Trophies easier to come by for coach than love

Should Spain win tomorrow night’s Euro 2012 final against Italy, Vicente del Bosque will become the first coach to win the Champions League, World Cup and European Championship trophies — an achievement which eluded even West Germany’s Helmut Schön, Holland’s Rinus Michels and Italy’s Marcelo Lippi.

Yet, even in Spain, del Bosque is rarely placed in this elite coaching company. At Real Madrid he was famously sacked despite winning two Champions Leagues in four seasons. During the 2010 World Cup in South Africa he was heavily criticised for his team selections. This summer, knockers — including his predecessor with La Roja Luis Aragonés — have been unimpressed by a “boring” style of football based on maintaining possession and lacking attacking thrust.

Spain’s players have been baffled by the negative reactions from fans and journalists. “We ask the fans to trust in us,” said Iniesta. “We have confidence in what the coach tells us and what we are doing.”