Del Bosque Talks About Respect For Turks, Güiza

Spanish National Team coach Vicente Del Bosque spoke with the press Tuesday about his team's upcoming World Cup qualifiers. The new Spain boss said his team fully respects their Turkish opponents and knows the challenge that awaits them this weekend. Del Bosque also talked about the inclusion of Fenerbahçe striker Dani Güiza and why he chose the struggling star in his current squad.

Vicente Del Bosque told Spanish TV network Veo7 Tuesday that his squad will have to battle if they are going to advance to the 2010 World Cup. Despite being the reigning European champions, the coach said his team takes nothing for granted. He also said his team respects the challenge they'll be presented by the Turks.

"Turkish football is in a constant uprise," Del Bosque said. "The footballers are like soldiers when it comes to the Milli Takım, and the nation is deeply connected to their teams. As a national team, they have a strong character and are very competitive. They are 11th in the FIFA world rankings currently and are 4th in Europe," he said.

Del Bosque stopped short of calling the Turks a threat to win the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The new Spanish boss said Portugal, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, and England are the most likely candidates to take home the trophy next summer.

The Spanish National Team coach said his side would be thrilled with a win and a draw against the Turks in their two upcoming meetings. "Of course four points is a good result," he said when asked about the scenario. Del Bosque commented that four points from the next two matches would almost certainly move them through to qualification.

Spain will be without Barcelona stars Andres Iniesta and Carles Puyol this weekend, something that concerns Del Bosque. "I hope we won't be affected by their absence. One thing is for sure, we might feel their absence when trying to get past a strong and dangerous team like Türkiye."

Del Bosque also defended his inclusion of striker Dani Güiza. The striker led La Liga in scoring last season with Mallorca, but the current Fenerbahçe star has struggled to find his form in Turkish football. "He played well against Bursaspor. His finishing touches are fine and he scored a typical goal, just on the border of an offside. Some say i picked him to help him out, but no, we picked him because of his footballing values," he said. "He completes the team, with Llorente, Torres and Villa. He helped us out against Belgium and he's an important member of the Spanish National Team."

Spain's new boss also talked about his predecessor, current Fenerbahçe coach Luis Aragones, who led the team to the Euro 2008 crown. "First of all, as a footballer and a coach he was one of my idols. He was an example for all of us. We're not in the same generation, but we've always been interacting with each other," Del Bosque said.

(fenerbahceworldwide)