Compendium to ‘Soccernstalgia Talk Podcast’-Episode 56-Post-Podcast Interview with Spanish Author and Historian Mr. Sergio Vilariño Ferreiro about Spain National team, 1982/83 season

 

A new addition to the podcast process, the idea is to see how the interviewee views events after analysis post podcast, also questions that I may have had that came to my mind after the podcast

This interview was conducted with Spanish Author and Historian Mr. Sergio Vilariño Ferreiro @SVilarino days after podcast.

 

Soccernostalgia Question: Can you describe the state of the Spanish National Team at the start of the 1982/83 season following the disappointment of the 1982 World Cup at home?

 

Sergio Vilariño Ferreiro Response: Quite simply: nobody was safe. The World Cup had been a huge disappointment and no member of the squad was spared from criticism. So when Muñoz was appointed, he was expected to revolutionize the team.Bring new blood into it and lead the change of the guard. 

 

 

Soccernostalgia Question: Was the Spanish public weary of Football after a World Cup or was there excitement with a new manager and season?

 

Sergio Vilariño Ferreiro Response: There was a sense of disappointment and doubt: are we any good? This was a very important campaign, because it helped to calm the waters and shut up all the naysayers (who were a lot, especially among the press).

 

Soccernostalgia Question: At this point in time, Miguel Munoz was 60 years old and his best days, as a Manager, seemed to be behind him. How was he chosen and what was the public and press reaction?

 

Sergio Vilariño Ferreiro Response: Nobody wanted to become the NT manager after España82. It was an easy task, but Muñoz, being the winningest Spanish coach at that time, had the experience and the character to do the job. He was considered a decent choice, although there was a lot of people saying his main task was to “clean up” all the Basque players (from Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao), and reinstate the Real Madrid block, which he did partially, but not in the way everybody thought.

 

Soccernostalgia Question: Why did Miguel Munoz refuse to call-up the likes of Juanito, Tendillo, Pericho Alonso, Zamora and Satrustegui?

 

Sergio Vilariño Ferreiro Response: They were seeing as mains culprits of the disaster of 82. Some (Zamora, Satrustegi, Alonso), because they were over the hill, Tendillo because he didn’t have enough experience (although he is going to remain on the fringe of the NT during the decade, he was a good defender), and Juanito’s character played against him.

 

 

Soccernostalgia Question: From Miguel Munoz’s new caps for this season 1982/83, only Juan Senor and Goikoetchea stayed on for many years, while Roberto, had more of an impact after 1986 World Cup and perhaps under Luis Suarez, how do you view Miguel Munoz’s experimentations?

 

Sergio Vilariño Ferreiro Response: He needed to find a solid defensive block to have the foundations of his team. So he was using a number a different players till he found the defensive pairing of Goicoechea (that’s the way his name was written at the time), and Macedo, with Camacho’s support. Gallego, Victor and Señor will helped them from midfield. Once Muñoz had that block, he started to focus on the attacking side (Carrasco, Rincón, to help Santillana). Roberto will be for years a player who was in and out of the team. Skilled, with decent passing ability and ready to work. Useful.

 

 

 

Soccernostalgia Question: At first glance, the 3-3 away at Dublin, seemed like a result at the time, but in retrospect it could have been a costly lost away point, how is Spain’s performance viewed today?

 

Sergio Vilariño Ferreiro Response: It left a bittersweet taste because Spain had it in the bag, and let that point slip. In this kind of group, every point (every goal!), counted. That why, although it was a decent result, left a question mark on the performance of the team.

 

 

Soccernostalgia Question: Was the win over Holland (1-0), the most significant result of the season?

 

Sergio Vilariño Ferreiro Response: Yes, for several reasons. Because Spain beat his strongest opinion, and started to believe that qualifying was a possibility. Also because it was the came out party for Rincón and Sevilla as the National Team talismanic city.

 

 

 

Soccernostalgia Question: The win over Holland some may dismiss as a win with a penalty kick, but the (2-0) win over Republic of Ireland showed that Spain can win when needed and qualify, how do you see that win?

 

Sergio Vilariño Ferreiro Response: Solid performance that confirmed that Spain was actually a good side. Even some Spaniard needed that confirmation!

 

 

 

Soccernostalgia Question: Was there media or public demand to re-integrate some of the discarded players such as Juanito and others?

 

Sergio Vilariño Ferreiro Response: Not really. The main media outlets were based in Madrid and Barcelona, and sick of seeing Basque players in the squad.

 

 

 

Soccernostalgia Question: How did ‘AS’ and ‘MARCA’ generally view this season?

 

Sergio Vilariño Ferreiro Response: As I said, the media had a pretty destructive campaign against the Federation president. Every criticism against the team was seen as a shot fired against him. You don’t want that type of atmosphere around the NT, but it is very common if the main newspapers don’t like a key figure.

 

 

 

Soccernostalgia Question: It appears that all of Spain’s matches were on TVE, did they have an influence like the print press would have had?

 

Sergio Vilariño Ferreiro Response: TVE was pretty neutral.

 

 

 

Soccernostalgia Question: The away matches in May 1983 vs. Malta and Iceland seem to have been lost as far as highlights, while the match in Dublin is not. Were the matches in May ever broadcast that you would know of or is it perhaps because of the quality of the opposition that TVE saw no need to broadcast them?

Note: Assuming that to be the case, I am not 100% sure, these matches were not broadcast, but I have not found any footage

 

Sergio Vilariño Ferreiro Response: They weren’t, as far as I know. Just published some images on the news. It was more common that we may think now to not have important matches nationally televised.

 

 

 

Soccernostalgia Question: At this point, how did the National Team compare to the previous year’s World Cup at home?

 

Sergio Vilariño Ferreiro Response: The group was tighter, and the feeling was that Muñoz had created a team. So it was all improving after the WC. The tournament played in Spain destroyed the NT atmosphere, which had been pretty good during the run up to the tournament.

Soccernostalgia Question: As good as Spain’s season was, it was still hard to imagine that this team would be in the Final of Euros in a year’s time, at this point would qualification been a success in itself after the disappointing World Cup?

 

Sergio Vilariño Ferreiro Response: Yes. Qualifying for a Euros was very difficult, so just making the tournament was already a success. Nobody believed Spain would go on and go all the way to the Final.