Sven's Decision to Recall Blanco: Pros and Cons

Sven Goran Eriksson proved once again on Friday that he isn’t going to manage in a traditional fashion when he recalled Cuauhtemoc Blanco of the Chicago Fire to the National Team ahead of Wednesday’s massive qualifier at Estadio Azteca versus a very good Honduran side. This matchup between arguably the two most talented teams in CONCACAF will go a long way towards determining a place in the final round of CONCACAF qualifing, the Hexagonal.

Here are how I see the pros and cons of Blanco’s recall:

PROS

• Blanco’s work rate and technical skill remain very sharp even at 35.
• Blanco can hold the ball even with his back to goal against a strong Honduran midfield
• Blanco remains a fan favorite in Mexico and his inclusion builds some credibility for Sven’s young regime.

CONS

•      Blanco’s volitile personality could clash with the young starlets of the side like Gio Dos Santos and Carlos Vela
•      Blanco has typically had a hard time working with Omar Bravo in the midfield
•      With all the young talent around, how much longer will Blanco and Jared Borgetti continue to start for Mexico? Do you really want to transition away from these two right around the 2010 World Cup?

Comment here

Blogged with the Flock Browser

MLS and the Mexican Federation: A Beautiful Friendship

Rafa Marquez and his mates play as many games in the US as on Mexican Soil these days/ Photo from esmas.com

Many I speak to wonder sometime quietly why the Mexican National Team seem to play all its friendlies on US soil and not in its home country. These same people wonder what affect this has on the US National Team, as their big rival often plays to bigger and more vocal crowds. The truth is that the Mexican National Federation (FMF) and Soccer United Marketing (SUM), the marketing arm of Major League Soccer have a complex marketing agreement.

Many times in the last few years on the very same day the United States National Team plays in front of half empty stadiums somewhere else in the USA, the Mexican National Team is playing in front of a ruckus full stadium. That alone should not be alarming: After all the Mexican National Team rightfully enjoys more support in the United States than does the US National Team. This is due in large part to the massive Mexican-American population in the states. What should be alarming is who markets and makes a big profit off the gate at these matches: Soccer United Marketing, aka MLS. What’s even more interesting is that the Mexican League, arguably the best in the world outside of Europe determined two Copa Libertadoras spots not on its league table or playoffs but on a two week tournament held at MLS venues marketed by MLS, known as Interliga. Most Mexican coaches and players rightfully dislike the event. It takes place in between the Clausura and Apertura tournaments, when the players of the Mexican clubs should be resting and recharging their batteries. But the tournament is a great boon financially both to the FMF and MLS. Interliga takes on a significance it should not since the tournament is not even played on Mexican soil. For whatever reason FIFA and COMNEBOL have allowed Mexico to use this sham of an event which simply is designed to help fill MLS and FMF coffers to determine participants in the world’s second most prestigious club competition.

Major League Soccer’s marketing relationship with the Mexican Federation is from what I can tell unique to the world of Football. Can you imagine the French Ligue Un entering into a similar relationship with the Mali or Algerian Football federation both of whom have large immigrant communities in France. Or how about the German Bundesliga entering into a similar relationship with the Turkish Federation due to the massive Turkish population in Germany? How about the Premier League entering into a relationship with the Australian or Indian Federations to promote those national teams on UK soil?

The obvious answer to this is that MLS is not as financially healthy as they claim. From my vantage point Major League Soccer was struggling with bad attendance and an even worse perception between the contraction year of 2001 and the signing of David Beckham in 2007. The result was the need for MLS to branch out and stay afloat in some manner. The shrewdness of Don Garber cannot be underestimated. His business and marketing smarts have kept MLS in business. But as time goes on and MLS is more established as a business entity, the relationship becomes more extensive and worrying. As mentioned above Mexico has not played a friendly at home in some time: in fact the last home Mexican friendly not held on American soil was prior to the 2006 World Cup. In addition, the concocated Superliga Tournament between FMF and MLS sides has netted decent TV ratings and entertaining football but has found itself to be little more than a cash grab. At the same time MLS due to this tournament is forced to play right through qualifiers involving the US National Team, in some cases playing matches at the exact same time. Now this for certain would not be tolerated in any other country on the planet. For example, last year as the United States began Copa America play, MLS was kicking off a match on ESPN 2. Last September as the US played Brazil at Soldier Field, DC United and New England were playing live on Telefutura. Most recently, The United States played a qualifier against Barbados while DC United and San Jose did battle on Telefutura. MLS’ schedule is not flexible for international dates because its top teams take more than a month off from MLS competition because of Superliga, an entertaining tournament no doubt, but one that is proving to be merely a cash cow.

A strain between MLS and US Soccer has been reported in some place. Others tell me the relationship is fine. One thing is for sure: MLS, the US/Canadian domestic league has a stronger more developed relationship at least outwardly with the Mexican Federation than with its own federations. While the need to keep MLS afloat dictated the forming of this relationship at this point its more counter productive from my vantage point to US Soccer and the success of the US National Team long term. Moreover, as the relationship becomes closer and closer at what point do FIFA and CONCACAF become alarmed. It’s not unusual for clubs to partner with other clubs across national boundaries. But from what I can tell this is by far the most established relationship between a national federation and a domestic league in another country. The simple motivation is money for both parties. What a beautiful friendship.

comment here

The Irony Mexican Hypocrisy

For years Mexican football fans have attacked the United States success in the most negative way possible: accusing the Yanks of playing a cynical game that relied on rough play and counter attacking. Every loss to the United States was judged as a triumph of negative football over beautiful football. Well last night deep in the heart of Texas, Mexico’s U-20 team was once again shredded on set pieces by the US U-20s but they did something very American or at least from the Mexican perspective: they played rough and tumble and sat back waiting to hit the Americans on the break, and packing the back resembling a team with little confidence.

It did not work as Mexico was thrashed 3-0 by Coach Thomas Rongen’s US side. But is this the new Mexico that the reign of Sven Goran Eriksson will bring to CONCACAF qualifying? For years Mexico has had probably two or three times as much skill as the United States but lacks composure, ideas in the final third and the general football sense required to beat the U.S.

I find it ironic that any Mexican National side would resort to the same “negative” tactics that the Mexican press, players and coaches have bemoaned for years. The fact that they resorted to these tactics last night having a side with superior technical ability tells us where the Mexican program is currently. The crisis of confidence that Mexico’s senior national team has displayed lately has worked its way down to the normally solid youth national teams for El Tri.

The U.S. has used the so-called “negative” tactics in the past partly because it had to: Mexico had superior technique but also had a bad habit of sending defenders too far up the pitch and playing a high line. The U.S. tactics originally devised by Steve Sampson and essentially continued by Bruce Arena for facing Mexico were not cynical as the Mexican press claimed: they were how an aspiring football nation beats an established one.

Now that the United States is more attacking oriented and not waiting to hit Mexico on the break, El Tri seems to have resorted to the old American fall back tactic without having the understanding of how to execute it. Ah, the irony.

Comment here

Sven: Mexico's Final Downfall?

Sven Goran Eriksson’s hiring by the FMF has been hailed as a dawn of a new era of Mexican dominance over CONCACAF. While this certainly may be the case, much evidence provides us with the possibility that this could be another step on the slippery slope of Mexico’s fall back to the pack in CONCACAF. The confederation seems to have caught up with Mexico lately, and its member nations no longer stand in fear of “El Tri.”

No question exists that Mexico has the best player pool in CONCACAF. Mexico, as has been the case since the mid 1980s, has the deepest player pool, most skilled players and most accomplished internationals of any CONCACAF member nation. Mexico has dominated the confederation winning four Gold Cups since 1993 and qualifying for every world cup the nation has been eligible for since missing hosting the World Cup in 1986. But Mexico has also had recent failures. Costa Rica ran away with the Hexagonal title in World Cup qualifying for Korea/Japan 2002, and that was followed up by an American triumph in the qualifying tournament for Germany 2006. More recently, Mexico has begun to lose as frequently to Central American nations as any time in its history. Panama defeated Mexico in the 2005 Gold Cup, Honduras in 2007 Gold Cup and Guatemala in a recent friendly as well as in the Olympic qualifying tournament.

Then their is the subject of the US National Team. Despite having far superior players, with better skill and technical ability, Mexico had repeatedly lost to the United States over the past ten years, most notably in the knock out stages of the 2002 World Cup. The US has contrary to belief of many American fans never had a more skilled team than Mexico (Well maybe the exception was in 1934 when the US beat Mexico in a qualifier held in Italy, and the ASL was at its height as one of the world’s best domestic leagues did the US have more skilled players but at no point since.) But what the Americans have had is a decided psychological edge over the Mexicans , an edge based on physical play and the ability of the best American player, Landon Donovan to almost individually dominate matches against the Mexicans.

Simply put, the Mexicans are soft and have been for many years now. Some of the very best Mexican coaches have tried and failed to stem the culture of falling short in Mexican Football. Manuel LaPuente, Enrique Meza, Javier Aguirre, and Ricardo LaVolpe have all failed despite being outstanding managers at just about every other stop in their careers. The flamboyant but unqualified Hugo Sanchez also failed but that was to be expected.

While Sven Goran Eriksson is an accomplished club manager, his stewardship of England’s National Team still creates serious questions. During Eriksson’s tenure, England’s player failed to tactically adjust to Eriksson’s preferred style of play, and also despite overwhelming talent England failed to get past the Quarterfinals of a major tournament. Much like Mexico, the Three Lions had a tendency to play down to opponents and psychologically allow some rival nations, as Mexico has with the USA, to psychologically affect them. Sven’s side with England was quite frankly, soft by the lofty standards of English footballing history.

Eriksson is no doubt a tactically flexible and sophisticated manager at the club level. But with England his tactics seemed to get simpler and easier to discern as his tenure wore on. With Mexico this is a grave danger as El Tri was handed easily the toughest group in CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying and then must navigate through the Hexagonal. Honduras, Canada and Jamacia loom at the group stage and each of these sides has the quality to create danger for a Mexican side in transition.

Mexico has some outstanding young players: perhaps among the best in the world following a U-17 World Cup title in 2005. Gio Dos Santos, Carlos Vela, Andreas Guardado and Guillermo Ochoa are all among the elite youngsters in CONCACAF. But player management was with England a major weakness of Eriksson’s tenure. No recent Mexican manager has had such a gifted group of youngsters to integrate in the national side, but at the same time no recent Mexican manager has ever faced a CONCACAF confederation filled with teams of high quality.

CONCACAF’s improvement overall as a confederation could not have come at a worse time for Mexico. Despite the hiring of Eriksson, confidence is at an all time low it appears at the FMF. Continued losses to the US and Argentina as well as failures in just about every major tournament entered has many Mexican supporters in near panic mode. Help may be on the way in the form of Eriksson or this may simply be a desperate hire of a foriegn manager who knows little about Mexican football or CONCACAF.

Eriksson may bring about a renaissance in Mexican Football. He may also be to Mexico as Berti Vogts was to Scotland: a foreign manager with an established reputation who has no clue about the domestic game in the nation he is about to lead and who is set in his ways. For Mexico’s sake let’s hope the former happens.

Comment here

CONCACAF Giants Being Exposed

The United States road through Olympic Qualifying has been littered with peril to this point. The three match group stage in Tampa featured exactly no United States goals from the run of play and three opposing teams who in their own manner showed better shape, discipline and quality than the United States.

But the problems for the red, white and blue pale in comparison to the problems of EL Tri. Today in Los Angeles, the Mexicans face an elimination match against Haiti. Either the Mexicans emerge victorious or they are dumped out of qualifying and coach Hugo Sanchez’s job becomes very vulnerable.

Mexico has looked exceedingly poor in it first two matches. After a wonder goal by Edgar Castillio on Friday night, the Mexicans allowed Guatemala to dominate the flow of play. Not only did the Guatemalans score twice but they looked to have much more quality than El Tri. Mexico has the talent, the quality, the skill and the stature to run anyone in this region off the field at any age level save perhaps the United States. Yet under Hugo Sanchez, the Mexican program has not taken any great leap forward despite the large numbers of Mexican players featuring for the very best clubs in Americas and in Europe.

Back to the United States. I’ve been called overly negative for many months now about the national team situation which I blame at least partly on the failures of MLS, our domestic league. Often times in the face of such criticism you begin to re-think your position and wonder if perhaps I had simply over reacted to what I had seen and was taking recent events out of historical context. Sadly, I now feel I have dead on since last summer when I editorialized that I thought after almost twenty years of upward movement the United States program had hit a wall and was now hitting the skids literally.

CONCACAF has figured out the United States. The reality is from a tactical standpoint we aren’t that sophisticated. Much like England, the rest of our region has figured out we have only one way to play. Unlike England whose recent failures have exposed the structure and culture of football in arguably the proudest and greatest footballing nation of all, we don’t seem to be willing to go outside the circle and bring in the type of coaches or technical directors that can change this. England upset many by hiring an Italian manager whose tactical savvy far exceeds every manager of British lineage that is alive save perhaps Sir Bobby Robson. We need to do the same. We need a technical director from outside to set the tone for the US National program. Simply having more talent and skill than Central American rivals is no longer ensuring a clean victory over these rivals.

Mexico is in a similar position. But I will not make the same suggestion for them because they will never take it. Especially when they are currently led by a former player whose career far exceeded any our nation has ever produced. Hugo Sanchez is a legend but for the good of Mexican Football he needs to show some humility and take on some help.

US-Mexico Analysis

Having been on hand in Houston for Wednesday’s mammoth and exciting clash and now having had over 24 hours to digest the outcome and impact let’s go through what we learned:

• Mexico has better talent and more skill than the U.S.

No real surprise here. With Carlos Vela, Mexico has a player who could be among the world’s best in a few years. Gio Dos Santos is also a skilled young player. Pavel Pardo’s work from dead ball situations has improved thanks to his current stint with reigning Bundesliga Champions Stuttgart. Johnny Magillion was fantastic not simply because of his two goals but the job he helped do shutting down the U.S. flank play almost completely. Mexico is entering a period where their talent level is going to be much higher than anyone in CONCACAF, but I remain unconvinced that the Mexican players have the mindset or the proper management to fully take advantage of the gap in talent between itself and the rest of CONCACAF.

• The US Has Lost it’s Psychological Edge on Home Soil

As we saw in 2001 when Honduras responded three times to defeat the U.S, in a critical qualifier at RFK Stadium (a qualifier which in many nations would have cost the Manager, Bruce Arena in this case his job), Mexico who previously became shell shocked when the US would score against the run of play learned how to respond and get a result on U.S. soil. The U.S. has now conceded five goals in the last 135 minutes of legitimate “A” international action of American soil. That is simply not acceptable for a nation trying to make its mark on the international scene.

• Communication Issues Continue to Plague the US Defense

We saw this in the World Cup and throughout 2007. American defenders regardless of who is in the squad communicate poorly on set pieces. Even against Italy in Germany 2006, the two most experienced US field players Claudio Reyna and Eddie Pope misread one another and gave up an all too easy goal to the Azzuri. Last year in the Copa America two different set piece goals were scored by US opponents on communications breakdowns between Kasey Keller and his backline. Wednesday saw Mexico score twice off set pieces with Tim Howard despite all his other good work, failing to organize the back line and the wall properly.

• Bobby Convey Should be Dropped

Convey has had his opportunity with DaMarcus Beasley’s injury and he clearly has lost his appetite for international football. His play was not only poor Wednesday, it was sorely damaging. By being out of position so often, Convey exposed unseasoned international Ramiro Corrales to the type of danger that Corrales couldn’t properly deal with. In addition, Convey’s meandering into the middle of the field forced Landon Donovan left to cover for him and thus took Donovan, the US’ most dangerous weapon completely out of his game.

• Jozy Altiodre is the Real Deal

It’s not all stormy for the U.S. going forward. For the first time since Eric Wynalda began to bang in goals in friendlies before the 1990 World Cup the U.S. has a legitimate, young, potential world class attacking player. Altidore has the size, pace, and stature to be a great one. He also has the right mindset, taking on defenders and making daring runs. Before the match I attended the Texian Army (Houston Dynamo Supporters Club) mid afternoon party and the subject on everyone’s mind was Jozy. Will we see him start and will we (to steal a quote from my co-host Dave Denolm) finally take the training wheels off him? With the expectations so high and seemingly the burden of an entire soccer fan community in this nation on his shoulders, Jozy delivered. Now the expectations are going to go through the roof, but I can assure you this kid is ready to handle it.

• Gooch is Back

After a forgettable 2007, the 2006 US Soccer Male Athlete of the Year signaled his presence in a big way again. Oguchi Onyewu was well position all night despite the frequent back line collapses and of course showed great skill in the air on his well taken goal. Onyewu also drew a yellow, when yet again a CONCACAF official misread a play and assumed that Onyewu had committed a violent foul because of his size advantage on the Mexican player.

• Qualifying is Around the Corner and Work Remains

As Bobby Convey’s play demonstrated some of the U.S. players of prime age have regressed since World Cup 2006. With the exception of Tim Howard, Steve Cherundolo, Rico Clark and Clint Dempsey, no U.S. players have proved consistently dependable over the past year. Jozy Altidore should join that list but potential qualifying trips to Guatemala, Cuba and Trinidad & Tobago looming, the U.S. needs to figure a great deal out in the next few friendlies all of which could incidentally be against stronger opposition in more hostile territory than Wednesday Night was.

Comment Here

Mendoza Could Get Call Up

Luis Bueno of SI.com is reporting that Panchito Mendoza of Chivas USA is under strong consideration to be called up for Mexico's next friendly. If Mendoza does get a call up he will be first MLS player who has never at the time of the call up played in the Mexican First Division to get a call up to Mexico's National Team. The mere fact Mendoza is being considered speaks volumes about MLS' emerging reputation in Mexico. It was shock to some south of the border that former Coach Ricardo LaVolpe choose to take Claudio Suarez to Germany 2006 after he had moved to MLS and a call up of Mendoza by current coach Hugo Sanchez would be an even bigger shock to those south of the border who do not rate MLS highly. However, given the competitiveness of MLS clubs in matches versus Mexican clubs this season, it would be folly on behalf of Sanchez not to consider Mendoza who has been a big contributor to the success of Chivas USA.

Mexico's Pain and New Love for Lalas

I must admit having a new respect for the Mexican people today even if I still detest their national football team. They are a people who seemed to have so much hope that today they would finally remove the spell Landon Donovan (aka the Mexicutioner) and his mates have on their national team, and yet deep down they knew when they took the 1-0 lead it would not last. All morning long anticipation filled the air, even in this a glorified tourist town. The locals planned to shut down their businesses of bring in large TVs to the shops to watch the match. I watched the game as a promised at La Moreno in Cozumel where the restaurant owner had brought in a big film screen for patrons to watch the match. As the only American fan in the establishment (wearing a #17 DeMarcus Beasley jersey) I stood out like a sore thumb.

Nonetheless, the patrons were all more than kind and respectful of me. They must have known as a lover of the beautiful game back home that I must get lots of abuse from the adherents to the jockacracy that runs the American sports media and that I must be a real lover of the game to actually own a US jersey. (What they do not know is that I am a sucker who buys every new kit once Nike introduces it, and I probably could have given each and every one of them an old out of date US jersey) Moreover, since the US has become so dominant in the rivalry between the two nations, Mexicans fans have a begrudging respect for the American team even if they keep mentioning how dirty they feel Oguchi Onyewu and Carlos Bocanegra are. When the US tied the match at 1-1 the Mexicans all knew it was a matter of time before the roof caved in. Nonetheless, the comical finishing of Brian Ching and DeMarcus Beasley left the door open (and opened the door for me to be laughed at wearing a Beasley jersey) for a potential equalizer. But as the restaurant owner told me on the way out, “Your keepers always find a way to steal from our best attackers,” an obvious reference to the outstanding match Tim Howard had, and a retrospective of Kasey Keller and Brad Friedel before him who have often times won matches for the US against Mexico, that we otherwise had no business winning. But today was different. We should have won, but the suspect finishing that cost us all Gold Cup long reared its ugly head again today and forced Howard to be the hero.

The funny thing is when the match became 2-1 I had the same reaction as the Mexican fans. Having watched every match in the last ten years between these two nations, I fully expected us to get one or two more counterattacking goals, which we almost did if it had not been for some amazingly suspect finishing. I sensed the Mexicans fans were almost relieved the scoreline didn’t end up 4-1 or 5-1 as it could have, and now they can claim Howard robbed them while their manager Hugo Sanchez blames the officials for his no-call in the 88th minute. This match was wildly entertaining and back home I believe a tape of this match should be sent to the skeptics of the beautiful game. A packed Soldier Field, an intensity unmatched in most American professional sports matches and a wide open, free flowing game, particularly from minutes 30 to 65 would sell skeptics on Soccer, if they were ever willing to give it the time of day.

What was most interesting about my conversations with the Mexican fans however, was the new almost cult hero worship some have developed for Alexi Lalas following his worldwide publicity last week. Most Mexican fans it seems regard English football and the Premiership with contempt. Several fans pointed out to me that the Premiership simply plays a style of football that is incompatible with most of the world. One patron at La Moreno even told me that he felt the EPL was inferior to all of the other big Euro leagues because of the lack of quality Brazilian, Mexican or Italian players in the league. This morning in the center of town one Mexican merchant who spoke perfect English told me that Lalas was dead on with his comments and he felt that both the Mexican Clausura and Major League Soccer are comparable to Premiership. The same man went on to explain to me how the English media is responsible for creating the perception that CONCACAF nations don’t understand football, and that he is concerned by the number of Americans he sees in Cozumel wearing Manchester United, Chelsea or even England jerseys. His theory is that the English media has influenced the American public to turn on its own national team and domestic league in favor of an inferior imported product. In other words, this fellow agreed 100% with Lalas. Another person in broken English told me “Lalas hablar facts es Londres,” which I interpreted to mean Lalas speaks the truth about London, or England. Another fan told me Jared Borgetti, one Mexico’s best ever players was “ruined” by the Premiership that forced him to play a “British game, rather than the way the rest of the world plays.” The same fan told me new LA Galaxy signing Carlos Pavon, a Honduran who once played in Serie A and La Liga is better than any England player other than David Beckham. He went on to mention to me what flops Michael Owen, Steve McManaman and Jonathan Woodgate were for his favorite team Real Madrid. He finished by telling me Lalas should replace Sepp Blatter at FIFA, which of course is a absolutely ridiculous suggestion. This fan showed a clear contempt for the English game and everything he feels it represents.

The Premiership is making great strides in popularity both in Asia and the United States. However based on today’s conversations I believe the EPL will NEVER see the light of day in Latin America. An unhealthy does of nativism exists here coupled with some very honest critiques about the style of play (but not the quality) and a new cult hero in Alexi Lalas.

"The result was unjust," Hugo Sanchez said. "This is a unique game in that you can deserve to win and still lose.We deserved to win and they did not."

Hugo Sanchez is a living contradiction. In same time he aspired to be a great tactical manager he constantly criticized every recent Mexico manager until he landed himself the job. On one hand he marvels at the play of the United States and on the other he claims they are inferior to Mexico. On one hand he claims the Mexican League where he managed and MLS where he played are excellent leagues then on the other he wants his players moving to Europe. Sanchez on one hand said he would choose an all Mexican league squad for the early year friendlies and then relented by calling every single Mexican national pool member who plays in Europe over for a midweek friendly. Now he claims the result of last week's 2-0 loss to the US was "unjust."

Hugo Sanchez may want a few friendly reminders. In the 1998 World Cup Qualifier held in Foxborough the US pretty much took the game to Mexico but ended up in a draw thanks to a freak turnover by Kasey Keller than ended up as an easy goal for Carlos Hermisillo. How about the 1998 CONCACAF Gold Cup final where a Luis Hernandez counterattack breakaway allowed the Mexicans to life the trophy even though the Americans dominated possession and outshot Mexico 8 to 3. You see Soccer isn't about "style points." Controlling possession for much of a match to only breakdown in the final third does not mean you deserve a victory. As has been the case for years Mexico failed to do much off of set pieces and had suspect finishing. Despite numerous dangerous looking attacks, Mexico never really threatened to score a goal. I can recall only two or three really good shots on goal and they were all poorly struck while Tim Howard was in perfect position.

The Mexicans keep looking for excuses as to why they lose to the United States on such a consistent basis. It's no wonder they call Landon Donovan the "Mexicutioner," because in spite of his indifferent play of the last few years he seems to always get the best of his neighbor to the south. As a great Footballing nation, with a passion for the game unmatched in the CONCACAF region, Mexico and their greatest player ever need to use the US as a bar to strive for, rather than inventing new excuses after every loss. It can only help both national teams and the CONCACAF region on the world football stage.