—A few days have passed since the statement asking for the resignation of the coach, Ignacio Quereda. Do you still stand by that?
We maintain our position, which is based on asking for a change and a renewal in the sporting aspect.
—What do those changes imply?
In the statement, we made it very clear that we are asking for changes to improve. We assume our share of responsibility, but the preparation for this World Cup has not been up to par. The training sessions have been very basic and repetitive, sometimes with contradictions within the coaching staff. And the analysis of the opponents has been very poor.
—Do you feel that you arrived at the matches without enough information?
We watched the videos of our opponents in Canada. We had very little information. We only analyzed clips of friendlies from Costa Rica, and matches from Brazil and Korea in the same World Cup. We watched the friendly match that South Korea played against the United States on our own. The sports plan to face the matches was not clear, and it is incomprehensible because almost all of that material is available on the internet nowadays. In the first match against Costa Rica, there was a system change and it was not worked on enough either.
—Del Bosque has commented that you "did not use the appropriate channel".
We have used this channel because they know that it is not easy to reach Villar. After the elimination, we expressed our opinion to Ignacio Quereda, and he told us: "This already happened years ago and some players decided not to come. Either you are on the same boat or you get off." We tried to talk to Nacho (Quereda), but that was the response we received. It was like hitting a wall. And if we come across a wall, we have no choice but to try to jump over it.
—Is it a coincidence that everything has exploded now, during the World Cup?
This is not a tantrum or a burst of anger. We have revealed shortcomings that we have been experiencing for years, but until now it had not had this media repercussion. It was the right moment for many reasons, and a series of factors came together to make it possible. To make a demand, you need the unity of the whole group, which we have, and a repercussion and support from society that had not been given until now. In order to continue being among the best, we need the change we are asking for, to represent our country under the best conditions.
—Do the best conditions imply a different treatment?
Definitely. There has been talk of shouting, of manners. I have had many coaches throughout my career and of course they shout, but if there is no correction behind the shouting, it is useless. These are things that bother because they inhibit you and put pressure on you when playing, and they prevent you from giving your all on the field.
—And now, what do you expect?
We hope that change occurs to improve and grow, and the Federation has the final word in that change.