Former Spain Coach Javier Clemente says he quite understands what it’s been like, for Pedro Rodriguez who couldn’t hide his frustration at being left out in Spain’s squad during the early games at Euro 2016. However, the former coach admits he feels the Chelsea winger picked the wrong time to vent out his anger.
Image: Javier Clemente was sacked as Cameroon national team coach in October, 2011.
Pedro complained earlier in Euro 2016 that he didn’t feel part of the team after being overlooked for La Roja’s early fixtures.
In a chat with AS, Clemente says it’s not too bad that Pedro felt the way he did, just as any other reserve. The truth of the matter is, “there’s a time and a place to say so”.
“I think Pedro said what he feels and he didn’t want to cause harm. He said what everyone who doesn’t play thinks, but he picked the wrong time,” Clemente thinks.
“In addition, you’re not in the national team only to make up the numbers. You’re there to train every day with the hope of earning your place. He was wrong. But he thinks like everyone who doesn’t play.
“Will what he said be a problem? No, if the boy has to play he will do his best and give everything. No substitute accepts their situation but they say it quietly, or at home with their wife.
“Pedro said it, but perhaps he thought those who don’t play aren’t very important? Or what, we only take 11 players?”
Clemente also weighed in on the goalkeeper’s situation as Vicente del Bosque drops Iker Casillas for David De Gea, comparing the decision to his time when Andoni Zubizarreta was the undisputed first choice.
“That’s because he was the best of my time. Zubi not only played for me but three other Coaches. It was unquestionable. Buyo was the next in quality but I didn’t call him for other reasons, for the same reasons as Pedro, relations in the locker room,” he recalled.
“There has to be 23 guys involved, friends, faithful among them, and I didn’t want to call Buyo. He was very good, but had no place in the way I understood making a group. So I took Santiago Canizares, who was next.
“Casillas wasn’t comfortable in his last stage at Real Madrid, with Jose Mourinho. His last years at Madrid were complicated, and then he went to play in Portugal, not a big League. It’s a League where you only have three tough games, Benfica, Sporting and Porto, and the rest aren’t much motivation.”
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