Claramunt sends message for Valencia's Regional Day

Valencia's Regional Day is celebrated on October 9th, and ahead of the festivities VCF Media spoke with club legend Pep Claramunt. The former Valencia CF player talked about the impact of the region and the importance of having homegrown players in the first team.

"Valencia's regional day is undoubtedly one of the most important. It's the day in which all Valencian people are celebrated, and commemorates that the region is important in Spain and the world. It's a celebration that reinforces the personality of Valencians, and that is always important," he explained.

"Undoubtedly, when you start out you want to achieve something in life. To succeed here is the greatest thing that can happen to you in your life. It fills you with joy and satisfaction, and everything that you do is for the enjoyment of the fans of Valencia CF.

"You are representing Valencia CF, but the symbols aren't just those of the club. You represent the entire Valencia region, and all of Spain."

On the role of homegrown talent, Claramunt commented that:

"Valencia CF are a club  that have players come through from the youth system, and they have always achieved big things. Having homegrown players, brought up in the academy, with the excitement about representing the club from their region, means that Valencia CF always have a chance of doing something big. What Valencian players want is to satisfy the fans and make them enjoy themselves. The club can boast of being an international side, with a big presence in Europe.

"It makes the fans feel as if they are players too. They transmit that to the players on the pitch, and the players feel more secure and supported. They feel as if they can do more things, because they have an extra player in the Valencia CF fans."

"There is a very 'Valencian' atmosphere in the squad. I think that this will create a different atmosphere amongst the fans and the players to that of these recent years, when there haven't been fans at the stadium. The players didn't feel supported in those games, and there wasn't that connection between players and fans.

"The fans must be happy that the coach is Valencian. The Valencian players will identify with him. He spent many years coaching in lower levels in Valencia. He knows the atmosphere and everything that Valencian players might feel, because he knows their character."