Ignorance bliss for Mexico
Soccer coach doesn’t bring up decade of losses in U.S.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Mexico coach Javier Aguirre isn’t touching one very volatile subject among his countrymen: how poorly his nation has done in recent games hosted by the archrival Americans.
When asked Saturday how he broaches the record of no victories in the United States this decade, Aguirre shakes his head and frowns.
“I don’t tell that to my players,” he said. “Or how important this game is to their country or the history of this (series) or about the United States. That’s a very dangerous cocktail.”
Instead of feeding such material to his players as they prepare for today’s sold-out CONCACAF Gold Cup final against the hosts, Aguirre emphasized the positives. And he’s seen many from his players, and from the Americans.
“It’s been a generally very positive experience, more because of the continual progress of my players,” he said. “There have been ones who have surprised me very positively; I won’t mention any names here.
“Physically, we are good, better than ever. Mentally, we are our best ever. Thirty-five days ago in Mexico, I told them we’d get to the final, so we’ve been progressing mentally for being in the final and winning it.”
Winning it would erase a whole lot of pain for the Mexicans, who are 0-9-2 on U.S. soil since 2000. That includes a 2-0 loss in February in frigid Columbus, Ohio, to open World Cup qualifying. And while the United States used that victory as a boost and stands second in qualifying behind Costa Rica, Mexico has struggled and is fourth overall – the top three countries automatically advance to South Africa 2010.
Aguirre wants to completely separate any World Cup news from the Gold Cup, even though the Americans visit Mexico City for a qualifier on Aug. 12.
“It’s 90 minutes of soccer for the Gold Cup,” he said of today’s match at Giants Stadium, where as much as two-thirds of the 70,000-plus fans figures to be cheering for El Tri. “On Aug. 12 it will be a different U.S. team, a different Mexico team, a different circumstance.”
Mexico has won four Gold Cups, as has the United States, and lost to the Americans States 2-1 in 2007 for the crown. The Americans seek their third straight regional championship, and despite bringing an inexperienced squad to the tournament, they have grown and improved throughout the event.