Fernando Hierro has mused that picking the right location for Spain to stay at during the World Cup next summer could be key.
La Roja are eagerly awaiting Friday evening’s group stage draw for the competition, when they will learn the locations of their opening three fixtures in the defence of their crown won in South Africa in 2010.
For the Spaniards’ former captain, who will be assisting FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke in the draw, location may be key.
“The most important things is to choose a good base for the training sessions and the concentration, like we did in South Africa,” Hierro told a Press conference this week.
“That said, the distance is the same for all the groups. We have to opt for agreeable climate. That's an important decision for Spain to be well concentrated the 40-something days.
“Who is going to win the World Cup? Evidently I bet on Spain, there's no other way about it.
“From there on, everything else is secondary. Let's hope we get to play the final, which would be very important for us.”
Hierro was asked of Xavi Hernandez’s chances of getting to the World Cup in form and physical state.
“Xavi is a great professional, the best player in Spanish football. He represents a style, values, which is a privilege for Spanish football and his club.
“In that respect, he is someone with enough experience and I am sure he will get to the World Cup at a high level come the end of the season.”
The former Real Madrid man reflected on what was defining to Spain’s success three-and-a-half years ago.
“The start was complicated. The result against Switzerland was unexpected and threw us off.
“That is why the match against Chile was difficult, first because of the conditions of the team and because we knew that if we lost we were going home.
“I think surviving that situation gave us the strength to go ahead and has been fundamental to be here.”
