Javier Aguirre has derailed Mexico's chances for South Africa 2010 and for the next three World Cups.
I am sure many of you have heard the saying "don't look a gift horse in the mouth," and normally I would agree with this idiom. However, what do you do when the horse himself tells you that he is of the highest quality? Well I for one believe the horse and take him at his word.
That's exactly why I believed Aguirre when he took over the Mexican National Team. When he took over he promised to qualify for the World Cup, to take only the best players, and to develop the crop of young Mexican talent for the future. So far he has only come through on qualifying for South Africa, beyond that his word is worth about as much as a Mexican peso at a Laredo Starbucks.
On Monday, the FMF officially announced the removal of Jonathon Dos Santos from the South Africa roster. The younger brother of starlet Giovanni Dos Santos becomes the infamous number 24 of the roster. Ironically he wore number 24 against Gambia yesterday in Mexico's meaningless 5-1 victory.
In a previous article I wrote of the benefit of taking a young player, albiet without any major prospect of playing in the World Cup, to an event like this in order to forge him for the future. Jona is the understudy of Xavi at Barcelona, largerly considered the best midfield maestro in the world, and Aguirre is trying to tell us that Jona's apprenticeship isn't sufficient for a spot on the Mexican National Team? Por Favor Vasco!!!!
This isn't Brazil or Spain where youth talent can be wasted. We have so precious few prospects and each one should be given ultimate importance. I can easily name three players who will have little to no playing time but who don't have youth or potential on their side. However, the one that makes me the angriest and who should not have even been considered in the inital 28-man roster is Adolfo 'El Bofo' Bautista.
El Bofo, which loosley translated means clutz, showed up to the initial medical exams in the worst shape of any of the players. In a simple run with periodical speed increases he lasted a little under twelve minutes. The average player ran for approximately twenty three minutes. Blanco at 37, almost 38, out ran him!!! The Clutz continues his clumsy ways showing time and again his nom de guerra by stumbling over every ball, pass, and tackle during Mexico's friendlies. His inclusion over Jona baffles me.
Whew, sorry I needed to get that out.
The exclusion of Jona has angered the Dos Santos family and in particular the father Zizihno who swore his younger son would never again wear la verde. Zizihno blasted Aguirre for taking the easy decision and not looking towards the future. He also accussed the FMF of mistreating his son on previous occassions including the U-15 incident where Jona was removed from the plane taking the younger seleccion to the youth World Cup and stripping him of his uniform at the airport. Zizihno vows to look for other opportunities for Jona and I truly can't say that I blame him.
Furthermore, I cannot believe that Aguirre and his staff failed to consider the impact that this would have on Giovanni. Zizihno reported today that Gio asked his father, through tears, not to come visit him in Africa stating very clearly that his mood was depressive. If Zizihno is to be believed, and there is no reason why we shouldn't, then we have ruined our most important player 12 days before the World Cup.
I want to believe that Jona will come back in the future. I want to believe that Gio can overcome this hurdle and be a bright spot for Mexico. But I can't. As far as I am concerned Aguirre has destroyed Mexican Soccer for good.
