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De La Fuente Fires Over Guard Controversy
After Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente announced the 26-man roster for the national team for the World Cup, discussions quickly erupted on the Spanish sports street, with fans and media turning into a wide arena of debate and analysis about the coach’s selection.
As is always the case with any list for a major tournament, there were many objections to some of the names excluded, with some believing that players such as Dean Heussen, Robin Le Normand, Alex Garcia, Pablo Fornals and Alberto Molero deserved to be included.
While some felt that Alex Baena’s presence was unnecessary and that the list included a large number of Barcelona players with no Real Madrid players present, others called for Carlos Espa or Toni Martinez to be called up, according to Marca newspaper.
But the biggest controversy this time was not the defense or the offensive line, but the goaltending position, especially after the departure of Alex Remiro, so questions began to arise about whether Unai Simeon would retain his starting spot or whether David Raya and Juan Garcia had a real chance to take the starting gloves during the tournament.
Too painful exclusion
De La Fuente admitted that the most difficult part of his job as national team coach is the exclusion of players from the group, be it on a technical or humanitarian level, stressing that the exclusion of Alex Remiro was one of the most painful decisions for him.
The Real Sociedad goalkeeper was present in the Euro 2020 squad and although he did not play in any matches, his role in the group was very important and he was highly regarded in the dressing room.
“This is the most difficult part of this job. players who deserve to be there professionally and personally in this group should be excluded,” De La Fuente said.
The Spanish coach said that before announcing the official list, he had a phone conversation with Remiro out of respect for his position in the team, explaining: “I told him that he would not be with us this time and he fully understood the decision.
Controversy over goalkeepers inflames the atmosphere
With Unai Simeone, David Reya and Juan Garcia confirmed in the final squad, the competition for the starting goalkeeper position became the most interesting question for Spain.
While Unai Simeone remains the most likely candidate to retain his place, Juan Garcia’s remarkable brilliance this season, alongside David Raya’s excellent performances in the Premier League, has opened the door to widespread controversy.
De La Fuente seemed annoyed that the David Raya rumors had been ignored and said: “Why is nobody talking about David Raya? He is an amazing goalkeeper. It surprises me that the talk is only about Unai Simon and Juan Garcia.”
He added: “We have three of the best goalkeepers in the world. Whatever the debate, we are fully confident that we will make the right decision.”
The most powerful goalkeeper position
The Spanish coach believes that the goalkeeper position is one of the strongest positions in the squad, especially with other names on the reserve list such as Remiro, Robert Sanchez and Leo Roman, who will continue to train with the national team until the friendly against Iraq.
De La Fuente confirmed that the technical staff has studied this file very carefully in recent months, noting that all goalkeepers selected are capable of playing in the starting lineup.
He said: “We have been thinking about this issue for several months. We have the best goalkeepers in the world and everyone who has been called up can play in the starting line-up.”
No pressure before the World Cup
Juan Garcia finished the season with the Zamora Award as the best goalkeeper in the Spanish league, David Ryan is regarded as one of the most popular goalkeepers in the English Premier League and Unai Simeone continues to retain the confidence of the coaching staff despite his relatively declining form this season.
The friendlies against Iraq and Peru will be the last chance for the technical staff to try different options before the opening match against Cape Verde on June 15.
Despite the huge controversy, De La Fuente stressed that he doesn’t feel any pressure, saying: “I respect all opinions, but there is no pressure. We will choose the goalkeeper who best suits our needs.”
Uniform dressing room
What gives the technical staff more peace of mind is the state of harmony in the group, as everyone realizes that the final decision will be made in the interests of the team.
During the recent international break, Unai Simeone spoke about the competition, praising his team-mates Juan Garcia and David Raya and saying: “The three best goalkeepers in the Spanish league are Courtois, Juan García and Oblak, but at the world level I see Courtois, Juan García and Raya as the best.”
The crisis is reminiscent of what happened before the 2010 World Cup, when demands grew to give Victor Valdes a chance to start after his exceptional season with Barcelona, but Iker Casillas kept his place before leading Spain to the World Cup in South Africa.
Today, the scene repeats itself again, but the most important question remains: will De La Fuente continue to rely on Unai Simon, or will the current World Cup witness the birth of a new goalkeeper in Spain?
