LAS ROZAS (MADRID), June 2 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The national soccer coach, Luis de la Fuente, assured that he is “just as happy” in the position as when he was appointed and that he feels “totally and absolutely supported” despite the rumors about the existence of doubts in the RFEF about his person, making it clear that “recognition must be earned day by day”, starting with the ‘F4’ of the League of Nations, “a different context” that has led him to make a list of summoned that he believes to be “perfect”.
“I’m still just as happy, committed, calm, reflective and responsible. I’m overflowing with enthusiasm, how can I not be faced with two games that can make us win a title that the Absolute team hasn’t done for 11 years? I know where I am, it is my job, when we win the criticism will be favorable and when not, more unfavorable”, De la Fuente said at a press conference after giving the list for the ‘F4’ of the League of Nations.
The coach stressed that the president of the RFEF, Luis Rubiales, was “clear and forceful” about his future and “said that this information was false.” “I feel the support of him and that of the Sports Management, and, what is more important, that of the players because that is how they transmit it to me,” he stressed.
“I feel totally and absolutely supported,” reiterated the man from Haro, who is not worried about being more in the spotlight than if someone with a better name were in his place. “There are people that we have to prove more things, but I’ve been like this for 40 years and I’m a born fighter, with the values of effort and sacrifice. This does not create a stressful situation for me or limit me to make decisions or give me doubts, at the On the contrary, it motivates me. In the years that I have been in the RFEF we have always had results and I am convinced that they will be repeated in the Absolute”, he asserted.
De la Fuente knows that in his position there is “a very powerful media exposure and opinions for all tastes”, but he was “convinced” that they are doing “the right thing to achieve success.”
“Recognition must be earned day by day. We all like to be given a bit of varnish, but one earns it with daily work,” he added in the current comparison with José Luis Mendilibar, Sevilla coach, whom he congratulated on the conquest of the Europa League.
The man from Haro sees himself “responsible” and “calm” to make some decisions “in a very thoughtful way”, and considered that he was self-critical after the defeat against Scotland in March, although “perhaps not enough”. “The first one to do an analysis is me and I am (self-critical), perhaps sometimes excessively. All the assessment of that game helps us to be better and I’m sure we’re going to be better and so on in the future,” he stressed, sure that “experiences help to be better”.
“I THINK IT IS A PERFECT LIST FOR A DIFFERENT CONTEXT”
On his list for the ‘F4’ of the League of Nations, he made it clear that he has made it for a “different context”. “This, more than ever, is designed to win because in two games you can win a title,” said the coach.
The man from La Rioja warned that he has not departed from “a process of continuity” due to the changes made with respect to March. “I did not want to say that the previous one was the only one for the future. Our pool of players is much broader and we will be contemplating each scenario. We have chosen based on the game plan and the different scenarios,” he stressed.
“Each context is different and changes are not made on a whim, they have been assessed and analyzed. ‘F4’ has nothing to do with a qualifying phase, they are two games that must be won, and whether they are more or less young, they are the players that we believe are going to give us performance in this context. We believe that we have made a perfect list for these very important matches”, he detailed, insisting that the absences have not been “because of their poor performance”.
“LE NORMAND HAS HAD AN EXCEPTIONAL COURSE IN RECENT YEARS”
One of the great novelties is the central defender of the Royal Society Robin Le Normand, once he already has Spanish nationality thanks to the “great work of the legal-legal department to ensure that he has the documentation” and also to the “disposition” of the player to play with the ‘Red.
“I am convinced that he is a great footballer, with an exceptional career in recent years and a fantastic future in a position where we now need footballers of this level”, he admitted. Also, after the France coach, Didier Deschamps, said that he didn’t know the center-back very well, it was clear. “I watch all the leagues a lot and it’s hard for us to miss great players,” he settled, while he acknowledged that having three center-backs seems “enough” to him.
Regarding Jesús Navas, who returns at the age of 37, he clarified that it is “a different situation” from that of Sergio Ramos and that he is “in a great moment” and “fits perfectly” with what they are looking for, while Sergio Canales, another of the who returns, stated that he is an “exceptional footballer” who they know will “give” them what they need at any given time. From the front, he indicated they have “different characteristics and possibilities of play.” “That is what gives us security, more than looking at a type of striker,” he pointed out.
Finally, asked about the absence of Dani Ceballos and a possible tense atmosphere in the previous call with the Barça player Gavi, he denied it. “You will all agree on what I can feel for Dani. I do not pretend that they are friends here, I demand camaraderie and they had it, the behavior was exquisite, I only tried to iron out rough edges outside the national team. Many years will coincide in the national team “, he sentenced.