David Ramos has enjoyed nougat at his house in Torrejón and is now relishing a well-deserved rest. Very few had anticipated that the Madrid coach would continue leading Viña Albali Valdepeñas at this point in the calendar. However, in just 23 days, the blue team seems to have found its rhythm again. Securing three consecutive victories before the Christmas break.
On the last Friday of December, he took his place on the bench at the Jorge Garbajosa pavilion. Aware that the match against Movistar Inter could potentially be his last as the coach of Viña Albali Valdepeñas. The spectacular 2-5 victory against the Madrid team not only earned him the right to continue but also showcased the team’s performance and image.
The final two games of 2023, played at Virgen de la Cabeza on the 9th and 23rd against Jimbee Cartagena (3-1) and Córdoba World Heritage Site (3-1), confirmed a therapeutic December with nine points. These points have definitively dispelled any doubts about David Ramos’s continuity in a project he has led for the past five years.
President Luis Palencia’s reluctance to part ways with him, coupled with the absence of a high-level replacement when the situation at Valdepeñas was critical, prevented his dismissal. Time has proven the Viña Albali board right. Despite being excluded from the Spanish Cup and enduring thirteen league games with only two wins, five draws, and six losses.
They exercised patience with David Ramos.
The Madrid coach emphasized: “The important thing is that the team feels confident again and understands that we have a key month of January ahead. We need to enjoy a decent vacation. After this last dynamic but be smart because we know we have to give much more and recover everything we have left behind.”
Ramos vindicated his team, stating: “We have the qualities to enjoy competing. We hadn’t forgotten how to play. But, fundamentally, we must leave with the feeling that we can achieve important things, especially at home, where we can’t afford to miss anything. We must continue to be forceful and mark our territory.”
Reflecting on the situation, Ramos admitted: “It got out of hand; we may have thought we are something we’re not. That’s where we lost our way, not just in the spoken words but in how we faced the issue from the stands and responded on the court. Taking responsibility, I think all of this has affected us and led us to trip each other up.”
After weathering the storm, the blue coach acknowledged, “I’ve personally suffered; it’s been a tough year and a half, with a lot of pressure, though it may not seem like it. After the successful previous year, it made me realize as a professional that we must reinvent ourselves, overcome challenges, and take a step forward if we want to continue.”
In an extreme situation, Ramos remarked.
“It made me see many things, the staff has been tested, and I am much calmer with a clear conscience. I am stronger than before, enjoying my day-to-day, putting passion into it. This has shown me that I need to enjoy it even more.”
Looking ahead, Ramos asserted: “I’ve been here for five wonderful years, giving my all. I’ll continue fighting for this project, and if someone comes to improve it, I’ll respect them. But for me to leave, it has to be a catastrophe or if I believe I won’t continue fighting, and I will keep fighting.”
Regarding the winter market, Álex González’s recent performances have dispelled doubts in goal. The Valdepeñera’s priority would be an offensive player if an opportunity arises. Ramos concluded, “If something comes, it has to improve what exists. It’s complicated, but I’ve always said we can never rest; there are very few things. Right now, it’s difficult, but we must always be vigilant.