Former Getafe and Sevilla Coach Michel has lamented the attitude Spain has to employing Coaches and former players of Spanish nationality in La Liga.
The 50-year-old, who is working at Olympiacos now, reflected this week on the list of names linked with coming in at Real Madrid this summer, should Jose Mourinho depart, and lamented the lack of Spaniards.
“We have a habit of wanting to sign the Coach that does to us most harm. Before the semi-final with Borussia Dortmund, nobody spoke about [Jurgen] Klopp,” commented former Madrid midfielder Michel to Onda Cero today.
“In Spain, they would not allow a recently retired footballer like [Roberto] Mancini to take over at a top club. So when they come here they have more of a resume than our former players.
“It is the story of our football. We are extremely kind to people coming from abroad and we do not allow those inside a chance.
“I watched the farewell from Manchester United to Sir Alex Ferguson and that here is unthinkable.
“Mourinho? He is a winner and I do not think his decision to play Varane [instead of Pepe] is anything personal. Because if I did, we would not be talking about the best Coach in the world, we would be talking about other issues.”
Michel, however, was more critical of Mourinho for the situation that has festered with Iker Casillas.
“It would be impossible to see that case elsewhere. It would be inexplicable at Manchester City, Milan or Juventus, to see what is happening here with Casillas.
“I do not see [Gianluigi] Buffon having to go through what Iker is.
“Diego Lopez is outstanding, but I am talking about other things. Controversies that are created beyond the game. He is outstanding and very fit.
“What we are seeing now from Diego Lopez is close to what we saw when we signed him last year for Sevilla.
“The controversy would not exist if the substitute was not a player like Iker Casillas.”
