Former Spain manager Vicente del Bosque has revealed the details of his fallout with former captain Iker Casillas. The World Cup and Euro winning manager, who recently announced his decision to step down from Spain after a 2016 UEFA Euro exit to Italy noted that his relationship with the Real Madrid shot-stopper suffered due to David de Gea starting.
Del Bosque made the revalation while appearing on Spanish Radio programme El Larguero, saying “I'm sure that Casillas is upset with me, which I understand. He was fine with his team mates but so-so with the coaching staff.”
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Iker Casillas was left on the bench for all of Spain’s games, with Manchester United keeper David de Gea preferred, leading to Casillas behaving in an extremely stand-offish manner with the Spanish manager and his backroom staff.
The 65-year-old manager revealed the depth to which he had fell out with Casillas, even neglecting to say goodbye, as del Bosque noted “The only one I didn't send a text message to was Casillas; it didn't really go down too well with me how he behaved with the coaching staff.”
Del Bosque hopes to put tiff with Casillas behind him
While Iker Casillas has apparently behaved in a rather rude manner, del Bosque still holds fond memories of his time with the Spanish keeper saying “I'm sure we can bury the hatchet at some point in the future. We can't have quarrels over nothing. Maybe we got it wrong with him. I don't know. I've known him since he was nine years old and hold him in very high regard.”
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The Spanish manager won the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2008 and 2012 European Championships with Casillas ever present in La Furia Roja’s goal. The pair shared a close relationship before, with the Spanish manager defending Casillas when he was being booed by the Real Madrid fans at the Bernabeu, over an apparent tiff with then manager Jose Mourinho.
However with Del Bosque resigning from the post of Spain’s national manager and with Casillas also announcing his intention to retire from international football after the Euro exit, it seems unlikely that the pair will ever meet in a competitive football environment and be afforded the chance to bury the hatchet.
