Xavi Valero
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Vicent Xavier Valero Verchili | ||
| Date of birth | 28 February 1973 | ||
| Place of birth | Castellón de la Plana, Spain | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–1996 | Castellón | (0) | |
| 1996–1997 | Mallorca | 1 | (0) |
| 1997–2000 | Logroñés | 57 | (0) |
| 2000–2002 | Castellón | (0) | |
| 2002–2003 | Real Murcia | 3 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | Córdoba | 4 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | Real Murcia | (0) | |
| 2005 | Wrexham | 4 | (0) |
| 2005–2006 | Recreativo de Huelva | 2 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | Gramenet | 2 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Vicent Xavier 'Xavi' Valero Verchili (born 28 February 1973 in Castellón de la Plana), is a former Spanish football goalkeeper.
After a playing career with Castellón, Mallorca, Logroñés (where he worked with José Ochotorena), Real Murcia, Córdoba, he signed for a short spell with Wrexham,[1][2] to improve his English (learnt at the University of Castellón).
After retiring from playing, Valero took his coaching badges, gaining a Masters in Goalkeeper Coaching from the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and a Master of Sports Psychology UNED in Madrid.[3]
After José Ochotorena decided to return to Spain to work with Valencia, Rafael Benítez appointed Valero head goalkeeping coach of Liverpool in July 2007.[3]
Valero has been praised by former Liverpool striker Fernando Torres as one of the biggest reasons for his goals. Torres stated that during training, Valero instructs the players on how goalkeepers in future games react to one-on-one situations.[4]
He joined Inter Milan along with other former members of Rafa Benítez's backroom team. However his stint was only short lived when he left the club in December 2010 along with Rafael Benítez and returned to his family home in Merseyside, England. Then he worked with Benitez again in Napoli, he is currently the goalkeeper coach at Real Madrid Club de Fútbol following the announcement of appointing Rafael Benitez as head coach of the Spanish team.
References
- ^ in January 2005 BBC SPORT | Football | Welsh | Haverfordwest 1-2 Wrexham
- ^ Devine, Darren (11 January 2005). "El of a task for Dragons' new keeper". Wales Online. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
- ^ a b http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/reds-appoint-new-goalkeeping-coach
- ^ Goal.com - Liverpool - Torres: Premiership Defenders Are Dodgy!
- ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/european/7808432/Inter-Milan-president-Massimo-Moratti-hints-that-Rafael-Benitez-deal-is-imminent.html