De Gea: "Alex Ferguson is like a father to the young players"
The Manchester United goalkeeper spoke to AS from Spain's training ground Las Rozas to discuss what it's like to be called up by Vicente Del Bosque, and compared the Spain coach to Sir Alex Ferguson.
You are now in Spain's first team squad, are you happy?
Yes, it's a huge step, let's see if in the future I can be here more often.
A starter for Manchester United and now a member of the Spanish national team, not bad for a young lad like you eh?
Yes, it's thanks to God that I'm at a very big club and now by getting the call from Del Bosque I've taken another little step up.
Ferguson and Del Bosque seem similar in their paternalistic way of managing things, don't you think?
They are both great coaches and each is his own man, but the two are very paternalistic. I know Ferguson a bit more than Del Bosque, he's like a father, especially for the young players.
What has Del Bosque said to you?
Above all, he told me to enjoy myself here and train in the same way I do for my club
Would you prefer to play in the under-21 European Championships or the Confederations Cup in the summer?
The under-21s is the most important thing for me. It's a real challenge because we go into it the tournament as champions and we will try to win it again.
Will Casillas get his place back in the team when he returns from injury?
Of course, he belongs here, he is the captain and as soon as he's better and can train and play again, he'll return to the national side, I'm sure of it.
The English press have given you a lot of criticism. Why?
When people criticise you it often doesn't make much sense, but I prefer not to listen to it very much and just get on with training and playing games.
It would be strange to see Spain in the playoffs wouldn't it?
We have to beat France whichever way possible and get back to top spot, which is where Spain belongs
How have Pepe Reina and Valdés welcomed you?
I've met them before but they have received me very well. They are two magnificent guys and both are great goalkeepers.
Do you have any plans to return to Spain or are you enjoying yourself in England? You have a long contract at a huge club...
I've got three years left on my contract here and the truth is I'm very happy here, this is a great club and you only realise that when you are in it from the inside.
Let's hope the referee for Spain-France isn't Turkish..
I hope it's not the same guy! But I have gotten over that now.
Some people have said you should have stopped Modric's goal..
You'll be lucky to find any goalkeeper that could have saved that, it was very difficult.
You came out of those two games with Madrid with a much better reputation, in Spain and in England, especially because there was a time when you were questioned...
Yes, especially at the start, but I was relaxed about it and just tried to keep doing what I always do, keep training at the highest level.
Why are so many Spanish players doing so well in the Premier League?
I think Spanish football is very attractive, people in England like watching players from here, they like the fact we try to play well, to keep the ball and we have a lot of quality players.
Manchester United are a legendary team and the tie with Real Madrid was very close. Did the players feel hard done by?
Yes, I think we deserved more, we played very well and I think we should have made it into the next round, but that's what football is like.
