Gold Cup - Mexico, in more trouble than we think

Imagine you?re managing the national team of a soccer-obsessed country of 120 million people, that boasts a long (if not yet particularly glorious) history in the sport, and is home to arguably the richest domestic league outside Europe.

Then imagine that you?re leading said national team through one of its worst patches in living memory, an unprecedented five nil-nil draws in World Cup qualifying, including three at your vaunted home fortress, one of the acknowledged cathedrals of world football, where you?ve only ever lost once.

Given your next World Cup qualifying match is not until September, you?re probably wishing you could spend a hot, dusty summer away from football. But you?re not lucky. You're Jos? Manuel "Chepo" de la Torre, and you?re in the Gold Cup.

As Mexico prepares to face Canada tonight in both sides' second Gold Cup match, the main storyline, the only storyline really, is whether ?Chepo? will still be the Mexico manager at the final whistle. He?s not likely to be fired on the pitch, but given the reaction of the Mexican masses in the Rose Bowl following El Tri?s loss to Panama -- the chants for his head, the debris and profanity hurled in his direction -- a curt on-field dismissal would be the least of his worries if he doesn't get a result. The bottom line is that if Mexico doesn?t get three points against Canada, his days remaining as Mexican manager will be very few in number.

Canada?s woes are depressingly well documented. The default position of Canadian supporters is deeply cynical, and social media tells me many are expecting the slaughter tonight to be as worse as any we have suffered. And we've certainly suffered. But I'm here to say the order of the day should be 'extreme unease' not 'outright panic.' See, Mexico has problems of its own.

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It's often said that desperate people have nothing to lose. I think it's the opposite, that desperate people often have everything to lose. That?s why they?re desperate. Chepo de la Torre is under excruciating pressure. He's essentially the national team coach of two countries -- of Mexico, and of the 30-odd million Mexican-descended people living in the U.S. You'd be tense too if grown men screamed at each other 24 hours a day on television and radio about whether or not you should be allowed to keep your job.

For Mexico, and for Chepo, this Gold Cup was supposed to represent that nauseatingly overused phrase, the 'reset.' Totally different players from those who have struggled in World Cup qualifying and in the Confederations Cup. A chance for redemption. However, after one game against Panama not only was the result similar but also the same stultifying style of play. No ideas, no cohesion.

This Mexican teams averages 5.1 international caps; second string keeper Alfredo Talavera has the most with 14. All of the players play their club football in Mexico and the squad?s average age is 26. There are six players -- defenders Israel Jim?nez and D?rvin Ch?vez; midfielders Javier Cort?s, Jorge Enr?quez and Marco Fabi?n; and forward Ra?l Jim?nez -- who were part of Mexico?s gold-winning team at last summer?s Olympic Games. That?s generally seen as the country?s greatest international achievement and it was hoped that at least one or two from this group would stand out enough to start helping out the Mexican A-team in the World Cup qualifying process.

Key to that group is the 23-year-old Fabi?n, who plays his club football for Guadalajara. Prior to last weekend's game against Panama he'd logged 68 minutes for the national team this year in three substitute appearances. It would be an exaggeration to describe him as an anointed savior, but this was the tournament he was supposed to show he could operate as the creative force Mexico so desperately needs in its senior side. He scored the lone goal against Panama but several pundits have come out since and criticized him for not doing much else.

He should get his chance to try again against Canada. In an article this morning, ESPN Deportes said Chepo has been practicing with the following players ahead of tonight's game (I don't know why they only listed 10): Jonathan Orozco; Miguel Lay?n, Topo Valenzuela, Efra?n Velarde; Javier Cort?s, Chat?n Enr?quez, Gullit Pe?a y Luis Montes; Marco Fabi?n y M?rquez Lugo. Only four of those names started against Panama.

One of the biggest criticisms levelled at Chepo is his inflexibility. (Which it must be said, seems to be a common complaint when shitting on a manager.) He can't or won't change his formation or make the necessary subs when his team is struggling to create offense against lesser talents, which is 95% of the games Mexico plays in Concacaf.

So he's made his changes, but the obvious question now is whether they'll work. It pains me to write this, because those who spew words about sports spew these so often, but the key this evening really will be whether Mexico can score early and unhinge those floodgates. In that case, yes, Canada supporters should panic. A massive goalfest might just be the catharsis Mexico, its coaching staff and its supporters need right now. Don't expect them to stop on account of mercy, because that's not their headspace at the moment. Think of that scene from the movie "Drive" with Ryan Gosling, a hammer and one unlucky bad dude in an elevator.

But on the other hand, the longer things stay scoreless, the more doubt will grow. There has been speculation that Chepo doesn't necessarily get on with assistant coach Luis Fernando Tena -- the guy who coached Mexico to its gold medal last summer -- and that the two should spend more time consulting during games rather than sitting far apart on the bench. So the first positive development to watch for is camera cuts to any Mexican coach sitting forlorn and isolated.

The crowd will play a major factor too. Expect CenturyLink Field to be wall-to-wall green (excepting of course the hardy band of Voyageurs travelling down from Vancouver). Mexico fans have a history of impatience, and their breaking point was reached long ago. The first chants of "?Fuera Chepo, Fuera Chepo!" will also be a great indicator things are not going Mexico's way, although those might actually start before kickoff.

If Canada can set out to play 90 minutes of the the most anti-est of anti-football, replete with plenty of cynical fouls high up the pitch to disrupt the Mexicans already psychologically fragile attack, maybe, just maybe, we can squeak a 0-0.

Source: http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?4772-Mexico-in-more-trouble-than-we-think

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