My family wanted me to quit, says Aragones

Luis Aragones claims his family have asked him to quit as Spain’s coach because of recent allegations of racism and persecution by the English press.

“I have been insulted by being called racist and nobody had called me that before,” he said on Spanish radio. “I have suffered a lot in the past few days.

“I have never thought about resigning from my position, but my family have asked me to leave the post,” he admitted.

Aragones has been in the eye of a storm ever since making racist comments about Arsenal’s Thierry Henry during a Spain training session in October.

During England’s game against Spain black players were racially abused by some fans in Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium and, although he has been asked on several occasions to apologise for his remarks and condemn the insults and the chants, Aragones has refused.

"You are a slave to your words but, when I said what I said, I was in a private environment,” he said.

"Then in places such as the English press, they have insulted me by calling me a racist. I think it is wrong that they have been saying Spain is racist and that I am too.”

The 66-year-old has revealed he had received the support of Angel Maria Villar, who was re-elected as president of the Spanish FA last Friday.

They still have to decide on a punishment for Aragones, following recommendations from Spain’s Anti-Violence Commission, but it appears that whatever happens, they will not ask him to resign.

“I put my position in Villar’s hands, although he was the same person who hired me. If someone else had won the elections, I would have done the same thing, although I have heard they also counted on me,” he said.