Luis Aragones: Stubborn Old Mule or Brilliant Wise Man?

If one were to watch coverage of the Spanish national side’s preparation training in these last couple of days before their Thursday encounter with Russia in the semi finals and saw Luis Aragones teetering around the practice pitch, one would be likely to point to the screen and gasp, “My lord, an elderly gentleman has become lost and has wandered straight out onto the ground… how sad.”

By equal measure, if one were to say that to Aragones’ face, that person would get a swift punch in the mouth—and don’t think the old boy couldn’t do it.

Referred to as "Scrooge," "un hombrecito" (a self-righteous crotchety old man) and "un maleducado" (an uneducated peasant) he has been one of the most despised national managers in recent memory, making principled, unpopular decisions, being notoriously unpleasant—personally and towards the media—and stubborn as Don Quixote’s mule.

And now, after Spain’s much-celebrated quarter final win over Italy, Aragones’ alternate nickname "el Sabio de Hortaleza" (the wise man from Hortaleza, his home town) has been inked all over Spanish newspapers, Catalan and Madrileno alike.

And the reason is almost identical to why he was so hated before: because he’s a stubborn old bastard.

Aragones has refused to give into public pressure since taking on the mantle, being the only manager in the past decade to make the almost unholy decision to remove Raul from "la Seleccion."

Aragones received hate mail, threats, public slander and was railed in the Spanish press—particularly from Marca, the notoriously pro-Madrid mouthpiece publication. But he never gave in, and it has proved to be a stroke of genius.

What many don’t understand about Spanish football is that it is much like its politics—splintered and almost impossible to control when placed in one room, or a football pitch. And although Raul is indeed a great leader, he never actually did very much to "bring players together"—in fact, he had very much the opposite effect.

Raul’s unbridled "Madridista" sentiments never sat well with the likes of "Tarzan" Puyol, Iniesta or Xavi, nor with the Basques in the side. And even though he had a blazing season for Real this year, his absence might just be part of the change in attitude of the Spaniards.

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