Marvelous. This is absolutely marvelous. See, this is what I mean when I suggest that in Valencia there are people with serious issues with their agents and spokespeople. According to various sources –that may, or may not, have interests on this matter-, Guaita is angry because he didn’t play last Saturday. Cry me a river.
This is how this business works. A player has a number of journalists who defend or justify his actions, with more or less subtlety, and mock and bring down other players who can menace his presence as a starter in the team. This has happened, still happens and will always happen in sports and the media.
The newspaper or radio station who gets ‘there’ first thinks itself legitimated to claim the price of the players’ trust. But in this case, Alves and Guaita both have strong media supporters -hooligans, one may think- that have been clashing for the last two years. The relationship between both keepers is as professional as it comes, but the brawls between their respective media entourages have become increasingly bold and, therefore, increasingly pathetic.
Let’s put ourselves in situation: Mestalla, last Saturday. Both ‘teams’ –let’s call them by their name- thought they had the upper hand. Team Guaita thought he would be the starting keeper. Team Alves, obviously, thought their man would be on top. The latter was right, Djukic took his bet on Alves and Valencia won 1-0.
The gears started shifting. Alves’ happiness had a stark contrast in Guaita’s gloomy mood. Reports started creeping up, slowly but steadily, pointing the Valencian keeper’s discomfort on the current situation and reporting that he had, as a result, turned down an offer from the club to renew and extend his contract.
Everything started falling into place nicely. Yesterday we saw the next chapter in this drama: reportedly -by Team Guaita-, an Arsenal representative -who may, or may not, have been contacted by the player’s agents on the last couple of days- is coming to Valencia to make a bid for the keeper and negotiate with Salvo and Braulio. See? As predictable as it gets.
I hate this kind of stuff. I hate the chess game played by agents -who seek money and are able to use clubs and players as their personal puppets-, spokespeople and the media. I hate half-truths and whole-lies. I loathe with passion those players who give up at the first bump in the road. And I think that Guaita is better, much better than this. I think that he is only a pawn in this game, unfortunately, when he should be a king in the chessboard.
Djukic seems to have chosen Diego Alves as the starting keeper, but his opinion may change as the tide does every day in the sea. And he’s the manager, so I would not dare to question his decisions. Guaita would be a fool to listen to people who have never played football and should put up and shut up. Show everybody he’s worthy of defending the Valencia CF goal. With fantastic saves inside the pitch and not with gossip in the tabloids.
He’s better than this nonsense. Both goalkeepers are. Unluckily, many people –and journalists, too- usually forget than having two top-class players at one position is a gift for any team in the world. In Valencia we are ‘that’ stupid: instead of thanking whoever is responsible for this, we kill each other mercilessly. Damn.
Paco Polit (@PacoPolit)
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