Camacho mixes the gruff with the smooth

And you thought Mick McCarthy was a stubborn, blunt, Yorkshire kind of guy. Jose Antonio Camacho, the Republic of Ireland manager's opposite number in today's second-round struggle with Spain, once resigned as coach to Real Madrid, the club he had served for 16 medal-laden years as a muck-or-nettles left-back, following a disagreement with the board. He had been in the much- coveted job 22 days.

Leaving Real is like leaving Manchester United or Juventus: in theory, the only way is down. Camacho, 47, is making a good fist of proving otherwise. Being coach to Spain has proved a poisoned chalice – the only silverware the great underachievers traditionally come anywhere near – but the Gran Pez, or "Big Fish", has raised expectations that the Irish will merely be their first victims in the knock-out stages.

Parallel to Camacho's toughness and plain speaking runs a readiness to trust in talent and form rather than reputations (although many critics regard him as a ditherer, citing the fact that Albert Luque last week became his 50th new cap in four years as proof that the coach's indecision is final). He brought a squad containing 12 players with fewer than 10 caps, and in Taejon on Wednesday made eight changes against South Africa with first place in Group B at stake. Can anyone imagine England doing that and still winning?

The meeting with McCarthy's Ireland will provide an insight into the tensions between firmness and flexibility in Camacho's character. For some of the understudies who slotted in seamlessly as Spain completed their first 100 per cent record in the opening round since 1950 made a powerful case for retention, notably Joaquin and Gaizka Mendieta, who shone in the wide-midfield roles previously filled by Luis Enrique and Javi de Pedro.

Joaquin, 20, is quite a prodigy; his Real Betis club-mate, Denilson, reckons that he "dribbles like a Brazilian". Given that Ian Harte is not the quickest or the most natural defender in Camacho's old position, his pace may win him the nod. Then there is Mendieta, who endured a season in the cold at Lazio but will be remembered with discomfort by Harte from when Valencia beat Leeds in the Champions' League. Either or neither could play on the right.

One area where Spain often have an embarrassment, though not of riches, is central defence. The coach's loyalty to Fernando Hierro, 34, and Miguel Angel Nadal, 35, is unswerving, yet it is a partnership long on experience and short on mobility, the very quality that distinguishes Robbie Keane and Damien Duff. Spain, moreover, have a habit of conceding goals from corners – that rare marksman Lucas Radebe was the latest beneficiary – so Niall Quinn will surely appear at some stage.

Camacho must also decide who joins Raul in attack, Fernando Morientes and Diego Tristan each having strong claims. The mood Raul is in, it is almost academic. While most of his 28 goals in 54 internationals have come against makeweight teams, McCarthy rated his performance on Wednesday as being "up there with Rivaldo".

As a true son of Madrid, Raul would not necessarily welcome comparison with a Barcelona player. In the past, those close to the Spanish squad have sensed a bad atmosphere, caused, they say, by club-based cliques rather than tensions between Castillians and Catalans or Basques. The Madrid daily Marca is already acclaiming this as "Real Madrid's World Cup", so it will be interesting to see if Spain's cohesion holds up should the Republic go ahead.

Fascinating, too, to observe whether Camacho resolves his selection posers by basing his line-up on the perception that the Republic are locked into a "British" long-ball game. "The Irish always play the same style," he says, echoing several of his players. That image belongs to the days of the great angler-manager Jack Charlton. How ironic if his successor were to reel in the Big Fish on the strength of an outdated stereotype.