- Manager Luis Enrique took charge of Spain for the first time in July last year
- He stepped aside for personal reasons in March before resigning in June
- Stepped down to take care of daughter Xanita, nine, who died of bone cancer
- Ex-Barca boss Enrique’s assistant, Robert Moreno, took charge in his absence
Luis Enrique has been confirmed to return as Spain manager but the No 2 who stepped up in his absence will will not be reuniting with him.
Robert Moreno took over in June after Enrique’s daughter, Xana, was taken ill having been diagnosed with cancer. Xana passed away in August.
Having led his country unbeaten through eight matches in charge, former Barcelona assistant Moreno departs the national team entirely after being removed as head coach.
Relations between Enrique and Moreno, who have worked together for the last nine years, are said to be strained and FA president Luis Rubiales refused to comment on whether the departing boss would stay in the Spain set-up on Tuesday morning.
Spain have confirmed their incredible u-turn by re-appointing Luis Enrique as their manager
Enrique’s reappointment comes just five months after he quit his role as Spain manager
Robert Moreno had no idea he was being replaced but he did know Enrique wanted to return
Moreno was clearly emotional on Monday evening after his final game as Spain boss.
Moreno left Atletico Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in tears following Spain’s 5-0 battering of Romania on Monday night.
Rumours had already started to circulate but there was no confirmation although he was one of the first to learn Enrique wanted to return. Moreno sent two lawyers in his place on Tuesday to speak with the Spanish FA.
Rubiales has insisted that ‘the doors of the federation and the national team will remain open to him’.
Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales confirmed the news of Enrique’s return on Tuesday
Enrique has replaced his former No 2 Roberto Moreno (left), who stepped up to the role
Morenois unhappy with the way his departure has been handled after his initial appointment
Moreno, who is said to feel ‘used and betrayed’, doesn’t share that thought, though.
He has walked out of the Spain camp and won’t be a part of the backroom team.
Rubiales said on Tuesday that Moreno wanted to agree his departure quickly ‘so as not to hinder the return of Luis Enrique’.
He added: ‘Moreno did not want to continue but he had not negotiated anything. [Jose Francisco] Molina [Spain sporting director] asked me to go talk to him and ask if he wanted to come back. I told him everything and asked him if he would come back.
‘We have acted sincerely, we have not deceived anyone. Everyone knew that if Luis Enrique wanted to come back he had the doors open.’
However, it is also believed that Spanish chiefs didn’t speak to Moreno personally to confirm the switch but that the team were satisfied with the action taken.
Marca has described the national team as a ‘circus’, while AS appeared to support the decision
Enrique and Moreno have worked together for nine years at Roma, Barcelona and with Spain
Spain mustered a 12-0 aggregate scoreline from Moreno’s last two matches in qualifying
Rubiales added: ‘The national team captains always respect those who take decisions and they way in which they are taken.
‘We wanted to meet and talk with Robert this morning, not last night at stadium. So I did not go to the dressing room yesterday, although I spoke with some of the players.’
Although the Spain players are aware of Enrique’s methods from his previous time at the helm, his is now the fifth different managerial spell in the past 17 months.
The 49-year-old, who won eight of 10 matches during his previous tenure, suffering Nations League defeats by England and Croatia, is now tasked with guiding Spain at next summer’s European Championship finals and beyond.
Rubiales further stated: ‘Luis Enrique will continue to the Qatar World Cup (in 2022).’
Enrique stepped down after discovering his daughter Xana was suffering from bone cancer
The 49-year-old will now lead Spain into the European Championship next summer
source:dailymail