again in the club“.
October 23
Other defeat against Elche, the third in a row. Above, Valencia signs a disastrous first half. Gracia looks depressed, although her team faces in the second half and avoids blushing.
October 28
After the poor results, Anil Murthy forces a meeting with Javi Gracia to move confidence. The president tells the coach to be calm and leaves him an encouraging phrase: “You have to be our leader.” Murthy's trust in Gracia is complete.
October 29th
It is a week of meetings and from another perspective, Gracia sees how the captains meet with Anil Murthy. The president also faces Kondogbia. Murthy's message to the players is supportive and asks “compromise and responsibility“.
31 October
The week closes with the transfer of Kondogbia to Atlético. Grace loses another key player. The Frenchman had fueled the coach's hope after returning to the group. But his departure is imminent.
November 1st
Valencia tie against Getafe. The spirit and claw shown by the team reinforce Gracia. But at a press conference, the coach shows the lack of communication: “I am not the one who should explain the Kondogbia issue. The president told me that it would be possible to lose the player when 15 days ago he had told me that he was not going out.”
November 4th
Grace turns 100 days at the helm of Valencia to direct the first training session without Geoffrey Kondogbia as a footballer. The Navarrese coach faces the demanding duel against Real Madrid with one more zero in his daily score as a Valencian player and one less footballer in the squad.