Vicente del Bosque has admitted he almost selected Victor Valdes for Spain's upcoming Euro 2016 qualifiers despite the goalkeeper being frozen out at Manchester United.
Valdes, 33, thanked United fans on Thursday for their support and vowed to "work hard every day" amid uncertainty over his future at Old Trafford.
The keeper has barely played for almost a year-and-a-half and has featured just twice for United since leaving Barcelona after a 12-year Camp Nou career, but Del Bosque considered handing him a shock recall for La Roja.
Speaking to La Sexta ahead of Spain's Euro 2016 qualifiers against Slovakia and Macedonia, Del Bosque said: "We were very close to calling Victor Valdes, he has always done well for the national team.
"I know that the national team is not a charity but maybe he needed a lift and in the end we didn't give it to him -- maybe we have even been cowards. I think we are all people and we have to have feelings."
Valdes was told by United boss Louis van Gaal earlier this summer that he has no future at Old Trafford after apparently refusing to play for the reserve team last season, though the goalkeeper denied those claims.
The former Barcelona No. 1 has not been selected for United's Champions League squad and has not been given a squad number, while a move to Besiktas reportedly broke down on Sunday.
Although Valdes' United future remains unclear, the Red Devils insist fellow Spanish goalkeeper David De Gea will still be considered for selection even if he refuses to sign a new contract after seeing a move to Real Madrid collapse.
Del Bosque has warned De Gea that he must reclaim his starting position at United to keep his place in the Spain squad with Euro 2016 upcoming.