What changes do Spanish footballers demand and why?

Celebration on the plane of the players after being the world champions. Pablo García/RFEF (EFE/RFEF)

Unlike when 15 players were considered uncallable last September because they considered that the federation lacked professionalism and they understood that the level of the coaching staff – especially former coach Jorge Vilda – was low, arguments that they did not develop publicly, The Spanish footballers spoke clearly this Friday about their intentions regarding the RFEF and the area of ​​women’s football. There are five points that they want to change. And in all cases there are reasons and a context that help understand their demands.

Restructuring of the women’s football organization chart

Although coach Jorge Vilda has been fired, the players want a new sports director to be appointed (because Vilda doubled his duties). They want it to be someone of the highest level, who knows women’s football and who is committed to it. Likewise, there are those who are not too happy with the appointment of Montse Tomé to the bench, as they consider it to be a line of continuity with the past. Tomé was Vilda’s right-hand man and was at his side in the talks and negotiations with the 15. The players also understand that the technical staff should be completely remodeled.

Restructuring of the presidential cabinet and the General Secretariat

The soccer players do not want to know anything more about Luis Rubiales or all his aides, the cabinet that always accompanied and advised the former president. They believe it is more of the same and do not want past mistakes to be repeated. In the same way, they point out the secretary Andreu Camps because, they say, he showed very bad manners when the 15 players talked about returning to the team before the World Cup they won. Those people closest to the former president are still in the federation and they are also held responsible for the coercion and leaks.

Resignation of the president of the RFEF

The soccer players clarified after the statement that they were referring to Luis Rubiales, the author of the non-consensual kiss on Jenni Hermoso, who has already resigned. But there are also those who are clear that Pedro Rocha, the interim president, has been hand-picked by Rubiales to take office. And it’s not to his liking. Although in this case the solution must come in the medium term. Rocha has already announced that he will request an early election.

Restructuring of the communication and marketing area

The players did not like how the communication area handled the matter of the kiss with Jenni Hermoso, the pressure that was exerted on the player to make a joint speech with Rubiales and the successive coercion on her and her family. They point out, above all, to the communications director, Pablo García Cuervo. And also to the marketing area, since there were those who pressured the players to rectify her speech.

Restructuring of the Integrity department

They believe that valid people have left and that those who stayed were related to Rubiales, in the same way that they do not understand the management of Miguel García-Caba, close to the former president, nor the Integrity reports. This department did not serve to help Hermoso, far from defending her, they allowed the victim to end up being blamed for the events. It is worth remembering that Ana Muñoz, vice president of Integrity, José Luis Pérez Triviño and Araceli Martín Mangas, members of the Ethics Committee, recently presented their resignation en bloc. They reasoned that they had realized that they had no ability to control the federation. Rubiales, in response, fired them despite his resignation.

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