Real Madrid's 'wise men' want Raul as coach

The Real Madrid bench is vacant again after Zinedine Zidane's latest departure from the club.

A lot of names have been linked with the job, but a number of former Real Madrid icons want one of their own to take over. Following in Zidane's footsteps of jumping to the first team from Castilla, Raul Gonzalez is the chosen one for Fernando Morientes, Predrag Mijatovic, Jorge Valdano and Alvaro Benito.

"Raul is more ready than anyone," Morientes said to El Partidazo, becoming the first to back the Castilla boss to make the step up. "He's one of the most reliable options available.

"His way of working is innovative. Santiago Solari had a lot of personality, but Raul has double that. He was a winner as a player, and he's that as a coach."

Mijatovic ecoed Morientes' words in supporting Raul for the job.

"I'd like it to be Raul," Mijatovic told La Ser, before talking about whether or not he's ready to jump from the B team to the first team. "Zidane and [Pep] Guardiola did it, but [Andrea] Pirlo couldn't at Juventus."

Speaking to the same source, La Ser, Alvaro Benito threw all of his support behind his friend Raul.

"I cannot be objective here," Benito said. "I have no doubt that, when he's given the chance, he'll do very well."

Valdano is clear

The former player, coach and sporting director is desperate to see Raul given the job.

"He's passionate, he's completely passionate about football," Valdano told Onda Cero's El Transistor. "Castilla have done much better than expected.

"Every Castilla player who debuted with the first team did very well."