Former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes has wasted no time in terms of taking on a leadership role since joining Manchester United on a free transfer earlier this month.
The 32 year old shot stopper was one of three overage players in the Manchester United U21 team that played Liverpool U21 on Monday night, and Warren Joyce, who coaches the United U21s, has revealed how Valdes gave a moving speech to his young team-mates before the game.
We have motivational speeches on Friday mornings where the lads have to find out their own information and give a speech, we were in the room and I was going to do something. He said "(Pep) Guardiola used to do this" and "I've got one or two".
Valdes then told his team-mates about the story of Dick Hoyt and his quadriplegic son Rick, who complete endurance events such as marathons and triathlons as "Team Hoyt". For more information on Team Hoyt, we recommend this excellent short video from ESPN that that shows what the inspirational father & son duo are all about:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgOu3Qwq3kQ
Joyce then continued:
The lads are in the room listening to this, it was unbelievable. The meaning at the end is: don't anybody say I can't - I can. I played the video and he talked through it - it was brilliant.
Manchester United U21 went on to win the game 2-1, thanks to goals from Nick Powell and Paddy McNair. We're not going to suggest that the Victor Valdes speech made the difference, but it clearly did and he is clearly the next Pep Guardiola.
via Daily Mail.
