Spain have been the centre of headlines in a bad way leading up to, and now during the Women’s World Cup, and it didn’t help when their plan around moving to Wellington has taken a u-turn.
A few days before their final group game against Japan, Spain were making the news and it was not because of the game that would ultimately decide who would top Group C.
With both teams having won their first two group games, this matchup was being talked up by the media. There was a scent of excitement about these two countries going head-to-head.
However, this was not the case. It was about Spain’s decision to move their training base. It was reported that the Spanish team left their training facilities in Palmerston North, nearly a two hour drive out of Wellington.
Head coach Jorge Vilda says that it was not because of the team being bored or not having anything to do in their downtime, the reported reasons around his side leaving Palmy.
“It’s definitely not true,” Vilda said.
“We have felt at home in Palmy, the Palmy people have been amazing with us,” he said.
Leading up to their game against Japan, Spain were training at Palmerston North’s Massey University grounds.
The announcement caused a big reaction from not only locals, but also the nation.
In recent memory, no team in both Men’s or Women’s World Cups’ have ditched their training base, at least not because of the reasons Spain were reportedly listing.
Yes, teams do leave their training facilities because they are playing a game in another city, but to fully pack up and leave your headquarters permanently is a bit bizarre.
You are here for football and here for one goal, to win the Women’s World Cup. While being able to go out and do a bit of site seeing, particularly at a World Cup in a foreign country, is important, it shouldn’t be an excuse for any team to just go on and ditch their training base.
It’s clear that Vilda along with his team were grateful to what Palmerston North provided, but says Wellington is the better move in regard to what their situation was.
“We have just moved to be closer to the stadium,” Vilda said.
“In case we end as top of Group C, we will also play in Wellington,” he said.
Spain’s two of their three group games were played at Wellington’s Regional Stadium, with only one played at Auckland’s Eden Park.
Whoever would top the group will play the team that finished second in Group A with the match to be held in the capital.
However, Spain will not be playing in Wellington after failing to top Group C.
Their loss to the Japanese means the Spanish finished second in the group and will travel to Auckland to face the team that finished on top of Group A, Switzerland.
This means Japan will play in Wellington, their surprising 4-0 win put them on top of the group and they will face Norway.
It’s clear that Spain’s plan has failed. Yes, the move was a good call strategy wise, but being that they needed to beat Japan, it has not gone the way the Spanish needed it to.
While on the upside, they will be closer to the airport to travel to Auckland, leaving Palmy has once again put Spain in the spotlight.
From most of the team refusing to play under Vilda to then a video being released of some of the squad mocking the haka, a Māori dance, and now their relocation of a training base in Wellington all in a space of a year, this is not a good look for Spain.
They will be hoping that their football stops all the chat around the team and the headlines can be about their game rather than situations off the pitch.
Featured image credit: Hagen Hopkins FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
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