Greetings Professor,
I hope that you are doing good and that you have the national team ready to play the Gold Cup. Even if it is a B team, you will be asked to win the cup and anything less than a triumph will be seen as a monumental failure.
Before I continue, it was a pleasure spending some time with you in Russia. Your explanation over the 4-3-3 tactic you prefer was one of the most incredible conversations that I have had about football and I am grateful that in an era where no one feels that they have the obligation to give explanations you did it with pleasure.
You once told me that you do not pay attention to the media but I know that is not true. You are interested in what is said and are affected by the criticism. I would like to ask you not to get too engaged in what is said. It has nothing to do with you. Seriously, since you are not Mexican you will not know this, but what is going on has been happening since I had use of reason.
Manuel Lapuente, the only Mexican coach to have won a FIFA tournament with the senior national team, abandoned the team a year later because he could no longer handle the pressure. Ferretti and Vucetich who are winners by excellence were criticized for being too defensive. Miguel Herrera’s Tri was “the embarrassment of the Gold Cup.” La Volpe sold smoke and mirrors, Hugo Sanchez was a charlatan. Each and every national team coach have been eaten up by their job or sacked ahead of time.
That is how the country is. We never win at anything, our historic world cup players can be counted on one hand and we want to be world cup champions by art of magic, ahead of Europeans with more talent, better situated and with more preparation. That is our nature.
I believe that Mexico has a good generation of player and that you are the ideal cocah to take us to that famous fifth game that everyone in the country yearns for.
I ask you to continue with your process, to defend your ideas. The objective is 2018 and that is where you must focus. Your players seem convinced and that is the most important thing. The fans and the media will only do so with wins and perhaps not even like that. That is how it is.
That said, defending your ideas does not signify not having self-criticism or to be tied to them. Your system is risky and brave and it is clear that the team suffers in defense and many times it feels as if we are at the edge of the abyss.
You even told me that it was impossible having both risk and defense at the same level but I am sure that we can have more equilibrium. The fact of using a defensive midfielder against Portugal let’s me know that you have noticed this.
I know that you are an intelligent, knowing, man that likes to listen to other people about football. I am convinced that one of them has the solution to the defensive problems the team faces. It is simply a question of looking for them and interchange ideas which is exactly what you like to do.
And one more thing, ask for, demand that from here until the World Cup games against better teams are organized. I know that a fundamental part of revenue for the FMF comes from friendly games in the United States but if the Confederations Cup showed us one thing it is that we still have a long way to go against top teams. We need to play against the Brazil’s, Spain’s, Argentina’s and France even if it is as visitors, even better.
There are 12 months left for the World Cup. In my opinion, with what has progressed and what can be achieved there exists the possibility of something historic. My last petition is to not be close minded to criticism. Listen to the people that trust you and support your process and for that same reason we will analyze the good and the bad not just one or the other.
Keep having the same enthusiasm and analytical capacity and openness to listen to your players and other people of football. I hope things work out and in one year we can celebrate more Mexican triumphs instead of continuing to torture ourselves with what could have been.
Sincerely
Martin Del Palacio
For more opinions on Mexican futbol and other international soccer related news, Follow Martin on Twitter and on Facebook
Comments
