Unai Emery (photo, left) has signed a two-year deal to manage Valencia after receiving assurances from directors about the club's stability. At a meeting in Valencia earlier this week, Emery accepted the post after being told that only one major player will have to be sold this summer as a result of the club's financial difficulties.

The 36 year old Basque coach has had an excellent couple of seasons at Almería, taking them into the first division at the end of last season, and finishing this one in eighth place on 52 points, making them only the second most successful newly-promoted side.

Previously, Emery spent just over two seasons in charge of Lorca following his appointment while still on the playing staff a few weeks before the end of the 04-05 when the Murcian side achieved promotion to the second division, only very narrowly missing out on promotion to the top division the following season.

A useful inside-left, his playing career, which spanned fourteen seasons, was cut short by a knee injury after spells at Real Sociedad, Toledo, Ferrol, Leganés and Lorca.

Koeman axed
By: thinkSPAIN
Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Within 24 hours of the humiliating 5-1 defeat in Bilbao, Valencia bosses sacked Ronald Koeman yesterday evening after a lengthy board meeting which lasted for most of the afternoon. Former Valencia and Spain star Salvador González - known simply as 'Voro' - has been appointed as Koeman's replacement until the end of the season as the club fights for first division survival.

Koeman, who has reportedly trousered severance pay of around ten million euros, said last night that he is "proud to have taken the club to such an important title as the King's Cup." When the Dutch coach arrived on November 2nd, Valencia were fourth in the league and just four points behind the leaders. 171 days later they are 33 points behind the leaders and just two points from relegation in 16th. From Koeman's 22 league games in charge (W4, D6, L11) Valencia have accumulated just 18 points from a possible 66.

'Voro' will be assisted by José Manuel Otxotorena, who replaces the also sacked José Mari Bakero, and the club has a new sporting director, Juan Sánchez, who replaces Miguel Ángel Ruiz. Koeman's second assistant manager, Toni Bruins Slot, has also been sacked.

The decision will give hope to Valencia's three exiled Spain internationals - David Abelda, Santiago Cañizares, and Miguel Ángel Angulo - who have not played since December 18th, and who will be keen to prove their fitness ahead of this summer's Euro 2008 finals.