sharkyvilla Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 They have an unparallelled stream of talent that puts them into a different league for me. The fact that the Bilbao team destroyed Utd over two legs, full of Spanish-qualified talent where only 2 players made the squad and only one played a few minutes, partly illustrates it. Also the side that won the under 21 Euros was unbeliavable too, with the likes of Thiago and Muniain likely to go from strength to strength over the next few years. Added to the domination of the current first team and the average age of about 27, they should go on to win the next couple of tournaments too. Utter brilliance in every department. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanvilla_1994 Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 This Spanish side are the greatest national side ever IMHO. As for those saying Brazil 1970. The distances people ran back then were about 1/3rd of what they run today. If you put both sides on the same pitch it'd be about 6-0 to Spain. Yes I know you have to take training methods and the standards of the time into account. But I think the raw talent in this Spanish side is higher than what they had back then too. Xavi is right up there as one of the greatest midfielders to ever play the game. When he goes, this Spanish side will seriously struggle to replace him. This. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 It's an impossible question to answer for the reasons one or two posters have pointed out - differences in training regimes, levels of competition, equipment used/kit worn, etc. There is no doubt however that Spain are an exceptional national side, by far the best in the world at the moment, and I would certainly throw Vicente del Bosque's hat into the ring for best coach of all time. You have to remember that Spain's back story is a long history of perplexing failure to do well at international level, despite producing a string of excellent club level players. Del Bosque becomes their manager and, hey presto, they're winning everything in sight. (OK, I know Aragonés got them winning first, but he doesn't share the same back story as Del Bosque who already had Real Madrid's golden age under his belt.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCforever1991 Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Also the pitches were a lot worse back then, so Spain would Not have been able to move the ball as easy back then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Del Bosque becomes their manager and, hey presto, they're winning everything in sight. (OK, I know Aragonés got them winning first, but he doesn't share the same back story as Del Bosque who already had Real Madrid's golden age under his belt.) Blimey, you are glossing over the facts for the sake of a good story there aren't you? Spain are winning because they have everything set up from grass roots to national side correctly. They are producing an endless stream of brilliant players who are all schooled in how to play a system which Del Bosque didnt invent. If anything the current Spanish dominance of the game goes to prove how unimportant the manager is to a team. As lots of people have pointed out this morning Del Bosque had been unemployed for three years before taking the Spain job and had worked just one year in five (a somewhat disastrous year at Besiktas where he got sacked before the end of his first season) if you want to trace his history back further. Yes, the manager has to be be good but international success seems to me that it is more about the players being produced by a countries FA and the system they are coached in from a young age than some tactical genius coming in on a white horse and outsmarting everybody else as he leads the team to glory. If you look at the careers of all of the managers of the top countries at the moment then they all seem to have had unspectacular times in club management, but they all seem more prepared than anybody from this country to work as part of a much bigger system. Maybe Woy is the man to start bringing all our shit together at long last, but I doubt he will get given the time once the newspapers go after him after the first bad result in qualifying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voinjama Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 How must Raul be feeling? Mixed emotions I think. For 10 years he was a key member of the Spain set up and was running things. They had some great teams, of which the 2002 one was the best. As soon as he leaves the scene (2007) they start winning eveything. On the one hand he must be happy, to see his country winning, but on the other hand a bit of regret and jealousy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted July 2, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted July 2, 2012 To be honest, the standard of the Spain team when Raul was in it probably made him look beter than he is, because he was such a standout talent in it. Maybe he wouldn't think so, but he may not be as highly regarded by the Spanish if he was in this team compared to the team he was in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 i think Raul had a very good team around him like Morientes, Salgado, Guardiola, Valeron, Mendieta, Hierro etc but i think they just maybe lacked mentally the ability to go further as the ability was there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voinjama Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Spain had great teams at the 2002 and 2006 world cups. That 2002 team on paper was the 2nd best at that particular world cup behind Brazil. Incredible talent in there but were screwed by the ref against South Korea. Although Raul was the standout player for Spain from 1997 to 2007 they had loads of other world class or very good players. But I feel they were unlucky. The only times they 'bottled it' was in 1998 and 2004. There is a school of thought that the 2008 success was down to Raul not being in and around the team. He had too much influence in team matters. Either way I would love to know what Raul really thinks about Spains current success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 well the fact he played with probably 60 -70 percent of the squad i would say he would be really happy for them. he doesnt seem the bitter resentful type of guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted July 2, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted July 2, 2012 Yeah, to clarify, I wasn't saying the Raul spanish side were crap or anything. I just meant Raul was the star. And he was held in such high regard because he was the spearhead of the team. Now, with the increase in talent, I'm not sure he'd be as much of a stanout player. Still quality, but not THE star, so i don't think the Spanish would hold him in such high regard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voinjama Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Of the 3 Spain sides I actually think the Euro 2008 version was the most impressive. The football they played at that tournament was more impressive and I thnk the individual talent was slightly better then the 2010 and 2012 versions. But of course in 2008 everyone wasnt being so defensive against Spain because they were not a target. When you win you become a target. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted July 2, 2012 Moderator Share Posted July 2, 2012 But of course in 2008 everyone wasnt being so defensive against Spain because they were not a target. When you win you become a target. Exactly. I was about to respond to your opening 2 lines 'til I read your next 2 Which IMO makes this team the most impressive. They played against sides as good as France who were parking the bus. The one team in the tournament who didn't was Italy in the groups and they then tore them a new a-hole in the final. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voinjama Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 But the 2008 team had David Villa who I rate very very highly. And the 2008 Torres was one of the top 3 strikers in Europe at the time. Looking at it purely from a personnel at the time perspective (if that makes sense) I still think that 2008 side was a tiny bit then the current team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 The 2008 team also had the wonderful and dynamic Senna who was a lot of people player of the tournament and they replaced him with Alonso who is brilliant but different type of midfielder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voinjama Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Senna was awesome, that performance against Russia was as good as Pirlos against England. Was unlucky to not make the 2010 squad, but I guess they didnt need him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 How must Raul be feeling? Mixed emotions I think. For 10 years he was a key member of the Spain set up and was running things. They had some great teams, of which the 2002 one was the best. As soon as he leaves the scene (2007) they start winning eveything. On the one hand he must be happy, to see his country winning, but on the other hand a bit of regret and jealousy. I'd imagine Miguel Angel Nadal feels much the same. A key member of the Spanish national team and the Cruyff led "Dream Team" at Barcelona. Wins a string of honours including five league titles, the European Cup, the Cup Winners Cup and the Spanish Cup with two different clubs. Then his brother has a son called Rafa and all of a sudden he isnt even the best sportsman in his family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voinjama Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 I can honestly see Spain winning the world cup in Brazil too. Most of this team will still be at the top level in 2 years time. It is only Xavi and a few others like Villa, Puyol and Casillas who will be in their mid 30s by then. They also have lots of good young players coming through. Basically they could make it 4 in a row, and England have no chance of a tournament win until the Russia 2018 world cup at the earliest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCforever1991 Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 No I think Brazil in 2014 is messi's world Cup..IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanvilla_1994 Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Still can't see past Spain again in 2014. They have so many talented youngsters coming through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts