Soccer

Del Bosque, Casillas and Spain still standing tall

'We haven’t done anything wrong, we haven’t committed any grave offence'

Vicente Del Bosque of Spain (left) talks with goalkeeper Iker Casillas during a training session at the team’s training facilities in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil. Photograph: CJ Gunther/ EPA
Vicente Del Bosque of Spain (left) talks with goalkeeper Iker Casillas during a training session at the team’s training facilities in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil. Photograph: CJ Gunther/ EPA
Sun Jun 15 2014 - 02:06

Spain's sensational 5-1 thrashing by the Netherlands was only a 'partial defeat', a relaxed-looking coach Vicente Del Bosque told reporters on Saturday.

The affable 63-year-old managed to smile as he held an unscheduled press briefing at the team training centre the day after the world champions suffered their biggest loss at a World Cup in 60 years.

“I had no obligation to come here to the press room today but I thought it was a sign of normality, as we have done on other occasions, to be here to answer any questions,” he volunteered.

Vicente Del Bosque of Spain (left) talks with goalkeeper Iker Casillas during a training session at the team’s training facilities in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil. Photograph: CJ Gunther/ EPA
Vicente Del Bosque of Spain (left) talks with goalkeeper Iker Casillas during a training session at the team’s training facilities in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil. Photograph: CJ Gunther/ EPA
Goalkeeper Iker Casillas of Spain pensive during a training session at the team’s training facilities in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil. Photograph: CJ Gunther / EPA
Goalkeeper Iker Casillas of Spain pensive during a training session at the team’s training facilities in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil. Photograph: CJ Gunther / EPA

“It’s not a definitive defeat, it’s a partial one,” he said of the mauling in Salvador.

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Asked whether he was planning changes to the line-up for the next game against Chile, a must-win match for his men, Del Bosque insisted on keeping his options open.

“Obviously it’s another match, there could be a change or two but now is not yet the time to talk about it. We’ll think it over, we don’t want to rush and make wrong decisions and we have until Wednesday,” he said.

Goalkeeper Iker Casillas received much of the blame for the second-half meltdown but the coach said his captain had shown his mettle after the match.

Del Bosque had said then that he would not blame any one individual and he kept to that line, describing how Casillas had spoken to his stunned team mates in the dressing-room after the final whistle.

“He was blaming himself for some things but he knew all were to blame and was putting in place the base of the future recovery,” he said. “He acted like a captain. It was a strong, fine and useful discussion.”

Del Bosque said he was determined to focus on the positives, particularly in the first half when Spain opened the scoring, and took the same calm approach to defeat as victory.

He wished, he said, to have the same look on his face whether Spain won or lost, however much it hurt inside.

“Last night I was smiling but I felt sad inside,” he said. “We have to face up to it and be sportsmen . . . we haven’t done anything wrong, we haven’t committed any grave offence, we have committed the sporting issue of playing badly in the second half. For the first 40 minutes we played a good match.

“And so because we haven’t done anything wrong we must hold our heads up and fight the next match.”