POINTING THE WAY: Vicente del Bosque

**Sport Careers client Jason Pettigrove recently interviewed the legendary former Spain manager Vicente del Bosque for Marca's English language site.**

**Read more from Jason at** http://www.jasonpettigrove.com/ **and on Marca's English site at** http://www.marca.com/en/

As the era of Julen Lopetegui begins with the Spanish national team, Vicente del Bosque can look back on a job very well done indeed, despite the ignominious way in which his eight-year tenure ended.

The groundwork for success had already been laid by the late Luis Aragones but the Marquis would go on to oversee the most spectacular period in the country's history.

Indeed, the passing of time won't erase the fact that he was the first coach who brought the World Cup home to an adoring La Roja public and, as importantly, remained the exemplar in every facet of his work throughout that time.

JP- Given that you took over the Spain job from Aragones on the back of Spain's first major trophy, what were your initial thoughts in terms of how you would then approach the job, what you might change etc?

VDB- "Firstly, I recognised the good squad that I had inherited and I thought it was a good time to lead the team.

"Some of my friends thought it was the worst, but my first thoughts were to respect the work of Luis Aragones and if possible enhance it.

"But never to erase the traces of the past."

JP- The continuing tensions between Real Madrid and Barcelona in 2011 could've had lasting effects as to the equilibrium of the national side. Looking back, would you say that this was your toughest period as the national team coach? How did you dissolve the animosity in the dressing room that clearly existed at the time?

VDP- "They were difficult times. There has always been rivalry and certain feelings between these two clubs and that will continue to exist.

"I convinced the players we would all be the losers if their differences couldn't be resolved and that they couldn't hold themselves out as an example to anyone.

"Through the television images they realised and understood that, actually, they were the ones most affected."

JP- During your tenure, you brought through 38 debutants, some of whom have gone on to be fixtures in the Spanish side. Does any one player's promotion give you greater satisfaction or is it the development process as a whole which is the most pleasing aspect?

VDP- "It was never our objective just to give players their debut for the sake of it.

"We always had a policy of continuity and to emphasise a player's continued development, but without being inflexible either.

"We've tried to be a team, a group, and over time we achieved it and have been proven right."

JP- Is Spanish football still in the midst of a 'golden generation' in your opinion?

VDP- "We've had losses of important players, who are still in everyone's mind.

"But I think we should be optimistic because there are good generations of players [coming through] that we are going to see be among the elite - like the great Spanish sides."

JP- You're revered for your calm and relaxed demeanour but have you ever had cause to really lose your temper?

VDP- "I think I'm a nervous, emotional person, but in my work and the development of my role I try to have that emotional balance to make important decisions.

"A person impaired in some way will find it harder to make good choices."

JP- Is it more important to win at all costs or to play well and entertain, whatever the eventual outcome?

VDP- "The search for a positive result is the main objective, although the ideal scenario is to get through a game playing great football and by displaying good behaviour.

"It's hard to get close to achieving that because no games are easy, and sometimes in order to move forward you have to take a more practical view."

JP- In your opinion, is there too much domestic football played, which in turn harms the chances of a national team being successful? For example, Barcelona and Real Madrid players have barely rested over the last three or four summers.

VDP- "It's true that there is a domestic and European schedule that's very demanding for the players, every day. But we must respect the international calendar of the national teams.

"We've always tried to be very careful with players who've played lots of games, making sure of good relations between the coaches of the clubs and the national team.

"Because the reality is we were both looking for the best performance from our players."

JP- What was the most pleasing aspect of your time in charge of La Roja and what would you liked to have achieved that you perhaps weren't able to do, before closing the chapter on this part of your life?

VDP- "These last eight years have been very intense and exciting and I can't say there has been any particularly unpleasant moments.

"If anything, as any coach knows, you have to make painful decisions which can hurt players.

"Of course, that's always the biggest problem we have as coaches because we can only play eleven."

JP- As a coach you have been particularly successful, both at club level with Real Madrid and internationally. What's your secret?

VDP- "I tried to bring normality to the group, and to get everyone to understand that everything that happens in terms of the way we conduct ourselves has many implications.

"I also aimed to develop two major tasks as a coach; first to have good personal relationships and a healthy dressing room and secondly, to give the players the tools on the sporting side that meant we could be a capable and well organised team."

JP- Do you understand it when players speak to the media first about certain issues, for example Pedro not getting enough time on the pitch, Iker Casillas unhappy about losing his place to David De Gea? Surely it's better to meet the issue head on and come to you first?

VDP- "Those two issues are something usual in the world of football. It's very difficult to accept not playing and I think I understand that.

"Often we don't need to talk because we all know how it feels when a colleague isn't playing.

"The important thing is that it doesn't harm the team and in those cases, neither was harmful to the group."

JP- Given the immense, and intense, scrutiny and interest in the sport these days from media outlets, is there any part of the job that can remain sacrosanct, or is it a fact of football life that one needs to explain every detail about every decision to satiate the desires of editors everywhere?

VDP- "We all know all that we are in a world, from a media perspective, that what sells is extremism - the very good or very bad.

"We must try to live with that as it's impossible to fight it in my opinion.

"And therefore it's best to try to have good relations with everyone because we won't always win against the journalists."

JP- Can you put into words what you think your successor needs to do to in order for Spain to reclaim their place at the pinnacle of world football?

VDP- "I will try to be a good ex-coach and respect the work of the new man and he should make decisions without poisoning the previous regime."

JP- I've seen you quoted elsewhere as saying that you leave the Spain job with no regrets. In hindsight, do you think that the 4-0 win over Italy in Kiev for a second successive European Championship - when the team were absolutely at their peak - might've been a better time to go?

VDP- "In sport and in football it's always very difficult to win when teams are so equal. Why should I have left after a victory?

"We played four major tournaments; two World Cups and two European Championships and qualified for the four with extraordinary numbers.

"Thirty-six games played - 33 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss. In life we don't always win and we must try to educate people to admit defeat."

JP- You've recently stated that you will retire from football completely now that your time with the Spanish national team is at an end. Is that a binding statement or if the right position came along, would you still be tempted?

VDP- "At this point I have no intention of returning. I'm not very nostalgic about the past and I don't think I'll stay in football in a professional manner.

"But I won't be far from my sport."

JP- How would you like to be remembered in a footballing sense?

VDP- "That I was a good athlete who defended, above all else, everything surrounding football and the honour of the two teams I was part of - Real Madrid for 36 years and the Spanish national team for eight years."

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