The Yellow Submarine - Taking Villareal back to the top

Thomas takes the reigns at Ed Madrigal

In an unexpected move, relatively novice manager Jack Thomas was today named the new manager at Villarreal causing shock waves through the city. The left wing appointment was a bold decision from erratic chairman Fernando Alfonso given his inexperience in major European football.

Alfonso has moved quickly to calm fans saying "I've got full faith in Jack to succeed during his time here and we will be supporting him in any way possible. The expectations are always the same, we will be looking to qualify for European Football and continue to push the club forward both on and off the pitch"

Many top players at El Madrigal are rumored to be unsettled by the appointment, but are however willing to meet the new manager to iron out any issues before making their opinions and decisions. Thomas' has yet to make a comment on matters but is expected to answer in what is due to be a packed press conference tomorrow afternoon.

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First Press Conference for Unknown Manager

It was a predictably packed Madrigal press room following the announcement of rookie manager 'Thomas to the post, with fans and media alike desperate to learn his aspirations for the club. He signed a three year contract with the club and was quick to answer his critics as he sat in front of the cameras for the first time.


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Guillem Balague: Welcome Jack, your first managerial post in football. What draw you to Villareal?: It's an extremely intimate club almost like family and I like that feel. I've been made to feel very welcome and the facilities here are fantastic. The warm weather was quite a decisive factor too!

Sky Espana: Your appointment has come as a big surprise to many, what can you bring to the club?: I feel i'm a good recruiter and manage a club from the sideline. I entrust my backroom staff as much as myself although the final say goes through me. I feel I can bring some youthful passion to the club and hopefully lead them to even more success than whats already been achieved.

Sky Espana: They're are rumors of players being bewildered with your appointment, what would you tell him?: To give me a chance. Im here to help them reach their potential and they all know that. I'm here to make changes for the best of the club and I won't keep a player here that would rather play elsewhere. If they want to be part of something potentially special, they'll stay but I won't stand in anyone's way.

Guillem Balague: Giovani Dos Santos has been quoted saying in the Mexican press he wants to move away, with many suitors looking to broker a deal for him. Whats your stance? Gio is a wonderful player but nobody here is bigger than the club. Gio is on a very high wage and if he was to leave it would give plenty of funding to replace him. If whats been quoted is true I wouldnt stand in his way and would wish him the best.

Guillem Balague: Other big players such as Mussachio have been linked with other clubs: Mateo again is a wonderful player. The rumors are true and we've already rejected two bids from Premier League clubs. Ideally we'd like to keep Mateo around and we are working towards that hopefully being the solution.

ESPN: What expectations have you been set this season: This club is too big to not play European football. You've all seen on the big euro nights what a cauldron this place turns into, so we will always be looking to be in European competition.

ESPN: Do you expect to be active in the window? Palermo duo Pablo Dybala and Fabio Darpela have been linked with moves to Villareal The window is full of speculation. Both are great talents but are not our player. We will have to sell before we can do any business but I'd be surprised if there wasn't a new face or two joining this summer.

Jokic departs, is Gio next?

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El Madrigal saw its first departure under it's new leadership. Slovenian International Bojan Jokic has left to the Eredevisie to join up with Feyenoord on a four-year deal. The transfee fee was reported to be around the 2 million pound mark, and Thomas' made it clear it was a decision Jokic made himself.

Thomas: "Bojan came into my office looking for an improved deal and unfortunately it wasnt something i'd be able to offer. To go elsewhere and get a four year contract at his age shows the professional he is and we all wish him the best."

They're are also mumors of Giovanni Dos Santos being the next player to depart the El Madrigal with several incoming bids from top european clubs. Dos Santos' is the clubs highest earner on close to 70k a week.

Gio seals Anfield switch

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Liverpool today broke the news of the signing of Giovanni Dos Santos from Villareal for a fee believed to be around the 12.5m mark. Many pundits feel it's a good price for a player regarded as one of Villareal's best. He puts pen to paper on a five-year, 60k a week deal. In his one year at El Madrigal he made 31 appearance and scored eleven goals. The fee is the biggest Villareal have ever recieved for a player, surpassing Diego Forlan.

Thomas was quick to point out he was looking to re-invest the funds from the deal, and a deal for a young midfielder is said to be close according to multiple sources. Murmurings around the city also suggest that Mateo Mussachio will stay with the club, despite Thomas' admitting bids have already come in for the commanding center half.

Thomas:"We've already had bids in excess of 20m from two English teams. Mateo has told me of his intent to qualify for the Champions League with this club and I have no doubts he will be part of this club this season"

Romero - Riquelme told me to make the switch

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Lucas Romero - Velez Sarsfield - £6,250,000

Thomas has looked to spend some of his available post-giovanni budget in the South Americas, completing the transfer of promising midfielder Lucas Romero for a fee just over the six million pound mark. The decorated youngster has already represented Argentina at u20 level and is predicted a massive future in the game. Upon announcing the signing, Romero told VillarealTV exclusively that he did speak to club legend Juan Roman Riquelme prior to agreeing the move.

I felt now was the time to make the step over into European football and show my quality. I spoke to Riquelme and his people and he said that Villareal was a great club with good fans where I'd be given the opportunity to show what I can do and I'm happy to be here.

Villareal pinch Sarabia from league rivals

Pablo Sarabia - Getafe - £4,500,000

Villareal today broke the news of their second incoming transfer of the summer, Spanish midfielder Pablo Sarabia joining from league opposition in Getafe. The promising midfielder signed a four-year deal with the club with Villareal.. Thomas' explained the signing and the contract terms, saying they were best for the club and player.

Jack Thomas:

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"Pablo has an extremely bright future in the game and it was important for me that in any deal that we tied him down to the club for some time. I feel the fee we paid is a bargain considering he's a Spanish player and I look forward to sharing success with him."

It brings Thomas' total spending to just shy of the ten million pound mark, Sarabia the second arrival after Lucas Romero arrived from Velez Sarsfield.