Valencia finally hired Rafael Benitez as manager on July 1, 2001. This decision surprised the players, according to Valencia goalkeeper Santiago Canizares, who said that the club had previously tried to hire either Javier Irureta, José Manuel Esnal Pardo, or Luis Aragonés as a replacement for Héctor Cper. Benitez coached Tenerife in the Spanish Second Division during the just-completed campaign prior to this one.
Benitez is credited with having said it himself;
"Even though I come from the Segunda División and you just played in the final of the Champions League, I believe that I have the tools necessary to help you progress."
Benitez quickly won over everyone by introducing an attacking style of play, and in his first season in charge (2001-02), the club won its first La Liga title in 31 years. This was also Benitez's first managerial position.
After failing to place in the top four the next season, Valencia came back strong in 2003-04, winning La Liga for a second time with three games to spare and the UEFA Cup after claiming a 2-0 victory against Marseille in the championship game.
Benitez left on June 1, 2004, after having a disagreement with the club about player signings; around two weeks after his resignation, he was hired as the manager of Liverpool.
According to TalkSport, He is the most successful manager the club has had up until this point, having won two league titles and the UEFA Cup.
Photo Credit Google
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