'Sorry' coach punted days after World Cup calamity

1 year ago 103

Luis Enrique has been replaced by Luis de la Fuente arsenic Spain's coach, 2 days aft the national squad was eliminated successful the circular of 16 astatine the World Cup.

Spain mislaid to Morocco 3-0 successful a punishment shootout aft a scoreless gully successful regular and other time.

The Spanish footballfederation thanked Luis Enrique, but said it was clip to “start a caller project” to support the maturation achieved by the manager successful caller years. It said the alteration was made aft a proposal by its sporting officials.

Luis Enrique said helium was thankful to his players portion helium was successful charge, arsenic good arsenic to federation president Luis Rubiales.

“I'm atrocious I wasn't capable to assistance more,” the outgoing manager said successful a connection posted connected Twitter and Instagram. “It was precise peculiar to beryllium portion of this.”

He besides thanked fans and called for their enactment to the caller coach.

“What the nationalist squad needs is support, successful each its meaning, truthful Luis de la Fuente tin execute the goals.”

The 61-year-old De la Fuente, a erstwhile near backmost with Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao, helped Spain's under-19 squad triumph the European Championship successful 2015, and the under-21 squad triumph Euro 2019. He besides coached Spain's squad, which won a metallic medal astatine the Tokyo Olympic Games.

De la Fuente had coached the elder nationalist squad once, erstwhile younker players were utilized successful a affable against Lithuania due to the fact that the main squad had to spell into isolation due to the fact that of the coronavirus.

Other candidates who had been considered too De la Fuente, who was Spain's under-21 coach, included erstwhile Belgium manager Roberto Martínez and erstwhile Athletic Bilbao manager Marcelino García Toral.

Spain got disconnected to a bully commencement successful Qatar, routing Costa Rica 7-0, but La Roja couldn't triumph again successful its past 3 matches. It drew 1-1 with Germany and mislaid 2-1 to Japan earlier being held by Morocco.

Luis Enrique took implicit the nationalist squad successful 2018 to commencement revamping the squad aft its elimination successful the circular of 16 of the World Cup successful Russia. He temporarily near due to the fact that of the unwellness and eventual decease of his young daughter, but returned successful 2019.

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He helped Spain scope the past 4 of the Nations League twice, including this play and past year, erstwhile it mislaid the last to France.

He besides led Spain to the semi finals of the European Championship past year, losing to Italy successful a punishment shootout.

Luis Enrique’s declaration ended aft the World Cup. The erstwhile Barcelona subordinate and manager had said moments aft the nonaccomplishment to Morocco that helium would instrumentality immoderate clip to remainder earlier starting talks with the federation astir his future. He said helium would person liked to enactment with the nationalist squad “forever,” but knew that it mightiness not beryllium possible.

The 52-year-old Luis Enrique, not agelong agone seen arsenic 1 of the astir uptight coaches successful football, had opened up astatine the World Cup, doing streaming sessions, going connected bicycle rides and talking frankly astir arguable issues.

The team’s elimination successful Qatar raised much questions astir whether Spain should commencement overhauling its shot doctrine and get escaped of the “tiki-taka” ball-possession benignant that has not produced results recently. Luis Enrique had said helium wasn't readying to relinquish the “tiki-taka” if helium remained arsenic coach, and De la Fuente besides is apt to support it alive.

De la Fuente is expected to marque his debut with the elder squad erstwhile Spain resumes playing successful qualifying for Euro 2024 successful March adjacent year. The federation was besides changing its sporting director.

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