Fansided

Gold Cup is perfect time to transition toward 2022

By Nestor Esquivel

Argentine coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino listens to questions during his presentation as new coach of the Mexican national football team, at the High Performance Centre (CAR) on the outskirts of Mexico City on January 7, 2019. (Photo by Pedro PARDO / AFP) (Photo credit should read PEDRO PARDO/AFP/Getty Images)
Argentine coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino listens to questions during his presentation as new coach of the Mexican national football team, at the High Performance Centre (CAR) on the outskirts of Mexico City on January 7, 2019. (Photo by Pedro PARDO / AFP) (Photo credit should read PEDRO PARDO/AFP/Getty Images) /
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The first “official” test for new Team Mexico coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino is this summer’s Gold Cup.

Ever since Tata Martino released his preliminary Gold Cup roster, a lot of attention has been focused on who isn’t on the list rather than who is on the list.

The absences are clear.

No Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez

No Jesus “Tecatito” Corona

No Carlos Vela

No Hector Herrera

No Rafa Marquez … I could go on (Joke).

More from Viva Liga MX

Jokes aside, a lot of the absent players are creeping up into their 30’s and El Tri should be already focused on the 2022 World Cup. Tata Martino will still be coaching Team Mexico by then (barring any wild circumstance) and it makes sense to take a good look at the next generation. The youth are the way forward, after all.

If there’s any complaint about this roster, it might be that not more younger players got invited. Consider the absences of J.J. Macias and Diego Lainez both of whom will be playing with Mexico’s Under-20 team at the World Cup in Poland. But that’s an entirely separate topic for another article.

It’s the first summer after a World Cup and these missing veterans deserve some rest. Can Carlos Vela be blamed for wanting to spend a summer in Los Angeles? Or Chicharito wanting to be with his wife for the birth of his first child? And Hector Herrera wants to recover from a long season and prepare for a life in a new city (some fans might see that as simply a plane ride, but we’re talking about a person moving into a new home and trying to quickly become comfortable in a different life).

Mexico isn’t stretched as thin this time around as we have been in previous Gold Cups. During the last Gold Cup in 2017, El Tri’s first-choice team was playing in the Confederations Cup  in Russia. Where we had the likes of Pizzaro playing as a striker and only scoring one forgettable goal.

It’s best to avoid being discouraged, because these older players are unlikely to play a vital role in the 2022 World Cup. I’m not saying they can’t contribute en route, but they shouldn’t be relied upon as heavily. This is an ideal transition period and players such as Raul Jimenez could get valuable experience captaining a younger Team Mexico. His role could be akin to that of Andres Guardado in the run-up to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa under coach Javier Aguirre.

I love the older Mexican players and they still represent some of the best El Tri teams. Chicharito and Vela have built up a nice legacy, but pretty soon you’ll be able to see them in an MLS stadium near you. And that’d be cheaper than if you bought a ticket to a “molero” — an El Tri exhibition match.

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