Tevenet's brutal honesty: 'We're our own worst enemy' as Valladolid battle anxiety issues
Real Valladolid manager Luis García Tevenet speaks candidly about his team's mental struggles ahead of their crucial away fixture against Córdoba in Segunda División.
Valladolid boss admits his team is struggling with anxiety, particularly at home, as they prepare for Córdoba clash
Luis García Tevenet isn’t pulling any punches about Valladolid’s current predicament. The gaffer has come out and said what many fans have been thinking - that the team has become its own worst enemy, particularly when playing at the José Zorrilla stadium where anxiety seems to be getting the better of them.
Mental fragility exposed
Speaking ahead of their trip to Nuevo Arcángel to face Córdoba, Tevenet used a rather poignant metaphor to describe the team’s emotional state following their disappointing defeat to Albacete:
“It’s like when a small child has a balloon and watches with excitement as it inflates, but suddenly someone pops it. And that someone was us.”
That’s proper Adam’s apple stuff, innit? The manager clearly believes the squad’s morale fluctuates dramatically based on results, creating a vicious cycle that’s hard to break.
Academy pressure cooker
One interesting angle Tevenet touched on was how the presence of numerous academy graduates might be contributing to the pressure. While he considers it “something beautiful to see so many club-trained players on the pitch,” he acknowledges these local lads might feel additional responsibility when performing in front of their home crowd.
The boss has spent the week not just preparing tactical solutions for the Córdoba match but also working on the mental aspects of the game, trying to harness what he called the players’ “brutal willingness” to deliver a strong performance in Andalusia.
Team selection headaches
Tevenet faces some selection dilemmas for the upcoming fixture, particularly at right-back where he needs to replace the suspended Iván Alejo. He’s been experimenting with Ramón Martínez, Garri, and even Tomeo as potential solutions.
The manager described Córdoba as a side with “many automatisms” due to their stability under the same coach for several years. Despite this challenge, Tevenet remains confident his squad has the quality to compete effectively.
New signings update
On the transfer front, it appears Carlos Clerc will be Valladolid’s final winter window acquisition. Tevenet provided positive updates on Clerc, Ohio and Sanseviero, noting all three have undergone “a brutal week of conditioning work” and are ready to contribute, though he’ll be careful about when to integrate them.
“We need to see and analyze when they can be used so that everything is positive,” Tevenet explained, emphasizing that rushing them into action wouldn’t benefit anyone despite all three being fit enough to travel with the squad.