Liverpool's new goalkeeping coach was so bad he was branded club's worst-ever keeper

A goalkeeping coach branded as Wrexham's worst-ever keeper has rejoined Premier League champions Liverpool. Xavi Valero has returned to Anfield as the Reds' new head of goalkeeper coaching after a seven-year spell at West Ham.

The Spaniard has carved out an impressive coaching career after first joining Liverpool under Rafael Benitez in 2007. The 52-year-old later followed his compatriot to Inter Milan, Chelsea, Napoli and Real Madrid, before later linking up with the Hammers in the summer of 2018.

However, Valero's playing career was less distinguished after it began with Spanish teams like Castellon and Lagrones in the late-1990s and early-2000s. Following spells in the Spanish Segunda Division and Segunda Division B, he arrived on British shores in January 2005.

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Valero's move to Wrexham happened after the club's first-choice goalkeeper suffered a thigh injury, leaving them without a senior shot-stopper. Denis Smith was Wrexham's manager at the time and made the decision to sign Valero on a one-month deal, despite previously only having seen video footage of him.

His stint with the Red Dragons was both short and disastrous as he, conceded nine goals in three appearances in League One, dropping several howlers along the way. Valero was hooked off by Smith at half-time during his final game against Chesterfield after the keeper's teammates told the manager they weren't comfortable playing with him.

Former Wrexham coach Kevin Russell previously revealed he had major reservations about the signing before it was even agreed.

Talking to the Fearless in Devotion podcast, he said: "We got a video sent through of him. We were watching it with Denis, and there was a big crowd. Denis said, 'He looks alright, I think I might sign him.' I said, 'That might not even be him. I'm not comfortable signing him like that.'

"We played Chesterfield away, and it's got be the worst f***ing 45 minutes I've ever had in terms of a goalkeeping experience. Denis goes, 'I'm f***ing taking him off.' I said, 'Take him off? I wanted to get him off after the first ten minutes.'

Russell added: "I say that, but what a coaching career that boy has had. He must not work on catching the f***ing football."

Valero's return to Liverpool follows the departure of Fabian Otte and Claudio Taffarel from the Reds' goalkeeping department. His arrival was announced alongside that of Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who takes the position of Arne Slot's assistant coach after it was vacated when John Heitinga took over as the new Ajax boss this summer.

In contrast to his playing days, Valero's talents as a coach are clear to see and not just isolated to assisting goalkeepers. He was once praised by former Liverpool striker Fernando Torres for helping to improve his finishing.

Speaking in 2008, Torres said: "We've a Spanish goalkeeping coach and he has been a genius at telling me every week exactly what kind of task lies in front of me in the following match. Nobody has ever worked with me like this before. It's outstanding.

"Basically, I know days before the next game exactly the best way to finish a chance against the keeper I'm about to face. Xavi Valero tells me precisely what each keeper tends to do – stay big, go down early, if they have a preferred side they try to push you to. It's vital information. I've refined the way I take chances as a result."

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