Victor Valdes: The Underrated Hero

Gran Victor!!

I remembered about his press conference and followed it live on Twitter even while working in office.

From what I understood he has no problems is staying till the summer of 2014. Perhaps being available for a free will make him a very attractive option for several clubs. However he is open to any solution which benefits both the club and him. That means if we can find a club who pays good money for him, he is happy to go there and we can find a suitable replacement, then he could move this summer but it appears unlikely as of now. His agreeing to stay quite happily has put one more thought in my mind. Maybe this is the chance we need to buy a young goalkeeper and give him one year to learn while working alongside Valdes with both sharing game time. The young guy will be the preference in key matches once he is ready. Till then Victor will take the major responsibilities. I think Victor will have no problems with that even if it means having to sit on the bench in a La Liga Classico for example.

His message to the press was very well composed. He put together the key aspects of the matter crisply and exhibited utmost class right through.

I am not saying more about him now, instead saving it for the time when his farewell actually comes.

I would hate it if he stays and leaves for free...

I'd also like to see us buy a young goalkeeper and have Valdes be his mentor. Valdes knows this position at Barca like no one else, his experience and knowledge for an entire year is invaluable and worth more than any money we could collect for him.

I'd rather us spend 20 million net and have a keeper who is ready and not a liability for Barca in the season after next, and be able to keep Valdes/this new keeper for the upcoming season rather than spend 10 million net and throw a new guy in this season and hope he adapts and does well. With the former approach, we'll have 1 good season with a reliable Valdes and a learning, young GK who will then probably have a great season next season when Valdes is gone. With the latter, we lose Valdes and hope that the new GK is able to adapt and play well immediately.

I think you guys are looking too into it, Pinto could serve as a wonderful mentor as-well our GK staff could mentor him. We do not necessarily need him, although him staying puts less pressure on getting a GK which could be a bad thing.

Wow! one of the class press conferences i have ever seen. Very clear and honest. Expressed his feelings perfectly. Also the question of loyalty and many other rumors were well replied with humility. The speech contained clear emotions but removed many doubts at least many of my views about him.
asking because still you guyz talking about loosing him free, is it only me that thinks he is possibly not going anywhere but will retire from career?? I know it may sound ridiculous considering his age and performance but still??
He looked grateful and loyal to the club, says he wants to serve till the last game,wants to give time the team to get new successor but yet decides not to renew contract just a season before. some of the issues are contradictory if its not that he likes to retire from career only when everything fits in.

Valdes just confirmed he's def leaving nextsummer.Really,really hope he goes to England,Italy,Germany or Monaco in France to show how good he really is.

Hope he goes to Arsenal!

Last time he had similar record was 2010-11.

So why does Victor Valdes want to leave?

Won it all with Barca! Seeking for new challenges?

Animo Valdes!

Just wanted to bump this. Our keeper for ages is leaving, and thought we should move his thread up in his honor. Poor guy is also out in the midst of his finest season and will also miss the World Cup

Really sad to see this happen to him on his last season.

Reading today that there's a chance he'll stay after what happened. He'll miss on the world cup and not many teams would be willing to risk signing an injured player that may or may not ever come back to his previous form.

Bartomeu and Zubi reportedly said that they'll stand by him and would be more than happy to renew his contract if he so wishes. If true this is great news. Would be fantastic to have both Ter Stegen and Valdes next season.

In any case and whatever happens, the point here is that even though the player is injured, out of contract and ready to leave, the team will stand by him and do whatever's necessary to help him through this difficult time. Mes que un club.

I don't see why we should offer him a new contract. He's one of the highest paid players in the squad. I remember some tough negotiations back in 2009. Reportedly he's on € 7 million net which is about € 14 million from the club's perspective. So why throw pretty much the transfer fee of ter Stegen out of the window when Valdes will leave anyway once he's fit again?

Just how good is this ter Stegen? Hope to hear some opinions... he fits the mold and style that Barca needs?

BarcaLearning wrote:Just how good is this ter Stegen? Hope to hear some opinions... he fits the mold and style that Barca needs?

http://www.goallegacy.net/t35050-marc-andre-ter-stegen-the-young-german

Thanks, he sounds pretty good   

Cant help but feel Valdes injury was a bit of a curse for us, ans showed how important he was for us, straight after that, we lose everything

We scored 0 goals in 2 games vs Atletico, I am quite sure Valdes wasnt the only problem.

Víctor Valdés writes a farewell letter to the fans.............

“The time has come for me to say goodbye to you all.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to say goodbye playing football, as I would have liked, but that’s life at times, and this year has been a bit cruel to me in this regard.

I’ve had time to look at where I am and what I’ve become. I can only think about the people who helped me to get where I am today. I dedicate this letter to them.

Oriol Tort, José Antonio Pozanco, Juan Manuel Asensi, Ursicinio López, Albert Benaiges, Antonio Olmo, Juan Carlos Pérez Rojo, Pep Segura, Quique Costas, Joan Vilà, Jordi Castel….. the coaches who made me into the athlete I always dreamed I would be. People who turned a ten year old kid into a goalkeeper at the Camp Nou, ten years later. Thank you all!.

Thank you to Louis Van Gaal, for showing the courage necessary to gamble on a talent that only he could see. He began building this historic Barça side, which I have been privileged to be part of. My heartfelt thanks.

Thank you Frank Rijkaard, for giving me the confidence necessary, and allowing me to achieve glory, getting my hands on the European Cup in Paris. Wherever you are, I will be indebted to you for the rest of my life Mister.

Thank you Pep, for having opened the door to playing a game that was unknown to me, for guiding me along the road where one has to keep looking for success, and we did it together, right?. We’ll always have that Mister, and believe me, it will be eternal!.

Thank you Tito! Wherever you are, I thank you for having taught us not only the way to keep winning as a team, but also the strength and character needed to face life.

Thanks to all my colleagues with whom I’ve had the pleasure to work with, that involves wearing the Barça crest on our chests day after day, for making me feel important within the group that we developed over all these years. Because it all comes down to this, we are who we are, here and now. Thank you gentlemen!.

And of course I cannot forget the most important people, over these twelve years as a professional, wearing this shirt, my most loyal fans. Those people who, whatever happened, were always there to give me the support that a fighter always needs, proud to be there supporting me in the celebrations, giving your support in every game, sending me the positive energy that I have always felt, which kept me going all this time, because without it, it would have been impossible to do it alone.

Thank you, thank you, and a thousand times, thank you. I ask that you please don’t stop giving me that support.

Forever, FORÇA BARÇA!

Víctor Valdés Arribas.”

He's a clown for leaving the team a couple of days before the final game and possible trophy presentation.

"Oh, no, they don't give me Messi-esque wages that I'm asking for after gambling money away, they don't value me, I quit Barca and go to Monaco."

"Oh, no, they don't give me a fancy farewell party, then I'm not even attending the last game of the season."

At least one position we are definitely upgrading next season.

Fußball wrote:He's a clown for leaving the team a couple of days before the final game and possible trophy presentation.

"Oh, no, they don't give me Messi-esque wages that I'm asking for after gambling money away, they don't value me, I quit Barca and go to Monaco."

"Oh, no, they don't give me a fancy farewell party, then I'm not even attending the last game of the season."

At least one position we are definitely upgrading next season.

Exactly my thoughts. I'm very happy that he is leaving.

He's not going to attend the final game? Why?

Art Morte wrote:He's not going to attend the final game? Why?

Official reason: He's starting the second phase of his recovery in Germany (as if that couldn't have waited just a couple days more).

Inofficial reason through his personal media errand boys: He's unhappy about his farewell treatment.

I for one have never had any problem with Victor Valdes. He took his own decision and lived up to it. Perhaps the timing of his announcement wasn't great but even then I have the highest respect for him. I like his farewell letter even though strangely there is no mention of Tata. Going for such a low key good bye I guess again was his own choice. It's possible that one or more individuals at the club have hurt him deeply but he has not revealed anything to the media and we may never get to know. Also I suppose he needs to travel right away to continue his recovery process. Whatever it is I just want to thank him for all these wonderful years and wish him all the very best for the future. One concern I have for him is if he is going to Monaco then he should take a look at how they have treated Romero this last season giving him virtually no game time. Perhaps he could have selected some more suitable destination. As for upgrading his position no matter who we buy I don't expect him from day one to be as good as Valdes was for Barcelona. David De Gea took long to settle in at ManUtd and there is enough evidence to suggest that settling it at Barca is more difficult.