Spain want Aragones to continue as coach

MADRID, June 28 (Reuters) The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) hope coach Luis Aragones will continue to lead Spain despite being knocked out of the World Cup finals 3-1 by France at the last 16 stage.

''We are very happy with the work Luis has done and we hope he will continue to lead the team as they prepare for the next European Championships,'' RFEF president Angel Maria Villar told radio Marca today.

''He has renovated the team, introduced young players with a lot of enthusiasm and we want him to continue with the project. It hasn't been a failure.

''After we qualified for the World Cup we told him we wanted him to continue after the tournament. We haven't changed our minds.'' But Aragones, 67, was non-committal as to his future when pressed as the team left Dortmund to return home.

''I got up this morning angry with myself because we didn't achieve what we set out to do. But I have a clear conscience,'' Aragones told reporters.

''I am going to continue coaching but I don't know where. It depends on a lot of things and we'll have to see how they want to do things but now is not the time to talk about it.'' The defeat to France was Aragones's first in 26 matches since taking over from Inaki Saez after Spain's first-round exit at Euro 2004.

Reuters DH RS2024