2015 Gold Cup

[Hooper'sslide]

Mexico really put together a fun game to watch.  The first few minutes were sloppy and Mexico let Jamaica control the game, but once they settled in Mexico owned the game.  They had incredibly crisp passing and seemed to know where their players were and where they would be. They played really strong defense for most of the game and keep Jamaica from controlling the ball in or around the box. For a while Jamaica was reduced to trying to play the long ball over the midfield because they simply could not bring it forward. I was rooting for the Reggae Boyz because of the Mexico/Panama game and the officiating (not Mexico's fault,  but I can be a bit irrational about sports).  That said, I was glad to see Mexico win; they deserved to win it with how they played. They really pulled it all together and played a great game. The Guardado goal was just fucking brilliant: a beautiful finish. I know Jamaica is not an elite team, but that Mexico squad looked like they could play with nearly anyone in the world.  
 
Congrats Bosoxen! Enjoy the victory.  Lets hope the US figures out some of their woes before Oct 9 so that we can see great game. 

 

[Cellar-Door]

Apparently Miguel Herrera punched one of the TV Azteca commentators in the Philly airport.
https://twitter.com/mexicoworldcup/status/625655618142121984

 

[Bosoxen]

I know Jamaica is not an elite team, but that Mexico squad looked like they could play with nearly anyone in the world.  
 
Congrats Bosoxen! Enjoy the victory.  Lets hope the US figures out some of their woes before Oct 9 so that we can see great game. 

 
Funny. I said that same thing as the bolded to an old high school classmate of mine and he went on a rant about how the Mexico squad is a bunch of assholes and should be winning these tournaments easily and how I'm a pom-pom waving Mexico for suggesting such a thing. But the way they played last night was just about the best-case scenario. They controlled the flow of the game, defended well, created a ton of chances - actually even finishing some - and capitalized on Jamaica's defensive miscues. Most importantly, they did it without some of their biggest names. Unfortunately, that type of game is the exception, not the rule, but it was still nice to see.
 
That play-in game is going to be fascinating. Not only will all of the domestic players be in late/mid-season form but the European-based players will be, as well. Can't wait.
 

Apparently Miguel Herrera punched one of the TV Azteca commentators in the Philly airport.
https://twitter.com/mexicoworldcup/status/625655618142121984

 
Apparently, this has been brewing for a while. The announcer in question, Christian Martinoli, and Herrera had a little Twitter spat last month. Apparently, Herrera didn't like some of the criticisms coming from Martinoli and Herrera made a veiled threat of physical violence (this happened on 6/20). The story goes that Martinoli was standing in the security line at the airport when he spotted Herrera. He asked his colleague, former Mexico player Luis Garcia, to stand in front of him in order to avoid a confrontation. According to him, he put his head down to look at his phone so he could avoid eye contact, when he felt Herrera punch him in the neck. As Garcia attempted to diffuse the situation and separate the two, Herrera's daughter slapped Garcia and then pushed and threatened Martinoli with further violence. Doesn't appear anyone involved was detained.
 
Classy family, those Herreras.

 

[Titans Bastard]

Looks like Herrera is going to get canned:
 
https://twitter.com/ESPNFCtri/status/626073754096009216

 

[Zososoxfan]

I'm not convinced Herrera's a good manager. Mexico didn't play well at all in the GC until the final.

 

[soxfan121]

I'm not convinced Herrera's a good manager. Mexico didn't play well at all in the GC until the final.

 
Still, the time to can him is after the qualifier. A new coach would have one friendly before it? Bad timing by Mexico, though I guess Herrera punching out a guy didn't help.

 

[SocrManiac]

If the reports about he and his daughter going after a reporter are true, could they really keep him on board in any case? Seems hands were pretty well tied.

 

[Bosoxen]

Yeah, he's toast. Not only were they crap during the Gold Cup but prior to beating Cuba they hadn't won any of their previous 10 matches - friendlies included. Playing well once in 15 games just isn't going to cut it.
 
I give him credit for bringing Vela and Jonathan Dos Santos into the fold but that's about it. Beyond that, he's been a total train wreck since the World Cup. Plus, his antics may have been funny at first but it got old really fast. Punching an unsuspecting - well, somewhat unsuspecting - reporter in the neck has to be the last straw.

 

[Bosoxen]

ESPNFC is reporting that he's gone.
 
https://twitter.com/espnsutcliffe/status/626090282837094400
 
Confirmado @MiguelHerreraDT ya dejo de ser técnico @miseleccionmx
 
Edit: Adding text

 

[Vinho Tinto]

While this act was enough to fire anyone, I'm so used to sports organizations not doing the right thing that I assumed he would skate. 

 

[Titans Bastard]

I'm not sure where or when this was from, but it's hilarious:
 
https://twitter.com/GrantWahl/status/626103436946214913

 

[Vinho Tinto]

That's probably from last summer, when Portugal beat Mexico in a pre-World Cup friendly
 
[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1qK4_hPlDw[/media]

 

[Bosoxen]

While this act was enough to fire anyone, I'm so used to sports organizations not doing the right thing that I assumed he would skate. 

 
I had a similar conversation with my brother earlier. Not just sports organizations, but this very one mishandled their managerial situation just two years ago. Not that he did anything reprehensible like Herrera did, but Chepo de la Torre was allowed to stay at the helm much, much longer than he should have. Color me surprised that they did the right thing at the right time.
 
But like sf121 stated, even though they had no choice, the timing is kind of sucky. They're probably going to have to go to the same well that they did with Herrera if they don't want to bomb the first round of qualifiers. That means we're likely to see a Liga MX manager take over. Hopefully one that doesn't send Vela and Dos Santos back to Siberia (though I am starting to see why Vela was in the FMF dog house to begin with).

 

[Titans Bastard]

I'm seeing reports floating around about a meeting between FMF and Bielsa.  Apparently Bielsa has requested tapes of El Tri and Liga MX games and dossiers on players.
 
Bielsa is a very good manager, of course, but I wonder how his obsessive personality would play with the FMF and with the notoriously fickle Mexican media.  It should be noted that he has managed a couple of Mexican clubs in the past, but that was in the early/mid 90s.
 
He still has a year left on his contract at Marseille, but the rumor is that he's unhappy with the lack of signings to replace some of the players who left this offseason.  Bielsa as Mexico's manager would be interesting for sure....definitely more formidable than the usual recycled Liga MX coach.

 

[Bosoxen]

I'd be ok with that but I'd worry more about the players than the media. I wonder how some of the most notoriously, um, difficult players would respond to such a hard-ass manager. Regardless, I hope we get a chance to find out.

 

[Cellar-Door]

I'd be pissed Bielsa was my dream for the eventual Klinsmann replacement. He's so awesome.

 

[Zososoxfan]

Uh yeah, put me down for Bielsa as USMNT manager.