By Nick Mulvenney
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Spain coach Jorge Vilda on Saturday declined to answer questions about the mutiny in his squad earlier this year and said his team were united, having fun and determined to win their country a first Women’s World Cup.
La Roja’s run to the final against England on Sunday is all the more remarkable given that a dozen of their top players did not travel Down Under after they withdrew from the national squad in a row over team culture.
“Next question, please,” was Vilda’s terse response to the first attempt by reporters to tease an answer out of him on the issue.
Further attempts to approach the matter were parried by the 42-year-old but he was prepared to share some thoughts about the mood in the camp.
“From the very beginning, the players have been united and they’ve been working hard,” he said.
“I believe that today will be the 65th training session and all of them have gone very well. And that’s been reflected by what’s happened on the pitch.
“It’s been extraordinary. They will have memories for the rest of their lives, they’ve enjoyed it, they’ve had fun. We’ve been together and tomorrow we want to celebrate together.”
Centre half Irene Paredes was one of a trio of senior players who spoke out in support of the mutineers but were later reintegrated into the squad and she echoed the coach’s words about the unity in the camp.
“It is a team,” she said. “It has evolved over the last few years with veteran players and young players playing their part.
“We have confidence in ourselves, and we work very hard. And that’s given us the opportunity to be able to play in the final tomorrow.”
Paredes said they had been heartened by messages of support from back home and hoped that their run to the final would cement a permanent place in Spanish football culture for the women’s game.
“Spain has always been a football loving country,” she said. “We’ve grown up with football in society, but it was not our space — or at least that’s how they made us feel.
“There were always obstacles, we were trained by people who were reluctant to coach us.
“So it is important for everyone to know that this space is ours, that we can play in World Cup finals and we are role models.”
Paredes said the team were preparing for Sunday’s match against the European champions at Stadium Australia as if it was any other game.
“There are no nerves,” she said. “Perhaps tomorrow there will be but that’s only natural with an event like this.
“The process is to focus on the match, to train well, and to try and enjoy ourselves.”
The last attempt to engage Vilda on the boycott elicited a robust response from the coach.
“What we want to do tomorrow is to be the best in the world,” he said.
“And we’ll do this by winning the final.”
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Peter Rutherford)
