World Cup 2018: 4 things Spain must do to recover following their exit

#3 Appoint an Experienced Club Manager

Rafael Benitez

Spain’s tournament was thrown into disarray with the firing of manager Julian Lopetegui two days before their opening game. Director of Football Fernando Hierro took over and he can’t be faulted for Spain’s performance considering the circumstances (even though not playing Thiago was inexplicable). Nonetheless, Hierro’s inexperience should preclude him from taking the job on a permanent basis.

Moreover, Spain’s performances over the last few tournaments have been poor and La Roja need a fresh manager who is not associated with the current setup. That is why Hierro and Under-21 manager Albert Celades may not be the best options. Rather, Spain should turn to an experienced club manager.

Thanks to Spain’s wealth of managerial talent, the federation will have several options for the choice of their next gaffe. Belgium manager Roberto Martinez (still in the tournament) is certainly a viable option but Martinez’ lack of defensive acumen may be a sticking point for a Spanish side whose defensive frailties were evident.

A better option may be Rafael Benitez who showed his expertise over the past season guiding a rather weak Newcastle side to safety. Benitez’s teams are usually solid defensively and excel in knockout situations (2005 Champions League anyone!)- making him ideal for the role. Other possible options include Valencia manager Marcelino Garcia Toral, Real Betis manager Quique Setien and Quique Sanchez Flores.