Trần Quốc Dũng
(DungmaiA3)
New Member
Spain maybe vying with England to lay claim to having the best domestic league in the world, but in one vital area the Spanish are already a long way ahead of the opposition.
While the English continue to question the ability of the national coach, his tactics and the talent pool available, for the Spanish it is business as usual.
While both leagues are furnished with some of the best imported talent money can buy, La Liga is out in front when it comes to confidence in their national side.
The question of whether the league caters for Spanish youngsters rarely arises in the Iberian media, which is in stark contrast to the continuing self-doubts that are bred in the British tabloids.
Last summer Spain exited the World Cup Finals, where they were tipped for glory, rather unceremoniously at the hands of South Korea following a penalty shoot-out.
Realising that he was still popular and could leave with his reputation intact, Jose Antonio Camacho stepped down to many people's surprise after four years at the helm.
But instead of the furore that would come with the job of finding the successor to Sven Goran Eriksson, in Spain it was all done with relative ease.
Inaki Saez was asked to step up from the youth duties he had been carying out so successfully for many years and have a crack at restructuring the full team.
He steered the Under-21s to victory in the European championship in 1998 and then led the Under-20s to the World Youth title the following year.
He also coached the Spanish side that won the silver at the Sydney Olympics and has enjoyed recent success with the Under-18 side that finished third in last year's European championship.
The knowledge that he possesses of the young talent available to him is what the Spanish Football Federation recognised as his key asset as several players announced their retirement from the international scene after the World Cup.
Saez has not been slow at utilising several players that he worked with at youth level and already his side looks as strong and as confident in qualifying as any Spain side in recent years.
Sticking to the basic formation of 4-4-2 with a defensive and attacking midfielder creating the diamond in midfield, Saez keeps the emphasis on pass-and-move football played at speed.
Saez also knows the need to balance youth with experience and he has not been afraid to call upon tried and tested players and introduce older, but unused, players into the squad.
Joan Capdevila, Jose Garcia Calvo, Juanito, Carlos Marchena and Raul Bravo have all earned their first call-ups to the national squad, while several players introduced at the end of Camacho's reign have become regulars.
Old heads like Michel Salgado Gaizka Mendieta, the re-called Joseba Etxebrria and Raul are there because they have proven they can perform at the highest level.
Also in the squad regularly are players at their peak in the league such as Carles Puyol, David Albelda, Ruben Baraja and Guti.
Saez knows his best side and only brings in players that will cover for injured or suspended stars or those that are performing very well at club level.
None of this may seem revolutionary, in fact it is the way that things at this level should be done.
But in Spain it is done with minimal fuss.
Against Ukraine last Saturday, Saez's side conceded their first goals of the Euro 2004 qualification campaign as they drew 2-2 in Ukraine.
The team remained unbeaten in competition and friendly matches and top group six with a game in hand over the Ukraine who are their nearest rivals in second place.
After watching the home side in Kyiv take the lead, Saez decided not to introduce what he knew would be his trump cards until the second period.
Juan Valeron and Diego Tristan were brough into the fray after the break and swung the game in Spain's favour as theteam scored twice to take the lead with four minutes left.
Ukraine then netted a superb injury-time equaliser to earn a point. But instead of going mad and questioning Saez's tactics or his future in the job, the Spanish media empathised with the coach.
"We had the game won after an excellent last 15 minutes," Saez explained.
"It's left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth, but I'm sure that will pass quickly, because we made a good impression.
"We made some mistakes in the first half, because we kept running with the ball, while they looked to hit long balls.
"It was an even game in terms of chances both team had, but we could have won."
That was enough.
Nobody questions whether Spain will qualify or whether they have the right trainer or the players to succeed.
There is just a confidence that is never in doubt that they will appear in Euro 2004.
In terms of support for the coach, the players and the hopes of a country Spain and England could not be more different.
Dựa vào đây ta sẽ thấy dc ai hơn ai, thế thôi, đặc biệt 3 khổ cuối cùng, from nobody questions......
While the English continue to question the ability of the national coach, his tactics and the talent pool available, for the Spanish it is business as usual.
While both leagues are furnished with some of the best imported talent money can buy, La Liga is out in front when it comes to confidence in their national side.
The question of whether the league caters for Spanish youngsters rarely arises in the Iberian media, which is in stark contrast to the continuing self-doubts that are bred in the British tabloids.
Last summer Spain exited the World Cup Finals, where they were tipped for glory, rather unceremoniously at the hands of South Korea following a penalty shoot-out.
Realising that he was still popular and could leave with his reputation intact, Jose Antonio Camacho stepped down to many people's surprise after four years at the helm.
But instead of the furore that would come with the job of finding the successor to Sven Goran Eriksson, in Spain it was all done with relative ease.
Inaki Saez was asked to step up from the youth duties he had been carying out so successfully for many years and have a crack at restructuring the full team.
He steered the Under-21s to victory in the European championship in 1998 and then led the Under-20s to the World Youth title the following year.
He also coached the Spanish side that won the silver at the Sydney Olympics and has enjoyed recent success with the Under-18 side that finished third in last year's European championship.
The knowledge that he possesses of the young talent available to him is what the Spanish Football Federation recognised as his key asset as several players announced their retirement from the international scene after the World Cup.
Saez has not been slow at utilising several players that he worked with at youth level and already his side looks as strong and as confident in qualifying as any Spain side in recent years.
Sticking to the basic formation of 4-4-2 with a defensive and attacking midfielder creating the diamond in midfield, Saez keeps the emphasis on pass-and-move football played at speed.
Saez also knows the need to balance youth with experience and he has not been afraid to call upon tried and tested players and introduce older, but unused, players into the squad.
Joan Capdevila, Jose Garcia Calvo, Juanito, Carlos Marchena and Raul Bravo have all earned their first call-ups to the national squad, while several players introduced at the end of Camacho's reign have become regulars.
Old heads like Michel Salgado Gaizka Mendieta, the re-called Joseba Etxebrria and Raul are there because they have proven they can perform at the highest level.
Also in the squad regularly are players at their peak in the league such as Carles Puyol, David Albelda, Ruben Baraja and Guti.
Saez knows his best side and only brings in players that will cover for injured or suspended stars or those that are performing very well at club level.
None of this may seem revolutionary, in fact it is the way that things at this level should be done.
But in Spain it is done with minimal fuss.
Against Ukraine last Saturday, Saez's side conceded their first goals of the Euro 2004 qualification campaign as they drew 2-2 in Ukraine.
The team remained unbeaten in competition and friendly matches and top group six with a game in hand over the Ukraine who are their nearest rivals in second place.
After watching the home side in Kyiv take the lead, Saez decided not to introduce what he knew would be his trump cards until the second period.
Juan Valeron and Diego Tristan were brough into the fray after the break and swung the game in Spain's favour as theteam scored twice to take the lead with four minutes left.
Ukraine then netted a superb injury-time equaliser to earn a point. But instead of going mad and questioning Saez's tactics or his future in the job, the Spanish media empathised with the coach.
"We had the game won after an excellent last 15 minutes," Saez explained.
"It's left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth, but I'm sure that will pass quickly, because we made a good impression.
"We made some mistakes in the first half, because we kept running with the ball, while they looked to hit long balls.
"It was an even game in terms of chances both team had, but we could have won."
That was enough.
Nobody questions whether Spain will qualify or whether they have the right trainer or the players to succeed.
There is just a confidence that is never in doubt that they will appear in Euro 2004.
In terms of support for the coach, the players and the hopes of a country Spain and England could not be more different.
Dựa vào đây ta sẽ thấy dc ai hơn ai, thế thôi, đặc biệt 3 khổ cuối cùng, from nobody questions......
