Rochdale manager Brian Barry-Murphy is delighted for Brighton No1 Robert Sanchez over his Spain call.
Sanchez had a spell on-loan with the League One club last season, where he impressed at Spotland stadium. Barry-Murphy admits the goalkeeper was a character and great to have around the club - though could find his approach sometimes frustrating.
Barry-Murphy told AS: "I could write you a book about Robert. We always thought he was crazy.
"He's very rogue, he has his own rules, he sleeps a lot, he skips training sometimes, he complains about the state of the grass because the truth is that our fields are very bad ... But now seriously, he was the most popular footballer among our fans because he spent many hours with them, he spent time with everyone. He is my daughter's favourite player!"
Barry-Murphy had no doubts about the talent and potential of Sanchez when working with him last season. The Rochdale manager dubbing Sanchez a "natural talent", capable of pulling off what more experienced keepers could not.
Indeed, he insists Sanchez has everything in his locker to surprise Spain coach Luis Enrique and his staff with his ability. The manager insisting Sanchez is a completely different proposition compared to the likes of Manchester United keeper David de Gea.
Barry-Murphy continued: "He is an exceptionally talented goalkeeper who can do many things that most goalkeepers could not by natural talent. He is totally different from anything you have had in Spain as goalkeepers. He looks like a basketball player, he can pick up all the centres you can imagine and he has a confidence that is not normal for a player of his age."
With Rochdale, the 23 year-old Sanchez played 35 times during his loan last season.
- updated March 22
