The new coach, Montse Tomé, finally presented yesterday in the football city of Las Rozas the call-up for the matches against Sweden and Switzerland in the League of Nations and the surprise was to see on the list most of the players who played in the World Cup (and others who had given up going to the World Cup, such as Patri Guijarro and Mapi León) and who have given up on returning to the national team until a deep restructuring is done in the Federation. Jenni Hermoso is not among those selected.
Tomé did not say at any time that he had convinced the players to rectify and change their position and simply appealed to their professionalism. "I am convinced that they will be here. I trust it. They love their profession and come from being world champions. Today we start from zero", he stated in an intervention that left many questions and in which at times it seemed that he was doing a disservice to the players and at others he remained silent.
At the press conference, which was attended in the front row by the president of the Gestora de la Federation, Pedro Rocha, Tomé tried to follow the line marked by him to make a point and aside regarding the stage of Luis Rubiales and focus only on what is merely sporting.
The new coach emphasized several times that she was starting a new stage. He did admit that he has spoken to the footballers: "We are all clear that we have experienced an exceptional situation. The Federation has worked to be able to talk to them and we have listened to them. What I have discussed with them remains between us. We are all part of this and the key is to have good communication. We are very excited and face a competition that is very important".
Tomé explained why he has not summoned Jenni Hermoso: "We are with Jenni in everything and with all the players. We believe that the way to help them is to be with them. I am the most responsible and I believed that the best way to protect her was not to summon her. I have been working with her for five years and I have agreed as a colleague because I have played against her", he said.
The coach wanted to distinguish herself from her five years as second in command of her predecessor, the late Jorge Vilda: "It is true that I have worked for five years with Vilda, but I am not Jorge Vilda. I'm Montse Tomé; I am a different person, with a different personality and with different values. All the players know me and I know what they think and feel about me", he commented vehemently.
He had more difficulty explaining his applause to Luis Rubiales at the assembly in which the former president announced that he did not intend to resign: "I applauded twice: when he said that we were all world champions and when he appointed me director of football. The truth is that I didn't feel well that day. We had to come here because we were told to. Everything that happened... I don't feel part of it. When I went home, when I felt really calm, I issued the statement [in which he submitted his resignation]. It was seen what my position is", he said.
