The former President of women’s football in Spain has accused Coach Ignacio Quereda of being a “cancer” to the game.
Maria Teresa Andreu was in charge of women football’s subcommittee in the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) for 18 years and appointed Quereda as Coach in 1988 but believes the time for change is long overdue after a poor 2015 World Cup campaign.
“I didn’t like Teodoro Nieto and asked for change. I wanted a Coach from Madrid and the Coaches Committee presented us with three choices,” she told Marca.
“I was the one who chose and appointed Ignacio Quereda. At first, it was good because I was so involved, but eventually things changed radically.
“[Quereda] wanted to control everything. He’s a person who doesn’t allow criticism and often fell out with me and many others.
“If we made a list of all the players who came into the squad [under his leadership], nobody would speak well of him.
“Some people within the Federation have even asked to change department so they wouldn’t have to travel with him.
“The situation became so untenable that I had to tell him to stop attending meetings.
“[Player mutiny] is something that I’ve experienced first-hand. It’s not something new.
“If [RFEF President] Villar listened to me before then we wouldn’t have reached this situation.
“The cancer of women’s football is called Ignacio Quereda.
“[At the 1997 European Championship], it was very similar to the current situation. The players drafted a letter and handed it to him. I took charge of the situation and went to talk to Villar.
“He said he didn’t want change, that the women players weren’t allowed to preach and kept his faith in Quereda.
“Villar has always run away from problems and only wants people on his side.
“The press didn’t listen to us [in 1997] and Quereda convinced some of the players to retract [their statement], so the issue was quickly forgotten.
“Football, especially women’s football, has changed a lot since its inception, and he has not moved with the times in the slightest.
“He goes without preparation, ideas… It’s a shame because women’s football is going through a great period and we have good players and a League with great teams.
“It all depends on the media. They must put on record that this is not a one-off and support the players, both past and present.”
