Del Bosque targets another milestone
Spanish coach could emulate Germany’s Schoen
SPAIN’S Vicente del Bosque is looking to follow in the footsteps of West Germany’s Helmut Schoen next month and become only the second coach to win both the World Cup and the European Championship.
Now aged 61, Del Bosque has long been one of the most respected figures in the Spanish game and is now officially the 1st Marquis of Del Bosque, a title given to him by King Juan Carlos last year in recognition of his achievements in leading La Roja to the 2010 World Cup glory.
It might look like an easy job coaching the supremelytalented generation of Spain players but when Del Bosque was appointed in 2008, his task appeared in some ways impossible.
He was a free agent when the Spanish federation turned to him to succeed Luis Aragones, the veteran who led Spain to victory at Euro 2008 – their first major tournament triumph since winning the European Championship on home soil in 1964.
Del Bosque could only be considered a successful appointment if he could win the World Cup, but the move worked out perfectly.
He inherited a specific playing style – the “tiki-taka” (short passing, movement and keeping possession) used to great effect by Barcelona – and a group of fabulous players.
In his own calm and measured way he has kept them on a winning path.
“We have been lucky to have such a marvellous generation of players, players who are genuinely good but also nice people, humble and selfless,” he said last year, making sure that the men on the pitch take all the credit.
Del Bosque led Spain to 10 wins in 10 World Cup qualifiers and, after winning in South Africa, La Roja qualified for Euro 2012 with eight wins out of eight.
Their only competitive defeats under Del Bosque are a 2-0 loss to the US at the Confederations Cup in 2009 and the 1-0 reverse to Switzerland in Durban in their opening World Cup group game.
Del Bosque spent the majority of his playing career at Real Madrid winning five Liga titles and four Spanish Cups between 1974 and 1982.
He has also become a distinguished coach. After replacing John Toshack in 1999, Del Bosque led Madrid to seven titles, including two Champions Leagues and two domestic league crowns.
However, his contract was not renewed in 2003, with president Florentino Perez convinced he was not the right man to lead his so-called “galacticos”.
That was a big mistake, and a decision which still rankles with Del Bosque, who recently rejected the club’s belated attempts to honour him publicly for his services as a player and a coach. — SAPA-AFP