Joaquin Caparros has emerged as the favourite to replace Vicente Del Bosque as Spain boss, but the final decision may not be made for at least another three weeks due to internal political wrangling.
Veteran Del Bosque is expected to retire from management after seeing his team exit the European Championships with Monday’s disappointing 2-0 defeat to Italy, but the 65 year-old will not confirm his plans until after he has met with Spanish Football Federation president Angel Maria Villar.
If Del Bosque does depart, as is widely assumed, the naming of his replacement would be significantly complicated by the fact that Villar is among the front-runners to replace the disgraced Michel Platini as new president of UEFA, with the deadline for declaring as an official candidate coming on 20 July.
Here, we look at the five leading Spain candidates should Vicente Del Bosque decide to depart as head coach.
JOAQUIN CAPARROS
Joaquin Caparros.
The front runner for the position more through his personal relationships with potential decision-makers than his managerial track record, which is rather modest with more defeats than victories in La Liga.
MARCELINO
Marcelino.
The Villarreal coach is one of the fastest-rising coaching talents in Spain after taking the Yellow Submarine to promotion two years ago, and then returning them to the Champions League with a fourth-placed finish last season.
ERNESTO VALVERDE
Ernesto Valverde.
Arguably the most respected manager in Spain, Valverde became a Basque hero by leading Athletic Bilbao to their first trophy in 31 years with last summer’s Spanish Super Cup.
JULEN LOPETEGUI
Julen Lopetegui.
The former Porto boss will be a strong contender if the Spanish Federation opts for continuity, thanks to his spell in charge of the national under 21 team which included triumph in the 2013 European Championship.
PACO JIMENEZ
Paco Jimenez.
The former Rayo Vallecano’s charisma and attacking principles would make him a popular choice with fans, but he appeared to rule himself out of contention by accepting the managerial post at Granada just last week.