Javier Clemente Disagrees With Spain's Dismissal Of Luis Enrique
Former Spain manager Javier Clemente says the decision for La Roja to part company with Luis Enrique is a mistake.
Enrique paid the price for Spain's last 16 elimination to Morocco at the Qatar 2022 FIFA World on Thursday.
Spain's resounding 7-0 win over Costa Rica in their opening game proved to be a false dawn as they failed to win any of their subsequent three matches in Qatar.
They drew 1-1 with Germany, lost 2-1 to Japan before a goalless draw with Morocco in the last 16 culminated in a penalty shootout loss to the North Africans.
"I think it is not a success to have dispensed with Luis Enrique as coach," Clemente told El Programa de Ortega.
"This is yet another mistake.
"Luis Enrique is a very good coach, with his ideas, with his personality, friendly, pleasant, man of the house. The problem of the Spanish team is a problem of Spanish football.
"[Morocco] stood up and closed well behind, and the players did not have the temperament to overcome it.
"You always talk about the coaches, but when you play badly, you also have to talk about the players. Is Luis Enrique to blame [for the penalties]? Not really.
Enrique had been in charge of Spain since 2018 but stepped away in 2019 briefly to care for his sick young daughter who later died of cancer.
The former Barcelona boss led Spain to the semi-finals of EURO 2020.
