Reuters Soccer Blog
World Soccer views and news
Is Grandad Aragones set to leave Fenerbahce?
Turks have nicknamed Luis Aragones “dede” or “granddad” since he became Fenerbahce coach last July – at first to convey the respect they’d show a wise and experienced elder, but nowadays to express their fury at a man they view as an incompetent geriatric.
Calls for his resignation have increased since Fenerbahce lost the Turkish Cup to bitter Istanbul rivals Besiktas last week. A victory could have sweetened Aragones’ severance package from his contract, but would no longer have saved his job, Turkish media said.
The 70-year-old Spaniard arrived in Turkey on a high, having just led Spain to victory in Euro 2008, their first major title in 44 years.
But his spell at Fenerbahce has gone from bad to worse. The Istanbul side, Champions League quarter-finalists in 2008, failed to reach the knockout stages of this season’s competition and finished bottom of their group with just two points.
With two matches left of the Turkish league, Fenerbahce languish in 5th, 10 points behind leaders Besiktas, and heading for their lowest league finish since 2003.
Aragones’ gruff manner and often lethargic mood pitchside have won him few friends in Turkey.
Spain’s non-galacticos deliver deserved triumph
Spain made winning Euro 2008 look decidedly easy, but a major tournament triumph does not come by accident. Here’s how Spain’s first big title in 44 years came about.
1. Game plan: Spain concentrated on doing what they do best, namely keeping the ball and letting their rivals exhaust themselves trying to win it back. It meant tough decisions for coach Luis Aragones, who left good, but less technically gifted footballers at home. Aragones based his team on the creative talents who came through the Barca youth teams — Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas – and stuck with them to the end.
2. Team spirit: This Spain team doesn’t believe in galacticos — stars who are bigger than the team itself. This wasn’t Ballack’s Germany, Beckham’s England or Ronaldo’s Portugal. This was Spain’s Spain. When asked why Villa was left out for the game against Greece, when the Valencia striker might have made all but certain of finishing as top scorer, Aragones said he wasn’t after individual awards, it was a collective trophy that he sought.
It’s the main reason why he left Raul at home.
3. Generosity: Players like Senna ran their hearts out to let the more creative midfielders shine. Villa was the team’s first defender, and captain Iker Casillas invited everybody to his room to play cards at night. The collective was above the individuals.
4. Concentration: Spain made sure they were never distracted at this tournament. I didn’t seen a photo of any WAG and after reading British and Spanish newspapers every day of the tournament, the only reference to family and friends I have is the news of Casillas’s mother fainting in the penalty shoot-out against Italy. There was no circus surrounding the Spanish camp.
yeah spain was awesome. it was really good to see a return to true football, its a bit like the dutch total football revival of the 60′s-70′s. anyway, the real stuff has been killed at club level during the last decade or so especially, by professionalism in europe and money in england, but its good to see spain show everyone that it doesnt have to be galacticos or hollywood wannabes who can win
