Spain sack manager.

[PatHead]

Can’t do them any good in their World Cup bid. Seemingly for taking the Real Madrid job without telling them.

[Big_Franck]

Can’t do them any good in their World Cup bid. Seemingly for taking the Real Madrid job without telling them.

Seems like they are cutting their nose off to spite their face. At the press conference he's just held the Spanish FA president seems to have been annoyed at only finding out he was going to Madrid 5 minutes before Madrid announced it. He's then acted against the wishes of the senior players by getting rid of Lopetegui immediately when the players were happy to continue with him in charge for the World Cup. Farcical decision IMO.

[we are hibs]

Odds are Spain now? They still have a strong side

[jacomo]

Seems like they are cutting their nose off to spite their face. At the press conference he's just held the Spanish FA president seems to have been annoyed at only finding out he was going to Madrid 5 minutes before Madrid announced it. He's then acted against the wishes of the senior players by getting rid of Lopetegui immediately when the players were happy to continue with him in charge for the World Cup. Farcical decision IMO.


Sometimes you’ve got to stick to your guns.

Spain FA might reasonably expect their most important employee to be focusing on the job at hand, not negotiating his next job.

RM no doubt well aware that such business should have been put on hold but went ahead anyway, in their typically arrogant manner.

Of course I imagine the RM players in the Spain squad will be towing the party line!

[MWHIBBIES]

He's a rubbish manager anyway, can't see it being a big deal

[Callum_62]

He's a rubbish manager anyway, can't see it being a big deal

undefeated in 20 matches with Spain

[Sammy7nil]

undefeated in 20 matches with Spain

Why let the facts get in the way of a good put down :wink::greengrin

[pollution]

What a rat. He knew his position would be untenable just before the World Cup starts so he announces it now

without giving a damn for his erstwhile players. Real have recruited a turkey.

[JimBHibees]

He's a rubbish manager anyway, can't see it being a big deal

He has had them playing amazing recently, their 6-1 win against Argentina was hugely impressive.

Seems an incredibly self destructive decision.

[WeeRussell]

Odds are Spain now? They still have a strong side

What price do you want mate? :greengrin

[Eaststand]

[QUOTE=pollution;5429687]What a rat. He knew his position would be untenable just before the World Cup starts so he announces it now

This is it for me. He's been negotiating behind the backs of his Country's FA, and has made himself look silly.
I hope the Spanish Team do well without him

GGTTH

[Ozyhibby]

Barca and atletico threatened to withdraw their players if he did not step down.


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[Michael]

Barca and atletico threatened to withdraw their players if he did not step down.


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Should have called their bluff. No chance they'd do that.

[Billy Whizz]

Who’s replacing him

[ian cruise]

Barca and atletico threatened to withdraw their players if he did not step down.


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Surely only the ayer can withdraw, clubs have to release players if called up?

[Thecat23]

Who’s replacing him

Fernando Hierro.

[JimBHibees]

Barca and atletico threatened to withdraw their players if he did not step down.


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Why would they do that? Just because he was announced as Real manager? Can see the announcement as being embarrassing and you would assume he wouldn't want it coming out when it did however not sure it would have any impact on the performance of the team however his sacking will certainly do that. Quite bizarre position.

[Ozyhibby]

Why would they do that? Just because he was announced as Real manager? Can see the announcement as being embarrassing and you would assume he wouldn't want it coming out when it did however not sure it would have any impact on the performance of the team however his sacking will certainly do that. Quite bizarre position.

Both clubs would not want the real manager having access to their players including their medical records etc.
The players agreed. There was no way he was getting to carry on. It’s normal for senior management to be put on garden leave if they are moving to a competitor. Barca and Atletico both felt this was the same.


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[MWHIBBIES]

undefeated in 20 matches with SpainSacked by Porto despite having their biggest budget ever. He wont last long with Real Madrid.

[Keith_M]

Couldn't he have waited until after the World Cup before making a decision on his future? I'm sure his stock would still be high, so it's not as if he'd lose out on getting a top role.


This kinda makes me think of Bale's rant immediately after the Champion's League win. He could have just decided to say how pleased he was for the team and fans and what a great moment it was, but chose to make the interview all about him and basically threw his toys out the pram.


Bunch of self centered prima-donnas.

[JimBHibees]

Both clubs would not want the real manager having access to their players including their medical records etc.
The players agreed. There was no way he was getting to carry on. It’s normal for senior management to be put on garden leave if they are moving to a competitor. Barca and Atletico both felt this was the same.


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Still seems bizarre he would have had access to that information anyway.

[Ozyhibby]

Still seems bizarre he would have had access to that information anyway.

That’s in the past and can’t be helped. There is no way the two clubs would want the welfare of about £400m of their talent in the hands of the Real Madrid coach all summer.
What if pique is in the ‘red zone’ for an injury and really should be rested for a game or risk a long term injury? Do Barca want the Madrid coach making that call when it’s in his interests that the player gets injured?


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[Big_Franck]

Barca and atletico threatened to withdraw their players if he did not step down.


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Nonsense. No idea where you heard that.

[Big_Franck]

That’s in the past and can’t be helped. There is no way the two clubs would want the welfare of about £400m of their talent in the hands of the Real Madrid coach all summer.
What if pique is in the ‘red zone’ for an injury and really should be rested for a game or risk a long term injury? Do Barca want the Madrid coach making that call when it’s in his interests that the player gets injured?


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Then he would say he wasn't fit to play. Simples.

[Ozyhibby]

Then he would say he wasn't fit to play. Simples.

Clubs don’t trust players to make that call as they always say they are fine and want to play.


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[WeeRussell]

That’s in the past and can’t be helped. There is no way the two clubs would want the welfare of about £400m of their talent in the hands of the Real Madrid coach all summer.
What if pique is in the ‘red zone’ for an injury and really should be rested for a game or risk a long term injury? Do Barca want the Madrid coach making that call when it’s in his interests that the player gets injured?


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They're sharing training sessions etc with half the top players they play against in La Liga. I'd be more concerned about Sergio Ramos going through my player than I would a manager making a call on someone's fitness or rifling through his medical records.

They are all (including the coach) representing Spain at a one-off tournament. Nothing to do with Barca and Madrid.

[WeeRussell]

Nonsense. No idea where you heard that.

:agree: The story the media seem to be running with is the senior players advised they wanted the coach to remain in place. I find that more believable.

Of course, it is possible that both could be true.

[joe_hfc]

He's the only manager I can think off who started out his career as a Goalkeeper..! It would make a good pub quiz question!

[WeeRussell]

He's the only manager I can think off who started out his career as a Goalkeeper..! It would make a good pub quiz question!

Walter Zenga and Nigel Adkins are two maybe more well-known ones?

Don Mackay in Scotland too.


There will be a fair few.

[Future17]

Barca and atletico threatened to withdraw their players if he did not step down.


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I'm not doubting you've read that somewhere (as people are bound to speculate based on little or no info) but I don't believe that for a second.

[joe_hfc]

Walter Zenga and Nigel Adkins are two maybe more well-known ones?

Don Mackay in Scotland too.


There will be a fair few.

Now that I think about it Dino Zoff was quite a famous manager, and I'm sure David James is as well over in India

[WeeRussell]

Now that I think about it Dino Zoff was quite a famous manager, and I'm sure David James is as well over in India

It's funny I was thinking similar to you this morning that I couldn't think of many other goalkeeper-turned-managers. An interesting one but maybe not one for the pub quiz after all :greengrin

[GreenNWhiteArmy]

He's the only manager I can think off who started out his career as a Goalkeeper..! It would make a good pub quiz question!

Tommy Wright

[CropleyWasGod]

It's funny I was thinking similar to you this morning that I couldn't think of many other goalkeeper-turned-managers. An interesting one but maybe not one for the pub quiz after all :greengrin

Jock Wallace.

[WoreTheGreen]

Roy Baines

[CropleyWasGod]

Campbell Money

[The Harp Awakes]

Refreshing that Spain have an FA which has the guts to tell a Manager to bolt for ditching the national team for a club side.

If only the SFA had the same backbone in excluding Walter Smith and Alex McLeish from being considered again for the Scotland Manager's job, after defecting to Rangers and Birmingham respectively in the past.

Of course the SFA went begging to both to accept the position after Strachan left.

No wonder Scottish football is in such a mess with these clowns running our game.

[shetlandhibee]

:agree:
They're sharing training sessions etc with half the top players they play against in La Liga. I'd be more concerned about Sergio Ramos going through my player than I would a manager making a call on someone's fitness or rifling through his medical records.

They are all (including the coach) representing Spain at a one-off tournament. Nothing to do with Barca and Madrid.
:top marks

[MWHIBBIES]

Peter Taylor and Nuno Santo

[YanYansen]

Real Madrid may have 13 European Cups, but they have zero class.

[jacomo]

Refreshing that Spain have an FA which has the guts to tell a Manager to bolt for ditching the national team for a club side.

If only the SFA had the same backbone in excluding Walter Smith and Alex McLeish from being considered again for the Scotland Manager's job, after defecting to Rangers and Birmingham respectively in the past.

Of course the SFA went begging to both to accept the position after Strachan left.

No wonder Scottish football is in such a mess with these clowns running our game.


:agree: absolutely

Every manager will dream of taking a team to a World Cup - especially if they have a squad capable of winning it.

Tough medicine, but they need to enforce their rules.

[hibsbollah]

Can't see it making any difference to their chances either way. I think they'll win it.

[Billy Whizz]

Can't see it making any difference to their chances either way. I think they'll win it.

I’d love them to win it, play football as it should be played, and fantastic to watch

[hibsbollah]

I’d love them to win it, play football as it should be played, and fantastic to watch

Can't stand Ramos. Or Diego Costa. As well as all the fluid passing and tiki taka they're definitely capable of being hearts when they want to.

[Billy Whizz]

Can't stand Ramos. Or Diego Costa. As well as all the fluid passing and tiki taka they're definitely capable of being hearts when they want to.

Every country would love these 2 in their team though

[hibsbollah]

Every country would love these 2 in their team though

Agree. You need a hard ****.

[oneone73]

George Farm.

[FilipinoHibs]

Can't see it making any difference to their chances either way. I think they'll win it.

No way. This great news! Come on Portugal!

[hibsbollah]

No way. This great news! Come on Portugal!

Could be Ronaldo is behind it all :faf: go on senor Perez, steal Spains manager and I promise I will stay another season.

[ancient hibee]

Bobby Brown