If the Real Sociedad chairman is anything to go by, manager David Moyes has been a success.

The Basque club have risen into La Liga's top ten under his stewardship and Off The Ball's European football correspondent Graham Hunter says that after teething problems, Moyes has found a groove.

"From the first week of January onwards, just about everything has changed. There's been an understanding, there's been a work ethic. He's been in many double sessions with the players, many are taking English classes to understand more what he's saying . He's very regular and intense about his Spanish classes. There's been a click and it shows in the results," he said.   

Graham also suggested that Spain is struggling to make the transition Barcelona have made recently, as the national team struggle to move on from the retirement of midfield maestro Xavi.

One player who is not part of Vicente Del Bosque's plans at present is Manchester United's Juan Mata, who wrote a blog post about the situation, and Graham says the Spanish media are not pushing his case for inclusion.

"There's a great deal of support for him as an individual and as a footballer, but the media doesn't seem to carry his torch," he said. But he feels the reason Mata is not getting a chance has to do without something beyond personality.

"Mata is a player that Del Bosque has used most sparingly as if he doesn't particularly believe in him. But there is something in either his style of play - I do not believe it's about his personality or his professionalism, both of which are exemplary - that Del Bosque has never clicked with."