Ernesto Valverde

[Porque]

Imagine being Valverde, first you have to shoehorn Griezmann in at Barcelona and try to get him to work somehow with Messi in the same space. Then you move to a team that the only "crack" signing available to you in world football is... Antoine.

[serghei]

There is much more optimism heading into this season at Barca than 17-18 yet Xavi would be lavished with praise if he breezed to a domestic double while going unbeaten the first 36 league matches and reached the Champions League quarterfinals.

He did well at Barcelona, but not exceptionally well. Let's not get carried away here. He did got embarrassed in CL, as much as we'd like to forget.

EV has to get to a top 10-15 team if he wants to be seen as a class manager. If not, he will be just an ok manager, not a great one.

Barca, Madrid, Atletico, Bayern, Dortmund, Milan, Inter, Juventus, Ajax, United, Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool, City, PSG. Probably 4-5 others. Let's say 20 clubs or so.

Bilbao doesn't make the cut. They are a 6-8 places Spanish team. He should aim at least for a Sevilla, Villareal and overachieve like Emery did last season to really stand out as a top tier manager.

Don't think he has it in him. He's probably happy himself if he only manages Bilbao. Seems like a relaxed dude who is not cut out for the top level.

[Gnidrologist]

This thread is funny.

[Messigician]

Imagine being Valverde, first you have to shoehorn Griezmann in at Barcelona and try to get him to work somehow with Messi in the same space. Then you move to a team that the only "crack" signing available to you in world football is... Antoine.

Rip

[vegitot]

"Ridiculously"

He was successful in some regards and failed at others (CL, phasing out veterans)

Yet when Koeman phased out veterans you guys wanted his head.

[KingLeo10]

Yet when Koeman phased out veterans you guys wanted his head.

I think you got me confused with someone else on that one. I wanted us to move on from all veterans, except Messi under the right circumstances (contract)

[vegitot]

I think you got me confused with someone else on that one. I wanted us to move on from all veterans, except Messi under the right circumstances (contract)

Move on from veterans is not easy thing. They were still key players and EV didn't have any of his ideal signing nor proper replacements. Or else you ended up with Braithwaite the Suarez replacement.

[Fati_Future_BallonDor]

He did well at Barcelona, but not exceptionally well. Let's not get carried away here. He did got embarrassed in CL, as much as we'd like to forget.

A manager can not do more than getting the best out of the team which he gets. Before EV came Barca lost 0-4 to PSG and 0-3 to Juve, after he has gone Barca lost 2-8 to Bayern and 1-4 to Paris (at home). We can't blame EV for these humilations.

[JohnN]

A manager can not do more than getting the best out of the team which he gets. Before EV came Barca lost 0-4 to PSG and 0-3 to Juve, after he has gone Barca lost 2-8 to Bayern and 1-4 to Paris (at home). We can't blame EV for these humilations.

Still the same point applies. What should be the expectation from such a "top Manager" in a mid-table team? To retain that mid-table status or advance further up top?
EV handled a Barca with veteran top players and Messi on fire and did decently except for cl, where a top tactician or top motivator is needed. He was neither of those. Just a good caretaker and a likeable guy.