Julen Lopetegui: ‘Of course we could have played better. It was our fault’
Spaniard on the ‘pain and anger’ of his sacking at West Ham and rejecting an immediate return to management
“And then suddenly they sacked me.” Julen Lopetegui is running through the reasons to be cheerful – safety secure, 17 shots at the Etihad and the physical stats, an identity emerging, a winter window and a kinder calendar coming – when he uses one of only two English lines in as many hours, delivered as if the final page of a story. The other, not entirely incidentally, is “no comment”, and a smile accompanies both. Five weeks from his sacking at West Ham, the anger and hurt has subsided, on the surface at least. The period of mourning, as he puts it, is over.
“My father died and, although you can’t compare them, personal and professional mourning came together,” Lopetegui says. Offers arrived, but it was too soon. Instead he headed to Mexico, where he is building a hotel with his brother Joxean, a former pelota player, and as he arrives at another hotel, this time in Madrid, it is clear getting away from it all was good for him. Heading in, he bumps into Rafa Benítez and conversation begins, back to football again. “Slowly, you start to feel that enthusiasm,” Lopetegui says. “You step back, see things clearly, get closer to reality.”
Continue reading...
Read more at The Guardian
Topics
-
This Is Our Country, and We Have No Other
How long can Ukraine stand? For as long as Ukrainian soldiers, bent over from the extreme pressure, can hold on.The New York Times - 8h -
Macron and Starmer Have Played Trump’s Game Before, but the Rules Are Changing
The leaders of France and Britain are both due to meet with President Trump this week. Approaches previously tried with him may no longer work.The New York Times - 3h -
Writer David Szalay: ‘We live in an era of short attention spans – we have to work with it the best we can’
The Hungarian-English author on addressing what it’s like to be a male body in the world, learning the tricks of literature from Frederick Forsyth, and the feeling of nearly winning the Booker. ...The Guardian - 20h -
‘I’m a reluctant snowbird’: We’re in our 60s and own a $1 million home. Can we afford a $290K vacation home near our grandchildren?
“We have no debt and an investment portfolio of $3.3 million.”MarketWatch - 22h -
Five teams that could be hit hardest by free agency, plus Jets trade up to No. 1 pick in our mock draft
Here's everything you need to know about the NFL for Feb. 21CBS Sports - 1d -
‘We’re healing this common body we call a nation’: the plays assessing Kenya’s present by retelling its past
The series of shows draws on threads of Kenyan history, tackling disenfranchisement, colonialism and oppression while inspiring the country’s young people to participate in its future. On a recent ...The Guardian - 1h -
76ers' Joel Embiid on ailing knee affecting play: 'Hard to have trust when you're not yourself'
Embiid has been limited to only 18 of Philadelphia's 55 games this season.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
‘We have a rule when we hear the sirens: if you’ve started operating, you don’t stop’: 24 hours with doctors on the Ukrainian frontline
Like the soldiers they battle to save, combat medics in Ukraine are under constant attack. Three years after the invasion, one NHS doctor bears witness. “The frontline here is cold, hard, true war. ...The Guardian - 1d -
This is how we do it: ‘At 78, I’m having multiple orgasms, thanks to erection injections – and marijuana’
When Dean started having erectile problems, his wife Gaby insisted he get some help. Now they both have pleasure galore in bed. How do you do it? Share the story of your sex life, anonymously . ...The Guardian - 1d
More from The Guardian
-
Ukraine war live: Russia launches largest drone attack on eve of third anniversary of invasion
Drones intercepted in at least 13 regions including Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv and Odesa, according to Ukrainian authorities. The Russian government has supported comments ...The Guardian - 20m -
German election live: voters head to polls amid fears over Ukraine security, Trump and rise of far right
Conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz could unseat chancellor Olaf Scholz but threat of gains by far-right AfD looms large. Europe correspondent . There seems little doubt that, barring ...The Guardian - 45m -
Middle East crisis live: IDF carries out airstrikes in southern Lebanon ahead of funeral of Hezbollah leader Nasrallah
Hezbollah’s former leader was killed in Israeli strike last September; Israel suspends release of 600 Palestinians. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said the group would keep following the path of ...The Guardian - 1h -
Musk tells US federal workers to explain what they achieved last week or be fired
‘Cruel and disrespectful’ request to employees sparks confusion across key government agencies. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been given little more than 48 hours to explain what ...The Guardian - 4h -
Pope Francis had ‘restful night’, Vatican says, morning after respiratory crisis
Pontiff had fallen into critical condition, receiving high flows of oxygen and blood transfusions in hospital as he battles complex lung infection . Pope Francis had a “restful night” in hospital, ...The Guardian - 6h
More in World
-
Ukraine war live: Russia launches largest drone attack on eve of third anniversary of invasion
Drones intercepted in at least 13 regions including Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv and Odesa, according to Ukrainian authorities. The Russian government has supported comments ...The Guardian - 20m -
Newcastle v Nottingham Forest: Premier League – live
Latest updates from the 2pm GMT kick-off Email Daniel here | Subscribe to Football Daily What could possibly go wrong? . Also going on… Continue reading...The Guardian - 22m -
Pakistan v India: Champions Trophy – live
Pakistan all out for 241 in Dubai Group A game Email Jim here | Sign up to The Spin Go off without incident. Cute children in white T-shirts look absolutely thrilled to be mascots. India ...The Guardian - 25m -
Sudan's paramilitary RSF and allies sign a deal to pave the way for parallel government
Yahoo News - 33m -
Mikaela Shiffrin earns 100th World Cup win of her career with slalom success
American puts injuries behind her to win in Sestriere Shiffrin is first skier ever to reach 100 World Cup wins Mikaela Shiffrin secured the 100th Alpine skiing World Cup victory of her career ...The Guardian - 39m
