Footballers ‘own the show’, says Del Bosque

REAL MADRID coach Vicente Del Bosque never tries to steal the limelight from his players, according to the club’s sporting director Jorge Valdano.

For the 52-year-old the role of a coach is clear and he gladly allows his stars to take the plaudits.

"I am conscious and I accept, that in football the ones that own the show are the footballers," said Del Bosque.

"We are in the hands of the players and whoever attempts to change it is mistaken.

Del Bosque is aware his role is to bring the players together. "A coach has to unite more than disunite, orientate the team and join forces.

"To impose just for the sake of imposing damages a team."

Del Bosque has learned from all the top coaches who have been at Real Madrid including Fabio Capello, Leo Beenhakker, Alfredo Di Stefano as he worked his way through the ranks from the youth teams.

"I have been lucky that after retiring from professional football I went to the training ground every day," he said. "There have been many great coaches here and I have had an invaluable experience."

Del Bosque admits that training the top team is less problematic because he has the best players to work with.

"It is certain that when you have a good product its easier for everyone."

With stars such as Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane and Raul mixed in with aspiring players there can be friction in the dressing room. But Del Bosque claims that has never caused a problem.

"The great players have always been generous and correct and never caused any problems," said the former Spanish international.

"I defend players that come from the youth team, but also those that join us. I don't place any frontiers in football. The fans get excited watching Roberto Carlos play just as they did when Alfredo Di Stefano, who was Argentinean, and Ferenc Puskas, who was Hungarian, played. These players make Real Madrid greater."

Del Bosque was one of the players who graduated to Real's first team 30 years ago from the youth teams.

"The fans want to have the best players in the team.

"If he comes from the youth team better, but always with respect towards the players that join the team," he said.

Naturally, there is a drawback to having so many top players at one club as they are often called away to represent their countries at inconvenient moments.

"We have had a big handicap with many players being called for their national teams for 11 days," said Del Bosque.

"We will have to wait and see how they have recovered, not only from the physical standpoint but also psychologically."

But when his team takes to the Bernabeu pitch tonight, Del Bosque will gladly step away from the limelight and let the skills of his players do the talking for him.