What We're Reading
Gold Cup Win Gives Mexico More Options for USA Qualifier
- AP, Tuesday, July 28, 2009 4:02 PM
Mexico coach Javier Aguirre doesn't appreciate the press calling Mexico's Gold Cup winning squad a "B team." "I remember having read - and I hated it - that
this was a 'B' team. And now it might be the base,'' Aguirre fired back at reporters.
But the only players from the squad that routed the USA, 5-0, in the Gold Cup finals
who are considered shoo-ins to make Aguirre's squad for the Aug. 12 World Cup qualifier against the USA at Azteca Stadium are goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, striker Giovani
Dos Santos, captain Gerardo Torrado and defender Jonny Magallon. But Magallon may only play if Barcelona's Rafael Marquez does not recover from injury.
(Carlos Vela of Arsenal would also seem a likely candidate.)
Aguirre, however, says that he still doesn't know who he will call up. "I respect what is said or
written,'' Aguirre said Monday. "But our objective of going to the World Cup with our best players is very clear. I don't know if this will be the base. I have time to think about it
and analyze. We'll put out the players we think are best suited to getting three points off the United States.'' Nestor de la Torre, the director of national teams, is
expected to announce the squad on Wednesday that will face United States.
Like U.S. coach Bob Bradley, Aguirre left several regulars off the Gold Cup squad, such as Carlos Salcido and Javier Rodriguez (PSV Eindhoven), Ricardo Osorio (Stuttgart), Pavel Pardo (Club America) and Aaron Galindo (Guadalajara). Guillermo Franco (Villarreal) was also left off the team, but called up after Omar Arellano was injured.
