VALENCIA, Spain (AP) - New Valencia coach Unai Emery called on his club to show more unity to recover its standing.
Emery, the youngest coach in the club's history at 36, said at his presentation Saturday that he hoped everyone connected with Valencia would feel part of his new project.
"I'm going to fight for unity, that of the board, the staff, the team, the fans and the media. Let's hope from now on we can recover the ground Valencia has lost and take a step forward," Emery said.
Emery, who has signed a two-year contract, has spent the past two seasons with Almeria, guiding the Andalusian team to promotion in 2007 and to an eighth-place finish this season in the Spanish league. Emery began coaching at Lorca, which he led into the second division.
"I've been a coach for only a short time, but I have always tried to learn a lot and work hard. I promise I will devote time and sweat and, I hope, tears of happiness for what we will achieve," he said.
Emery will be Valencia's third coach since last November. He follows Ronald Koeman, who was fired after five months in charge despite leadingmuk the team to the Copa del Rey title, and caretaker coach Salvador "Voro" Gonzalez.
Valencia, the 2002 and 2004 league champion under coach Rafa Benitez, mounted a late surge to end the season in 10th place after being threatened with relegation. The team will play in next season's UEFA Cup.
One of Emery's first tasks will be to cut the number of players from the 41 in the squad. News reports have suggested that Spanish internationals, striker David Villa and attacking midfielder David Silva, will be sold.
"I'm aiming to have a smaller squad in which everyone participates," Emery said.
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