New Valencia coach Aguirre aims to gain fans' support with wins, says he turned down 4 other offers

MADRID (AP) — Veteran coach Javier Aguirre said he turned down four other jobs before accepting the challenge to coach struggling Spanish club Valencia, and vowed to regain the fans' support with victories.

Aguirre , taking over his seventh different Spanish club after coaching his native Mexico at the World Cup, was officially presented as Valencia's new manager on Monday.

“I had turned down four other job offers and was happy spending time with my family, but when Valencia CF called, I told my wife we had to come here,” the 67-year-old Aguirre said. “She loves football even more than I do, so she was thrilled about it.”

Aguirre did not elaborate on the job offers he turned down before agreeing to replace the fired Carlos Corberán.

The 67-year-old Aguirre’s third stint as Mexico coach ended with a last-16 loss to England at the World Cup in Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. He previously coached Spanish clubs Osasuna, Atletico Madrid, Real Zaragoza, Espanyol, Leganes and Mallorca.

Aguirre was given a contract until the end of the season, with a club option to extend the deal for an additional year.

Valencia has lost five of its first seven games of the season and is second-to-last in the Spanish league.

Aguirre said he felt welcomed by the fans and sensed a “positive atmosphere” upon arriving at the club, but acknowledged that “it’s all about results, and we hope to deliver them as soon as possible.”

His first game will be at promoted Racing Santander on Oct. 11.

“People are going to be tired of messages. We’re going to play Racing Santander and we’re going to go for the win,” he said. “The victory is what is needed.”

Before Aguirre's arrival, Valencia fans had been protesting against players and team owner Peter Lim, a Singaporean businessperson they say only treats the club as a business.

“The plan is to win, and for the team to have a style and an identity,” Aguirre said. “The fans will gradually get on board as the wins start coming.”

His hiring completed an early-season reconstruction of Valencia’s soccer operations after its poor start in La Liga. When firing Corberán, Valencia also removed chief executive Ron Gourlay and has since appointed Braulio Vázquez as sporting director.

“Beyond his experience, what I liked the most when we started talking was his eagerness to come here,” Vázquez said of Aguirre. “We didn’t even discuss financial terms. He really conveyed a strong desire to join. I want to thank him and his coaching staff for taking the decision to come to our club during a difficult time.”

Valencia hasn't finished higher than ninth in La Liga since coming fourth in 2017-18 and 2018-19. It was ninth last season.

See AP’s full soccer coverage here