Is it time to end the Diego Costa Experiment?

With only a handful of matches with the Spanish national team, is it time for Vicente Del Bosque to end the Diego Costa experiment? There clearly is a clash of styles and one has to wonder if Costa’ presence is a hindrance on the team as they plan on getting over their recent World Cup fiasco.

Diego Costa is a dangerous forward that many teams would be lucky to have. He commands the attention of opposing team defenders and is the type of player you would rather have on your team than face. In other words, you’d hate him if he was on any other team except your own. Nevertheless, it seems that Spain and Diego Costa are not hitting on all cylinders which is perhaps a sign that this experiment was not meant to be.

Diego Costa’s inclusion to the Spanish national team prior to the 2014 World Cup seemed like a masterstroke by Del Bosque. He managed to obtain the services of one of the most dangerous forwards in the game and at the time same, deprive a contender of his services. One has to wonder what might have happened if that was Diego Costa out there, and not Fred, playing for Brazil this past summer. However, one team’s loss was not another team’s gain.

Diego Costa, along with many other players representing Spain, suffered a grueling a domestic campaign that saw Atlético Madrid capture the league title and make it to the Champions League final. However, Diego Costa was forced to leave the pitch in two pivotal matches at the end of the season, very early into the game, because of injuries. It was no surprise that he was a non-factor for Spain at the World Cup afterwards. Yet, watching Costa play for Spain is like putting a square peg in a round hole.

As I indicated before, he has played a handful of matches for Spain. However, in the five matches he has played he has failed to score and quite frankly offer anything. To be fair, Diego Costa did indicate that he needs to adapt to the team’s style.  Del Bosque also indicated that the team must connect with him.  However, that train of thought is hurting Spain’s progress from their recent World Cup fiasco.

Diego Costa is a dangerous forward as evidenced by his four goals already with Chelsea in just three matches. He has shined under Diego Simeone and is likely to do well for Chelsea under Jose Mourinho. However, those two managers are known for relying on a style of football that is quite the contrast that Spain has relied on over the years. The two styles cannot mesh together and deliver a beautiful product.

Thus, it’s time for Del Bosque to admit defeat and pull the plug on this experiment.  He does not have to drop Costa off the team but perhaps he can bring him on as a plan B substitute much like he used Llorente against Portugal in World Cup 2010. Speaking of Llorente, what happened to him and why does Del Bosque not even call him anymore is another mystery in itself.  One mystery at a time, but the solution to what’s ailing Spain was shown in their victory over Macedonia.

Spain just needs to go back to basics and rely on players who can move around the pitch in a way that gets teams dizzy. False number nine or not, their style is only suited for those who can adapt to it. Diego Costa’s style is more suitable for the direct approach which clashes with this style and hence it cannot work. Even though Metallica managed to make heavy metal and symphony orchestra work, you cannot expect it to work all the time. That is why Del Bosque needs to do away with the Diego Costa experiment and stick with what made this team successful in the first without experimenting.

Spain have been Defeated but not Beaten.

World Cup 2014 was a train wreck for La Roja. The defending champions were embarrassed by Holland in the opening match and never recovered from that sucker punch that knocked the wind out of their sails and saw them exit the World Cup after just 3 matches. Many were ready to announce La Roja’s era was over however those talks are premature. Spain has been defeated but not beaten and the talented youth players for Spain ensure a bright future for La Roja.

 All good things must come to an end and Spain’s run came to a grinding halt in Brazil. Losses to Holland and Chile brought down the curtains on any chance of Spain repeating as World Cup champion.  I had previously written that history was not on Spain’s side and sure enough, Spain became the third consecutive European World Cup champion to crash out of the World Cup during the group stages while they attempted to defend their crown.

France won the World Cup in 1998 and crashed out in 2002 World Cup group stages while Italy won the World Cup in 2006 and crashed out in 2010 in similar fashion. Italy would pull off an encore performance in this recent World Cup, while France would get back in the World Cup Final in 2006. World Cup 2018 will be Spain’s opportunity to rebound with a strong showing like France did in 2006 or fall flat on their face and revert back to their disappointing selves we had seen prior to 2008.

Since Del Bosque will remain in charge for Euro 2016, it’s time for him to start the new project with the talented youth he has available. The days of Xavi, Torres, Villa and others is over and it’s time to focus on the likes of Thiago, Jesé, Isco, Deulofeu, Koke , De Gea, Bartra and others to supplement the veterans still representing Spain. The talent is there and Del Bosque didn’t suddenly forget how to manage a team, just made some glaring mistakes in terms who he called up and who he started. I still can’t understand him omitting Fernando Llorente.

His faith in the veterans backfired after an entertaining but grueling Spanish league season that left many players hurt or exhausted for the World Cup. Now, he will have the chance to make amends for that mistake if he does not squander the talented players available present. Not many managers get a to stick around after an embarrassing exit which is why Del Bosque better make the most out of the talent he has available. The talent is still absurd and he has the right ingredients for another competitive team; just as long as he chooses wisely his ingredients.

La Roja’s Exploitation Must Stop.

 Without a doubt, we have been fortunate to watch a team such as Spain these past six years. They have been wowing the world with their performances and results in Spain and in other countries. However, the Spanish Football Federation is turned their national team into a cash cow by taking advantage of their team’s success by turning them into a touring road show. It’s time for La Roja’s exploitation must stop.

Ever since Spain won the 2010 World Cup, the Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF) has been scheduling games for Spain all over the world. Spain have played friendlies in Mexico, Argentina, Portugal, Switzerland, Puerto Rico, Panama, Qatar, USA, and Ecuador. Sometimes, these friendlies take place during the summer and sometimes they take place while the Spanish League is in session.

 The RFEF recently announced that Spain would be participating in two friendlies next month. Once again, the RFEF is blatantly disregarding the well being of their players by cashing in on these unnecessary friendlies. Next month sees them play Russia in Dubai and in South Africa to face the 2010 World Cup hosts. Currently, the country’s players are representing their clubs both domestically and in European competitions in a congested fixture list because of the upcoming World Cup. Wouldn’t it be considerate of the RFEF to give these players a break? 

 Now FIFA is not blameless in all of this. They too have yet to figure out how to prepare a proper calendar without it interfering with club football. However, FIFA does not mandate countries to play in every international break. These matches in November are for upcoming World Cup qualifying playoffs, so basically this break serves as friendlies scheduling for Spain. However, the RFEF could have opted to not schedule any friendlies and just given their players a break for some much needed down time.

This most recent Clásico showed us how fatigued some players looked. Why pile on their wear and tear and not afford them some rest. I am surprised the big two, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, have not made a big fuss about these friendlies and the distances their players have traveled as the RFEF keeps globetrotting them at every available opportunity. These players have to prepare for the league, Spanish cup and UEFA Champions League. They did their job and qualified for the World Cup so shouldn’t they deserve a break?

Del Bosque could always rest the usual players and opt to call up the young players or fringe players instead, to see who make the cut. Yet, there probably is a clause that requires the presence of the stars in these distant countries. Nevertheless, the time has come for the big clubs, or the players through FIFPRO, to put their foot down and ask for an end to this exhausting traveling. 

 Clearly these players are not up for it as evident with some of the drubbings they received in Argentina and Portugal. However, if no one speaks up, then the RFEF will continue to schedule these cash grabbing events and exploit the cash cow that is La Roja? Is it worth it when the team’s performance might suffer and ultimately cost them a shot at a successive World Cup crown? It’s high time someone put their foot down and end this globetrotting money making bonanza.

History does not favor Del Bosque and La Roja

Spain punched their ticket to the 2014 World Cup a few days ago where they will get to play against the best of the world for the World Cup. This also means that Vicente Del Bosque will also get the rare chance to manage his team to a second consecutive World Cup crown. However, the odds are against Del Bosque as he faces an onerous challenge to do where others have failed before him.

Del Bosque and Spain have a tall task ahead of them. The last team to repeat as World Cup champions were Brazil back in 1958 and 1962. A few teams have appeared in consecutive finals but failed to win both times. Argentina back in 1986 and 1990 along with Brazil 1994 and 1998 come to mind. Both teams failed to repeat with Argentina under the helm of the same manager while Brazil had a different manager in their second final.

Carlos Bilardo was the man who helped guide Argentina to their second World Cup title back in 1986 against Germany. He did not step down following that glorious moment for himself and his country, and four years later, his team made it to the World Cup final where they faced Germany yet again. In what was one of the most forgettable finals ever, Germany defeated Argentina to dash Argentina’s hopes of repeating as champions.

Brazil won their fourth World Cup crown back in 1994 and were back in the final four years later in 1998. Carlos Alberto Parreira was the man who steered Brazil to success in 1994 but would coach Saudi Arabia for the 1998 edition. Instead, it was Mário Zagallo, who actually was part of the 1958 and 1962 Brazil teams, that steered his side to the World Cup final before falling to the hosts, France. Parreira did get another shot at winning it with Brazil in 2006 but that team came up short.

More recently, Marcello Lippi attempted to guide the Italian national team to a second consecutive World Cup final, following their World Cup triumph in 2006. However, Lippi and Italy would also fail in repeating as champions as they could not even advance from the group stages. All three countries saw their attempts at repeating come up just short or crash and burn, and Del Bosque can afford to learn from those three managerial counterparts.

If there is anything you can criticize Del Bosque for, it could be on his reliance on the old guard. Many thought he should have dropped Fernando Torres after World Cup 2010 but there he was scoring in another European final two years later and participating in last summer’s Confederations Cup as well. Many believed that Del Bosque should have used the Confederations Cup to test his younger players and not subject his veterans to another busy summer.  Surely that was the downfall of Lippi when his faith in the old guard, while disregarding young talent, did not pan out four years after winning their  World Cup.

Thus, Del Bosque will have to think hard about which players he will take to Brazil this summer. Does he stick with David Villa and Torres, or move on and put his hopes on the likes of Negredo and Michu? Will he use Cesc more often than Xavi and will he start César Azpilicueta over Arbeloa? It is a fine line between depending on veterans and over relying on them. Many believe Parreira made a grave mistake after he opted to go with the veterans in World Cup 2006 and not with the young players that participated and won the Confederations Cup the previous summer.

Furthermore, Del Bosque also has to be worried about fatigue and compliance. For some of his men, this will be their second World Cup, and sixth tournament if you count Confederations Cups as major tournaments. That is a lot of wear and tear on those players who have been representing club and country in over 70 matches a year. Will they have the energy to compete for another World Cup title?

Better yet, are they still hungry for another World Cup crown? Bilardo’s Argentina  were lively and threatening in 1986 but appeared bloated and lethargic four years later. We saw recently how Real Madrid came out flat after winning the league title under Mourinho while Barça fans still recall how their team under Rijkaard became complacent after winning the Champions League. The feeling of working hard and finally achieving the goal you have long strived for is rather unique and irreplaceable. It is also much more difficult to duplicate that motivation after you had already tasted success. Can Del Bosque take some comfort that the sting from Spain’s 3-0 loss to Brazil in the Confederation Cup Final could provide him with players hell bent on revenge?

The World Cup is 236 days away. That’s plenty of time for Del Bosque to decide on what path will he take. Will he avoid making the same mistakes that other managers have made in the past and select younger players who have not featured for Spain and are hungry to duplicate the same success that their idols have attained? Many envy to be in the position of Del Bosque however, I see it as a daunting position to be given the task that many have failed to overcome. History is against him but perhaps Del Bosque can learn from where others have failed and perhaps make Spain can surprise us once again.