LaLiga: Could turning to the kids be Valencia's only saving grace?

“There used to be a football club over there,” is a quote attributed to Keith Burkinshaw after Tottenham Hotspur had won the UEFA Cup in 1984, a year after they’d become the first publicly traded football team. A dispute with the board meant he left the club with his head held high and a winner’s medal around his neck. This still remains the last time Burkinshaw or Spurs have reached a European final.

Over in Valencia you can find endless amounts of people repeating that same quote. It’s a city that is broken due to their football club appearing to be on life support. On the verge of financial ruin they thought Peter Lim was their saviour, the billionaire to heal their wounds and reestablish Los Che as one of the biggest teams in Europe, which they are, to its former glory. “Gracias, Peter Lim.”

After a first season of success the Mestalla began to fill again. And while it’s easy to dismiss this as fans being glory hunters, you need to remember that 42.5% of Valencia’s under 25-year-olds are unemployed and claiming benefits. Money is tight here and watching your football team is a luxury most cannot afford but it’s easier to justify if they’re performing well.

The “Gracias, Peter Lim” has now turned to “Peter Lim, vete ya.” Nuno Espirito Santo, Gary Neville and Pako Ayestaran all heard the same chant as fans have grown tired of failed experiments and the old boys’ club mentality Valencia appear to have. “Go now” is the literal translation and all of those who’ve had the fans chant this towards them can have no complaints as each failed just as much, if not more, than the previous one.

Valencia supporters initially laughed off the “You’re getting relegated!” chants, as rival fans enjoyed the club’s instability. Fast forward to the beginning of 2017 and that laughter has turned to a nervous, panicked look and fingers nails are being bitten and spat out more often than ‘pipas’ [sunflower seeds] – which is saying something.

The ‘we’re too big to go down mantra’ isn’t something that exists in Valencia. If you ask any supporter in the street whether they’re in a relegation battle or if they fear going down to LaLiga’s second division, 95% of them would admit they are. The draw away to Osasuna last night was further evidence of this and fans are legitimately worried about the future of their club, not just if they get relegated, but whether they’d exist should that scenario come to fruition.

Would Lim walk away once he’d got his money back?

Valencia are on their third manager of the season and we’ve only just entered January. Suso Garcia Pitarch has also left his position as director of football this week and the club has appointed the academy director to cover that post on a short-term basis. It’s telling, I think, that appointments are coming from within the current structure as no one in their right mind would want to accept the challenge of working under the conditions of which so many have already failed.

Think of it as cutting the head off a Hydra. It gives you a brief respite but soon another one will reappear to take its place. Where is Hercules with his golden sword when you need him?

There is, however, a little light at the end of the tunnel for Valencia.

The one thing Valencia as a club has managed over the years is bringing through quality youth players. We often hear about how successful ‘La Masia’ is at Barcelona or ‘La Fabrica’ at Real Madrid but arguably Valencia has a steadier flow of talent coming through its ranks than most. Now a few may have failed to make the grade at larger academies, such as Juan Mata, but the opportunities were given to them at Valencia and it’s helped craft some of the biggest names in football today.

David Silva, Juan Bernat, Jordi Alba, Jose Luis Gaya, Raul Albiol, Paco Alcacer, Isco and David Albelda all came through the club’s academy and when the chips are down and money is low, maybe turning to the academy again could be Valencia’s saving grace.

Voro, the current coach who knows the youngsters well, isn’t afraid to put his faith in the kids. Against Osasuna he started Carlos Soler, one of the brightest talents to emerge in recent years at the club, and later brought on Toni Lato at left back and Sito on the wing. When Cesare Prandelli said he wanted to see players who’d die for the shirt, what better place to look than those who have come through the youth ranks and are desperate for a chance to prove themselves?

Lots of fans have clamoured for Soler to be given his chance despite the raft of signings in central midfield. Enzo Perez, Mario Suarez and Dani Parejo are seen as first choice but at least two of those three are enduring their worst seasons as professionals, so why not give Soler an opportunity? In his first two league appearances for the club Soler has looked assured on the ball, unawed by the plight of the club and bringing much needed calmness to the midfield.

It seemed rather convenient that after he’d made his debut he was suddenly a target for Manchester United but, in a couple of years time, that might be true. Voro trusts him more than he does established names at the club which is exactly what the player needs. It’s important too much isn’t demanded from Soler, as he’s only 20 and entering a side devoid of quality and confidence, but should he come through this season as a first team regular then we might have found our new local hero.

Lato, yet another outstanding left-back, is behind Jose Luis Gaya in the pecking order but has the talent to be a viable alternative there. Question marks hang over the future of Atletico Madrid loanee Guilherme Siqueira and his injury record alone means he can’t be depended on, so why not blood Lato into the side? It might be a year or two ahead of schedule but he’s ready. Once again, like Soler, in a team littered with nervous wrecks it was Lato who looked the most assured in defence when he came on against Osasuna. Crises make men out of boys.

Out of the three who appeared last night, Sito is perhaps the one who needs a little more time before he’s a player to count on. That isn’t an attack on him, as he looked lively when he came off the bench, but he’s still too raw to start matches for Valencia. He’s got the drive and character to take his chance should it come his way though, overcoming a serious knee injury to establish himself as one of the key players in the ‘Valencia Mestalla’ youth team. Sito has faced adversity and overcome his demons, something those in the current XI appear unable to do.

Javi Jimenez, another young talent, made his first team debut against Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey but found the going tough. The fans rallied behind him regardless and could be someone to call upon in the next couple of years, especially when you consider the disastrous form of the centre backs ahead of him in the first team.

Antonio Sivera, the star goalkeeper in Spain’s U19 triumph back in the summer of 2015, is another bright hope to look out for. The only position Valencia are littered with talent is at goalkeeper but you’d expect at least one of Diego Alves, Jaume Domenech or Mat Ryan to leave in the next year so he shouldn’t be too far off making his debut for the senior side.

Salva Ruiz has been unlucky with injuries but could play a squad role further down the line. Then there’s Fran Villalba, another kid so much is expected from, as well Rafa Mir and Nacho Gil further forward. The future looks bright at Valencia but it’s about making sure there is one at the club first.

It seems inevitable that there will be reinforcements coming in this month but it’s important that those who are signed, even on loan deals, don’t stunt the growth of the youngsters on the verge of making it into the first team.

There’s a delicate balance when it comes to blooding youngsters into the senior side, and that’s made all the more difficult when a club is going through an identity crisis, but they also shouldn’t be dismissed for simply being too young. If you’re good enough, you’re old enough.

The one thing that has never failed Valencia is its academy and right now, they need it more than ever.