Spain have gone down the Gareth Southgate route by selling their Beneath-21 supervisor Luis de la Fuente to the senior group, however it’s not the Southgate similarities that the Spanish Soccer Federation had been pushing this week. De La Fuente is the polar reverse of Luis Enrique and that, it appears, is precisely what they wished after the World Cup led to failure.
Southgate took over as England supervisor in 2016 after three years with the Beneath-21s successful the Toulon Match with a squad that included Jordan Pickford and Jack Grealish.
De la Fuente has additionally thrived as a youth coach main the Beneath-19s from 2013 to 2018 and successful the Euros with them in 2015. In 2018 he took over the Beneath-21s and gained the Euros with them in 2019. That, and the truth that he led the Spain Olympic aspect to silver in Tokyo in 2020, means he has labored with nearly everybody in Spain’s present squad.
Spain appointed Luis de la Fuente as Luis Enrique’s alternative after their World Cup exit
He’s additionally finest positioned to choose the gamers who’re prepared to return by from the present Beneath-21 group, with Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella and Actual Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi prime candidates to step up.
There may be a recall for Kepa Arrizabalaga who he likes and who Miguel Angel España additionally charges extremely. España was Spain’s Beneath-21 goalkeeping coach and he shall be becoming a member of De La Fuente with the senior group.
The brand new man will transfer Spain away from the 4-3-3 with a false 9 and a dedication to taking part in by groups that Luis Enrique most well-liked. The longer term now could be 4-2-3-1, a set centre-forward, and a extra hybrid taking part in type.
However that’s not the most important distinction between him and the out-going supervisor. Luis Enrique was floor breaking in the whole lot he did from whizzing across the coaching camp on an digital scooter to committing himself to dwell streaming on Twitch throughout a serious match, even when there was a sport on on the time (not a Spain one clearly; he wasn’t that radical).
Spain crashed out in Qatar within the last-16 after a shock defeat on penalties to Morocco
Enrique took cost of his nation in 2018, however upset the normal media together with his type
Gareth Southgate managed the England Beneath-21 aspect for 3 years from 2013-2016, earlier than he was promoted to the senior aspect after Sam Allardyce’s acrimonious departure
Nobody complained concerning the supervisor embracing fashionable strategies of communication on a regular basis Spain had been thrashing Costa Rica and holding Germany, however after defeats to Japan and Morocco the story modified considerably and though Spanish Federation president Luis Rubiales denied he was sick of Luis Enrique’s idiosyncrasies this week, the injury had already been carried out by numerous tales suggesting precisely that.
The out-going coach upset the normal media by refusing to present interviews to established newspapers and radio whereas being prolific on social media. There was no mercy from them when he failed in Qatar and De La Fuente has been welcomed with open arms. ‘I don’t use social media and by no means will,’ he mentioned in his presentation earlier than doing interviews on all the massive late evening radio soccer reveals.
‘We may have 4 or 5 prime Spain squads, however we will solely choose one,’ he mentioned in a kind of interviews. That appears like a gross exaggeration however he does have a stable base of younger expertise with Pedri, Gavi, Alejandro Balde, Ansu Fati and Nico Williams all under-21.
What he does with the older gamers stays to be seen. When Julen Lopetegui took over as Spain coach one of many first issues he did was fly to Porto to inform Iker Casillas he wouldn’t be choosing him.
Enrique was floor breaking in the whole lot from whizzing across the coaching camp on an e-scooter to committing himself to dwell streaming on Twitch throughout a serious match
De la Fuente is the polar reverse of Enrique’s different type and lots of of his idiosyncrasies
De La Fuente may do the identical with Sergio Busquets, Sergio Ramos and Jordi Alba however to this point he has indicated that he’ll shut the door on no one who nonetheless needs to play for Spain. He does intend to talk to the three of them and take heed to what they really feel about carrying on.
His capacity to handle the massive names would be the largest take a look at for him in what’s his first massive job. He performed on the highest stage as a left again for Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla however by no means coached within the prime flight regardless of being eager on getting that likelihood.
‘This has little or no to do with membership administration,’ he argued yesterday when questioned about that hole in his CV. He obtained the nod forward of Marcelino who had confirmed himself at membership stage successful silverware with Valencia and Athletic Bilbao solely to be ignored. If De La Fuente begins badly in subsequent summer season Nations League Ultimate 4, and Marcelino remains to be free then the stress shall be on.
For now he solely has to not be Luis Enrique to get the Spanish sports activities media’s vote of confidence. He can try this for 3 months earlier than Erling Haaland and firm present him together with his first take a look at. The brand new Spain group kicks off with Norway at dwelling and Scotland away in March in Euros qualifiers, earlier than contesting the ultimate 4 with Italy, the Netherlands and Croatia in June.
