With one week to go before the friendly games building up to the World Cup begin, here's a list of Mexico's games.
Mexico v Ecuador - May 7/8 @ 8 p.m. Mex time/ 2 a.m. UK time ((New Jersey))
Mexico v Senegal - May 10/11 @ 9 p.m. Mex time/3 a.m. UK time ((Chicago))
Mexico v Angola - May 13/14 @ 8 p.m. Mex time/2 a.m. UK time ((Houston))
Mexico v Chile - May 15/16 @ 7 p.m. Mex time/ 1 a.m. UK time ((Mexico City))
England v Mexico - May 24 @ 2 p.m. Mex time/ 8 p.m. UK time ((London))
Netherlands v Mexico - May 26 @ 1 p.m. Mex time/ 7 p.m. UK time ((Freiburg))
Italy v Mexico - June 3 @ 1 p.m. Mex time/ 7 p.m. UK time ((Brussels))
The schedule is like a mini World Cup before the World Cup and enough to make other nations extremely jealous.
Friday, 30 April 2010
Nery or no Nery: Will Castillo go to South Africa?
San Luis Potosi born striker Nery Castillo is working with a personal trainer in Ukraine in a bid to make the Mexico squad for South Africa after being hospitalised recently with pneumonia.
Castillo registered himself on the world football radar after an excellent performance at the Copa America 2007, where he scored 4 goals.
Since then, Castillo's career has been a letdown, especially considering he was Mexico's great striking hope.
Immediately after Copa America 2007, Castillo signed for Shakhtar Donetsk for around 15 million pounds/20 million dollars, but rarely played.
When Sven Goran Eriksson came knocking in his role as Manchester City boss, Castillo jumped at the chance to play in England, but he got few opportunities.
Castillo now finds himself stranded at Ukrainian team FC Dnipro, where he has recently suffered from pneumonia and is at odds with the management. He's failed to even make the bench in the club's last 11 games.
In his private life there has been tragedy to add to professional disappointment. Castillo's mother passed away in January 2009 and then his father in December of the same year, both from cancer.
There remains a chink of light though for the player that could've played for Uruguay (residence), Italy (grandparents on mother's side), Greece (residence) or Mexico (birthplace). Castillo is still highly respected in Mexico and veteran Cuauhtemoc Blanco has called for his inclusion in the squad. Also, fellow striker Miguel Sabah has this week been ruled out after injuring his right leg, meaning there is a place for an extra forward in the squad.
Come Monday, when the European based recruits will be made known, Castillo will be hoping that manager Javier Aguirre gives him the green light to end his Ukrainian nightmare and get his career back on track with el Tri.
Finally, an apology for the title of the post. I couldn't help myself.
Castillo registered himself on the world football radar after an excellent performance at the Copa America 2007, where he scored 4 goals.
Since then, Castillo's career has been a letdown, especially considering he was Mexico's great striking hope.Immediately after Copa America 2007, Castillo signed for Shakhtar Donetsk for around 15 million pounds/20 million dollars, but rarely played.
When Sven Goran Eriksson came knocking in his role as Manchester City boss, Castillo jumped at the chance to play in England, but he got few opportunities.
Castillo now finds himself stranded at Ukrainian team FC Dnipro, where he has recently suffered from pneumonia and is at odds with the management. He's failed to even make the bench in the club's last 11 games.
In his private life there has been tragedy to add to professional disappointment. Castillo's mother passed away in January 2009 and then his father in December of the same year, both from cancer.
There remains a chink of light though for the player that could've played for Uruguay (residence), Italy (grandparents on mother's side), Greece (residence) or Mexico (birthplace). Castillo is still highly respected in Mexico and veteran Cuauhtemoc Blanco has called for his inclusion in the squad. Also, fellow striker Miguel Sabah has this week been ruled out after injuring his right leg, meaning there is a place for an extra forward in the squad.
Come Monday, when the European based recruits will be made known, Castillo will be hoping that manager Javier Aguirre gives him the green light to end his Ukrainian nightmare and get his career back on track with el Tri.
Finally, an apology for the title of the post. I couldn't help myself.
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Landon Donovan and the current immigration debate
After breaking down, researching and writing articles (1 & 2) about Arizona's new immigrant law for the best part of the day, here's some welcome humour about the topic.
It not 100% relevant to a blog about Mexico in the World Cup, it's not even that new (Jan) but it does involve the best player of Mexico's biggest rivals ... and it's funny.
The video below from Mexican TV shows 'gringo' Landon Donovan trying to sneak across the border into Mexico in search of a fortune.
“Soy mexicano,” says Donovan in heavily accented Spanish. “No you're not," says the border patrol as he rips off Donovan's moustache. "You’re Landon Donovan.”
Donovan then explains that it’s easier to win the football lottery in Mexico than in the United States because there are less teams.
"Easier for me, not for you," replies the guard. "Get out of here!"
Donovan scuttles back towards the U.S. side of the border, but not before letting out a cry of "culero," which basically means ... well, you can find the meaning here.
It not 100% relevant to a blog about Mexico in the World Cup, it's not even that new (Jan) but it does involve the best player of Mexico's biggest rivals ... and it's funny.
The video below from Mexican TV shows 'gringo' Landon Donovan trying to sneak across the border into Mexico in search of a fortune.
“Soy mexicano,” says Donovan in heavily accented Spanish. “No you're not," says the border patrol as he rips off Donovan's moustache. "You’re Landon Donovan.”
Donovan then explains that it’s easier to win the football lottery in Mexico than in the United States because there are less teams.
"Easier for me, not for you," replies the guard. "Get out of here!"
Donovan scuttles back towards the U.S. side of the border, but not before letting out a cry of "culero," which basically means ... well, you can find the meaning here.
Saturday, 24 April 2010
Mexico’s goalkeeping dilemma
Rewind just a few months and the title of this post would seem slightly ridiculous.
“Dilemma? What dilemma? Guillermo Ochoa is certain to don the gloves on June 11,” might well have been the reaction.
That is no longer the case.
Ochoa’s position as Mexico’s number 1 is under threat thanks to a bad run of form and some high profile mistakes. On March 17 playing for the national team against North Korea, Ochoa misjudged a long range shot coming straight at him and appeared to veer away from the ball completely. Then on March 28 in an America against Puebla league match, ‘Memo’ Ochoa made a very similar mistake from a long range shot that bounced just in front of him. In short, the 24-year-old no longer looks his old, secure self.
The video below shows the two mistakes:
Coinciding with Ochoa’s slide has been the excellent form of Guadalajara Chivas captain Luis Michel.
Nothing could’ve been more emblematic of the swaying of the Number 1 shirt towards Michel than the clasico on April 4 between Ochoa’s America and Chivas which was built in the Mexican press as the “battle of the ‘keepers.”
“Michel took it,” ran one headline the next day. In fact the game couldn’t have gone better for the 30-year-old Chivas man. After pulling off a string of fine saves in the first 30 minutes, Chivas scored an ugly, deflected goal that Ochoa could do nothing about.
The score remained 1-0 and Michel was hailed as the hero of Mexico’s most important game after almost single handedly keeping America at bay.
Cries of “Goalkeeper! Goalkeeper!” rang around the stadium. The less than inventive chant was directed at Michel, while Ochoa could only watch on.
Both have just finished the first week of training camp with the group of 17 domestic based players alongside veteran goalie Oscar Perez. All three have been busy giving their own opinions on the hot topic.
Said Ochoa: “Yes, of course I see myself as the number 1 come June 11. I have to think in that way and train daily with that mentality. It would be a mistake if I didn’t think like that but at the end of the day it’s the coach who will decide.”
And of his recent mistakes Ochoa explained he was looking forward, not backwards: “I’m relaxed, I spoke about them at the time. They’re part of the job, part of the goalkeeper's role and I’m thinking about moving forward, thinking positively about the World Cup and preparing myself hard for what’s coming.”
Michel too is focused on being in the starting 11 come June 11.
“Javier (Aguirre) told us that any of the three of us could play and we have to show him what we have and play our best so we’re ready when the opportunity comes,” said Guadalajara-born Michel in a press conference. “I’m here to compete, to put in my grain of sand and to give everything I can to win a place in the team.”
The most likely scenario is that Ochoa will likely get the nod come June 11 because Michel is relatively untried at international level (2 caps) and Ochoa, with his Sideshow Bob-esque locks, is something of a “golden boy” in Mexico.
The question of who will get the goalkeeper’s job does add an interesting subplot to Mexico’s pre-World Cup friendly matches. If Ochoa continues to blunder, the door may well open for the popular Michel.
Tale of the tape:
Guillermo Ochoa
Born: Guadalajara, Jalisco (June 13, 1985 – 24-years-old)
Club: America
Caps: 19
Luis Michel
Born: Guadalajara, Jalisco (July 21, 1979 – 30-years-old)
Club: Guadalajara Chivas (Captain)
Caps: 2
Also keep in mind a few other goalkeepers that could make last minute challenges:
Jesus Corona: The Cruz Azul man looked like he was next in line for Ochoa’s shirt. Then in February he beat up a young man outside a Guadalajara bar and tried to cover it up by saying it was his cousin ‘Carlos,’ who apparently looks very much like Corona. He looked like he might get away with it until a video surfaced showing Corona’s father offering to pay the hospital treatment to fix the broken nose and cheekbone of the young man in exchange for not taking the case to the police. Corona was forced to come clean and, good goalkeeper though he is, is unlikely to go to South Africa due to ungoing legal proceedings.
Oswaldo Sanchez: Mexico’s first choice goalkeeper in Germany in 2006, veteran Sanchez doesn’t seem to be in favour with coach Aguirre although his undoubted experience makes him an outside bet. At 36-years-old, time isn’t on his side although he’s in decent form for his team Santos Laguna.
Oscar ‘El Conejo’ Perez: Known as ‘the rabbit’ for his jumping ability (at least that’s the official explanation), 37-year-old Perez was a surprise call up for the recent training camp. The Jaguares de Chiapas player has 53 international caps to his name and believes he has a shot at starting on June 11 if Aguirre loses faith in Ochoa. He’s known as a favourite of Aguirre.
“Dilemma? What dilemma? Guillermo Ochoa is certain to don the gloves on June 11,” might well have been the reaction.
That is no longer the case.
Ochoa’s position as Mexico’s number 1 is under threat thanks to a bad run of form and some high profile mistakes. On March 17 playing for the national team against North Korea, Ochoa misjudged a long range shot coming straight at him and appeared to veer away from the ball completely. Then on March 28 in an America against Puebla league match, ‘Memo’ Ochoa made a very similar mistake from a long range shot that bounced just in front of him. In short, the 24-year-old no longer looks his old, secure self.
The video below shows the two mistakes:
Coinciding with Ochoa’s slide has been the excellent form of Guadalajara Chivas captain Luis Michel.
Nothing could’ve been more emblematic of the swaying of the Number 1 shirt towards Michel than the clasico on April 4 between Ochoa’s America and Chivas which was built in the Mexican press as the “battle of the ‘keepers.”
“Michel took it,” ran one headline the next day. In fact the game couldn’t have gone better for the 30-year-old Chivas man. After pulling off a string of fine saves in the first 30 minutes, Chivas scored an ugly, deflected goal that Ochoa could do nothing about.
The score remained 1-0 and Michel was hailed as the hero of Mexico’s most important game after almost single handedly keeping America at bay.
Cries of “Goalkeeper! Goalkeeper!” rang around the stadium. The less than inventive chant was directed at Michel, while Ochoa could only watch on.
Both have just finished the first week of training camp with the group of 17 domestic based players alongside veteran goalie Oscar Perez. All three have been busy giving their own opinions on the hot topic.
Said Ochoa: “Yes, of course I see myself as the number 1 come June 11. I have to think in that way and train daily with that mentality. It would be a mistake if I didn’t think like that but at the end of the day it’s the coach who will decide.”
And of his recent mistakes Ochoa explained he was looking forward, not backwards: “I’m relaxed, I spoke about them at the time. They’re part of the job, part of the goalkeeper's role and I’m thinking about moving forward, thinking positively about the World Cup and preparing myself hard for what’s coming.”
Michel too is focused on being in the starting 11 come June 11.
“Javier (Aguirre) told us that any of the three of us could play and we have to show him what we have and play our best so we’re ready when the opportunity comes,” said Guadalajara-born Michel in a press conference. “I’m here to compete, to put in my grain of sand and to give everything I can to win a place in the team.”
The most likely scenario is that Ochoa will likely get the nod come June 11 because Michel is relatively untried at international level (2 caps) and Ochoa, with his Sideshow Bob-esque locks, is something of a “golden boy” in Mexico.
The question of who will get the goalkeeper’s job does add an interesting subplot to Mexico’s pre-World Cup friendly matches. If Ochoa continues to blunder, the door may well open for the popular Michel.
Tale of the tape:
Guillermo Ochoa Born: Guadalajara, Jalisco (June 13, 1985 – 24-years-old)
Club: America
Caps: 19
Luis Michel Born: Guadalajara, Jalisco (July 21, 1979 – 30-years-old)
Club: Guadalajara Chivas (Captain)
Caps: 2
Also keep in mind a few other goalkeepers that could make last minute challenges:
Jesus Corona: The Cruz Azul man looked like he was next in line for Ochoa’s shirt. Then in February he beat up a young man outside a Guadalajara bar and tried to cover it up by saying it was his cousin ‘Carlos,’ who apparently looks very much like Corona. He looked like he might get away with it until a video surfaced showing Corona’s father offering to pay the hospital treatment to fix the broken nose and cheekbone of the young man in exchange for not taking the case to the police. Corona was forced to come clean and, good goalkeeper though he is, is unlikely to go to South Africa due to ungoing legal proceedings.
Oswaldo Sanchez: Mexico’s first choice goalkeeper in Germany in 2006, veteran Sanchez doesn’t seem to be in favour with coach Aguirre although his undoubted experience makes him an outside bet. At 36-years-old, time isn’t on his side although he’s in decent form for his team Santos Laguna.
Oscar ‘El Conejo’ Perez: Known as ‘the rabbit’ for his jumping ability (at least that’s the official explanation), 37-year-old Perez was a surprise call up for the recent training camp. The Jaguares de Chiapas player has 53 international caps to his name and believes he has a shot at starting on June 11 if Aguirre loses faith in Ochoa. He’s known as a favourite of Aguirre.
Thursday, 22 April 2010
Corona have got their red, white and green Mexico team themed World Cup beers out nice and early.
"106 million in the gang," reads the bottle on the left and "The only shirt that looks good on all of us," reads the red one on the right. The white-greyish bottle that is facing the other way says "canta y no llores," the chorus of a famous Mexican song. In English it roughly translates as "Sing and don't cry." If the Mexican team can't get at least past the round of 16, it could turn out to be the biggest selling bottle.
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Bienvenidos to the blog
I've been here in Guadalajara, Mexico for almost two years and have avidly followed the team throughout the qualification process.
That includes Sven Goran Eriksson's embarrassing spell in charge and Javier Aguirre saying he's going straight back to Europe after the World Cup because Mexico as a country is 'jodido.' Translated into English gives you a word beginning with 'f' and ending with 'd.' Can you imagine Fabio Capello saying that about England? He'd be run all the way out the country and back to Italy by mobs with pitchforks!
We're in for a fun couple of months with the team known locally as el Tri.
Please keep comments clean and enjoy the festival of futbol!
That includes Sven Goran Eriksson's embarrassing spell in charge and Javier Aguirre saying he's going straight back to Europe after the World Cup because Mexico as a country is 'jodido.' Translated into English gives you a word beginning with 'f' and ending with 'd.' Can you imagine Fabio Capello saying that about England? He'd be run all the way out the country and back to Italy by mobs with pitchforks!
We're in for a fun couple of months with the team known locally as el Tri.
Please keep comments clean and enjoy the festival of futbol!
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