By Humberto Viera
Mar 29, 2024, 12:15 PM EDT
Ricardo Peláez, renowned former director of Mexico’s National Teams and current sports analyst, generated a stir by participating in the ESPN program Fútbol Picante, where he made strong statements about the current situation of the Mexican National Team, especially after the disappointing 2-0 defeat against United States in the Final of the Concacaf Nations League, directed by Jaime Lozano.
Peláez, who in addition to his outstanding career as a Tricolor player, has also held important management positions in clubs such as Club América, Cruz Azul and Guadalajara, stated that the Mexican team is being “kidnapped” by the players themselves.
“The players kidnap the Mexican National Team. What happened during the period of Chícharo, Layún and all those players? They had to remove several. When there is a sports competition that doesn’t happen because everyone wants to go to the Mexican National Team, everyone is dying to play and wants to be a starter. Today, what competition do these players have? If you are saying that it is the same team that played with Cocca as the one that played the other day with Lozano,” said Peláez in statements reported by Marca.
These statements join other previous comments, such as those of Diego Cocca, former coach of Tri, as well as players such as Santiago Giménez and Andrés Guardado, who have expressed their concern about the lack of mentality of Mexican footballers to reach a competitive level at global level.
The former América and Chivas forward also pointed out that this “kidnapping” situation could be solved if each national team player had real competition for their place on the team, which would prevent them from feeling untouchable. As an example, he mentioned the case of goalkeeper Memo Ochoa, who, although he is indisputable in goal, would benefit from having a rival who requires him to constantly improve his performance.
“That’s why it happens that ‘I don’t want to train, I don’t want this.’ When there is competition that doesn’t happen because the coach calls everyone… He called Henry Martín, Santi Giménez and he had called Raúl Jiménez and between the three of them they should keep their mouths open and whoever is best plays. I think that in that sense the coach has lacked in goal. Ochoa is not guilty of the 2-0 against the United States, he is a great player but they should give the next player a chance because if he gets injured, who is going to stop? “, Peláez pointed out.
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