From dreamland to embarrassment: Carlos Corberan’s bumpy start at Valencia following West Brom exit..
Taking a look at Carlos Corberan’s progress since leaving West Brom for Valencia.
It’s now been nearly two months since Carlos Corberan took the bold decision to depart West Bromwich Albion for boyhood club Valencia.
The Spaniard’s exit rocked Albion as Corberan had been an excellent servant for the club and many were excited to see what could be achieved in the future under his stewardship. From steering the Baggies away from the relegation zone following Steve Bruce’s failure to narrowly missing out on the play-offs in the same season, finishing in the top six the next year and then sending Albion on their way for another play-off run… Corberan had great success at The Hawthorns.
It wasn’t just Corberan’s departure that had an impact, it was the timing. Announced on Christmas Eve just 10 minutes before the clock struck midnight, West Brom becoming managerless was far from the Christmas present supporters would’ve wanted to wake up to. That was the reality, however, and it took three and a half weeks for Albion to fill the void by re-appointing Tony Mowbray.
It’s been a bit stop-start under Mowbray so far with two wins, one draw and three defeats in his opening six matches in charge. It was a similar story under the interim management of Chris Brunt and Damia Abella, too, with one win, three draws and two defeats during their short stint in the dugout. Enough of West Brom, though. How has Corberan been faring since his exit and did he make the right decision?
Returning to his boyhood club was always going to be a very difficult opportunity to turn down, especially when a role as significant as head coach was available. Corberan grew up near the city of Valencia and played as a goalkeeper for the club’s youth academy before retiring as a player and pursuing coaching at the age of 23, so he’s always loved the club.
A romantic reunion fit for any Christmas, Corberan was welcomed back with open arms by the supporters – even if he never made a senior appearance for the club in his playing days. As the 41-year-old had previously been targeted by the likes of Southampton and Leicester City in the Premier League, Valencia were delighted he accepted their offer.
When Corberan arrived, Valencia were second-bottom of La Liga and four points adrift from safety. A club of such magnitude – one that has only ever been relegated from the Spanish top flight once before – had found themselves in deep trouble. Los Ches had picked up just 12 points from their opening 17 matches, managing just two wins alongside six draws and nine defeats.
