Joaquín: Now We Have A Real Coach

Joaquín believes that there is a stark difference between the mentality and performances on the pitch at Valencia and the atmosphere within the squad between this season and last term.

The Spain international had a torrid time under Ronald Koeman last year and looked set to be leaving the club in the summer, before the Dutchman went before the end of the campaign.

Valencia went back to the top of the league, level on points with Villarreal, after their win over Deportivo and Joaquín explained why he felt it had happened.

"The team is practically the same, but what Unai (Emery) has done has given us a bit of order and we all know what we have to do," he told reporters.

"Now the coach knows what's what and does not go about making things up. Fortunately this season we have a real trainer

"The squad has changed a lot in terms of the feeling here and we are all thinking differently.

"We are forgetting about last year when there were a lot of non-sport and sporting problems and too many things were said."

Marco Caneira and Santi Cañizares were highlighted as two trouble-makers, but Joaquín does not think that any individuals within the squad should be blamed.

"It is not that any of them created real problems, although Caneira had problems with certain players and Cañizares was frozen out of the team," he added.

"But in general there were a lot of problems and nobody should pinpoint them as being the guilty parties."