Camacho transforms Spanish fortunes

MADRID, SEPT 6: What a difference a year makes. Twelve months ago, Javier Clemente's unbalanced, confused Spanish side followed up their ...

MADRID, SEPT 6: What a difference a year makes. Twelve months ago, Javier Clemente8217;s unbalanced, confused Spanish side followed up their World Cup disaster by crashing away to Cyprus in their opening European Championship Group Six qualifying match.

The public outcry at the shock defeat drove the belligerent Clemente from the job. The prospects were not good for his replacement, Jose Antonio Camacho, who had just walked out on Real Madrid after only three weeks in the job.

A year later, the situation of the Spanish national team has been transformed. Optimism has replaced disillusion, positive attacking football has replaced a hit-and-hope approach, excellent results have replaced disappointment and excuses.

Camacho8217;s record at club level was patchy, but at national level is little short of staggering: Played nine, won eight, drawn one, lost none, with 37 goals scored and just six conceded. He has taken the new Spain to the top of Group Six with five straight wins.

His most impressive win came on Saturday in Vienna, against an aggressive Austria keen to avenge the 9-0 thrashing suffered in March. Otto Baric8217;s tough team did their best to throw Spain out of their stride, but Camacho8217;s team continued to play good football through mid-field and deservedly triumphed.

Victory at home to Cyprus on Wednesday will guarantee Camacho first place in the group and direct qualification for Euro 2000, with one game to spare. Spain are top with 15 points from six matches, three points above Cyprus 8212; who beat Israel 3-2 on Sunday 8212; and five points ahead of Israel.

The Cyprus match is being staged in the Extremaduran capital of Badajoz, the first-ever international to be played there. Tickets for the game have been sold out for two weeks.

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Camacho and company arrived in Badajoz just after midnight on Saturday, bruised but unbowed. Some 3,000 locals greeted them at the tiny airport. On Sunday, around 5,000 fans turned out to watch their light training session.

Amazingly, given the Austrian tackling, Camacho has no injury worries. His only absentee on Wednesday will be reserve mid-fielder Vicente Engonga, booked in Vienna for taking the law into his own hands.

Camacho was quick to point out yesterday that he is not obsessed with taking revenge on Cyprus for last year8217;s defeat. 8220;The important thing is to clinch first place,8221; he said, 8220;rather than look for revenge8221;.

The players who suffered the Cyprus disaster, however, have different ideas. Luis Enrique told television reporters on Sunday that 8220;it is important for us to put the record straight.8221;

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Goalkeeper Santiago Canizares, meanwhile, was promising that 8220;no way are they going to put three past me again8221;.