After almost three years of relationship, the romance between Gerardo Martino and the Mexican Soccer Team already has some symptoms of wear.
Any serious or of a concern such as to think of a ‘breach‘with the coach; However, the constant calls for attention in recent months due to the poor performance of the team force us to stop along the way, appeal to the self-criticism, and little by little get back on track.
From January 2019 When the ‘Tata’ was presented as national coach, to date, the reality is that the Tricolor has not faced great challenges, so his journey was free of surprises, beyond that reviewed courtesy of Argentina in a friendly, in which Lautaro Martínez took flight with the Mexican defense.
Winning the Gold Cup, more than a star on the forehead, represents fulfilling a task that is not great requirement. And Martino won the first, but lost the second, and against a US B team plagued with chavitos of the MLS. As if that were not enough, he also fell in the Nations League Final against the same ‘northern neighbors’.
If something had characterized the Tri technician even before the aforementioned stumbling blocks and losing the compass, it was the congruence and the self-criticism.
Contrary to the tangled and verbose speeches his predecessor used, Juan Carlos Osorio, Martino used to be Sure, measured and above all, realistic in terms of the National Team’s actions.
The pressure, the constant demand or only he will know, have caused that today the ‘Tata’ does not live his moments more sweet in front of the Mexican team. And to a certain extent it is normal, because the romance was not going to be eternal and as soon as a bad streak or negative results were presented, the criticisms in cascade would arrive.
No news for a technician who, among his long pilgrimage, has directed nothing less than the Barcelona Yet the Argentina Selection.
Given the panorama that El Tri is experiencing, leader of the Octagonal heading to the 2022 World Cup, the sum of points (six in two games) is not questioned, if not the forms and a performance very poor against clearly inferior rivals such as Jamaica (diminished) and Costa Rica (in absolute decline).
Here are five factors of Martino’s management that can be classified as “whims”Of the coach or at least decisions that, to date, are not fully understood.
1.- Funes Mori
As expected, the call of Rogelio Funes Mori raised great controversy, because although he is a good striker, he is not even close to a footballer who will make a difference in the Mexican National Team.
He made some goals against low-level opponents in his presentation and Gold Cup, but mostly he has been portrayed as a finisher who for the moment fails more than he hits, but more than that, he is not a scorer who provides superior alternatives to which Javier Hernández, Henry Martín, Alan Pulido, Santiago Giménez or even the ‘Mudo’ Eduardo Aguirre could offer.
The justification for his call after obtaining the Mexican passport before a ‘Tata’ anxious for this to happen, was that with the injury of Raúl Jiménez there was no other forward center with similar characteristics, but it is proven that Funes Mori nor remotely he’s close to the best version of the Wolverhampton footballer.
Like it or not, in Mexico the issue of treating the naturalized who are called to El Tri as one more has not been normalized, since they are asked, required and expected to be better than those born in Mexico –justly or unfairly-. And Rogelio is nothing more than those mentioned above.
2.- Roberto Alvarado
It’s one of the favorite of the ‘Tata’ despite the fact that he is certainly a player with conditions, but that he is not consolidated and that he has marked ups and downs, in addition to the fact that the multiple opportunities in the Senior Selection have not justified them.
Against Jamaica, at the beginning of the World Cup qualifying round, he started to the detriment of Orbelín Pineda, a player who is experiencing an extraordinary moment.
He had a failure that will be remembered for a long time; However, more than just dwelling on that action, Alvarado has not represented imbalance, depth or Vertigo playing close to the band
3.- ‘Chicharito’
Martino has every right not to summon Javier Hernández, but what is questionable in this case is that the coach does not speak clearly.
When ‘Chicharito’ He started the season scoring goals with the Galaxy, the ‘Tata’ gave all kinds of excuses and even went so far as to take Alan Pulido and Henry Martín injured on a tour of Europe before calling Javier or some other player.
It is well known that the reason why the top scorer in the history of El Tri is not called, does not obey a football theme, but rather a indiscipline that the Argentine does not forgive the Guadalajara, and in that sense he has the support of Yon de Luisa to have him marginalized from the Aztec group.
Because it is not transparent and does it say it with all its letters? Only Martino knows that.
4.- Carlos Salcedo
Salcedo’s theme was already untenable and for this start of World Cup qualifying he was not called; However, time and again the coach insisted with this defender, who is very unstable and who in the last Gold Cup experienced one of his worst moments in the National Team.
The mistakes he made were frankly implausible, as much as the effort of the ‘Tata’ to have him on the court. True, central defenders are not abundant, but Salcedo was far from being an alternative.
For these first three games heading to Qatar, Julio César Domínguez received an unexpected and well-deserved call and at least against Costa Rica he served as a right back.
5. The ‘sacred cows’
Footballers like Andrés Guardado or Héctor Moreno have not lived their best moment for a long time, located in the final part of their careers; however, they are still considered in the National Team.
The hierarchy, quality and history that they have forged is not in question, but it is very likely that the time has come to bet on a renovation in which the two mentioned would no longer have a place.
Since the previous season at Betis, due to injuries and coach decisions, Guarded lost prominence in the team, played little and at the beginning of the present there was even talk that the club was looking for a way out.
Andrés would reach his fifth World Cup at the age of 35 … is it worth rewarding his career by wearing it?
And Moreno, although he is now injured, in recent Cups with El Tri made it clear that he is light years away from his best version, after his time in Qatar football where he was even a substitute for Al-Gharafa.
In Monterrey he will try to regain a certain level, but he would arrive in Qatar at 34 years old …
We will see if Martino chooses to take the best to the World Cup or if he pays tribute to some veterans even if they are no longer to compete in the elite.
So, of course it would be nonsense to talk about a change of direction in the Mexican team, but it will be the same if only the results are attended to and that they will qualify for the World Cup even with ease.
Concacaf is not, has not been and will not be a parameter to measure the achievements that can be had in a World Cup. That will be the true test of Gerardo Martino and there he cannot be governed by whims.
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