txj wrote:
F360 wrote:
charlie wrote:
I wanted to analyze arguments from both sides before proposing my opinion.
As a Real Madrid fan, I am also partly biased, even if I hope to be objective.
That said, I have come to the conclusion that Spain made a bad decision to fire Lopetegui.
Its seemed more like a decision born from pride rather than a decision made in the best interests of the team.
The only reason you might give for firing the current coach of a successful team before a tournament is to punish him.
And the only reason to punish him is to make a point. Rubiales described the decision as an "obligation", but was it really?
Obligated to do what? Was he accusing Lopetegui of bias against specific clubs in his potential selection of the team?
Its not as if former coaches for Real Madrid or Barca have not led Spain before.
Vincente Del Bosque spent 18 years as Real Madrid player, and 9 years as Real Madrid Coach before leading Spain to their greatest throphy run ever.
Did he ever show bias against certain clubs?
No that decision was born from pride, plain and simple. And if Spain crash and burn in this tournament, Rubiales should claim responsibility and resign as well.
There are a 100 other ways Rubiales could have handled this situation, and he chose the very worst for Spain.
I feel it would have been smarter and less petty to leave Lopetegui in place and after the tournament just sue him for breach of contract.
This is the football equivalent of treason by Florentino Perez and Lopategui. They better stay on their knees and pray Spain do not implode..
1. A manager who has preached repeatedly to players about blocking everything else out and focussing on the WC, goes and negotiates a new contract. How then can he manage the team thru the WC?
2. Madrid are in process of signing players. Are they not obligated to consult the coach in the process?
3. Say Lopategui is in private conversation with Ramos, will the other players wonder if he is discussing tactics for next match, or Real Madrid business?
Rubiales had no option here. An institution is only as good as its values. Were he to accept this, what happens on the eve of the next tournament with a new coach?
This one is on Perez and Lopategui. Even the Madrid press have identified this as a betrayal...
You make a lot of good points I cannot argue against without bias.
Perez & Lopategui could/should have handled this better. They did not have to agree on anything formal until after the WC. They didnt and clearly both did not have the interest of the National team at hand when they made their decision.
That said, if Spain fails at the WC, that is on Rubiales. He did not have to fire Lopategui. Doing so put the Spanish team further at risk and at the center of a malestrom.
He could have asked Madrid & Lopategui to delay announcing the move until after the tournament.
He could have set very clear guidelines on Club vs National team communications (its not as if Lopategui had any prior history of bias in the first place, so I doubt there was any issue here).
In my opinion, the decision to fire Lopategui was to punish him and set a precedent,...not to act in the best interest of the current Spanish national club.
Anyway, that is all water under the bridge. We shall see soon enough if it was the right decision to change HC before a tournament, or not.
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Like I have often said, he is the less refined, significantly less intelligent, less analytical, untrained and uncouth version of TXJ. 
