22/5/2007 - 11:29(EST)

Hugo prepares the Tri for the Gold Cup

Beginning Tuesday Hugo Sanchez' Mexican team will start their preparation for the Gold Cup, as well as the America Cup. These two tournaments will be used to prove that the team is ready.

21/MAY/2007 - Hugo is trying to get his players to buy into a winning mentality. That same mentality helped him win five "pichichi" (leading scorers in the Spanish league) titles, but in order to achieve this he will need strategy and the talent of his stars.

Unlike Argentina and Brazil, the big teams of South America, Mexico has very few European based players. They can still form a quality team that can compete for a third place finish in the America Cup.

Mexico will try to defeat their bitter rival USA in the Gold Cup. The USA has evolved into a good team in the last 12 years. The USA has stolen away some of the spotlight from Mexico in the CONCACAF.

If Mexico aspires to get into the top eight of the next World Cup they have to become the undisputed kings of their geographic region, and then they must place their sights on World Cup South Africa 2010.

Mexico has been able to beat big time teams like Brazil and Argentina in official competitions, but they have trouble beating little known teams. They do not show consistency.

The lack of consistency was evident during the qualyfiers for the last World Cup, where they lost to Trinidad and Tobago and tied Panama. Both those squads are from from the elite teams in the world. Though those teams deserve respect, if Mexico does not beat them they cannot expect to be part of the elite teams.

Hugo Sancehz touched base on that subject during his first days as Mexican coach. He stated that their are no weak teams in their zone, however they must start thinking as giants or their World Cup dreams will be over.

The Gold Cup will be a good place to start. Mexico expect tough games against the Americans and Costa Ricans, but they must prepare for style of play of smaller lesser known nations.

Starting this Tuesday we will begin to see what to expect from Mexico for the next three years. The team wins and loses against top teams, but are they ready to make the big jump or will they keep just getting wins from time to time. One day they beat Brazil, but the next they lose to teams that are from the elite.

The players called by Sanchez have alot of skill, especially the defenders. Rafael Marquez (FC Barcelona), Carlos Salcido (PSV Eindhoven), Ricardo Osorio (Stuttgart), and Pavel Pardo (Stuttgart) will have to assume their role as leaders, as well as the veterans of the groups like Oswaldo Sanchez, Ramon Morales, Jared Borgetti, and Cuauhtemoc Blanco.

What to expect from Mexico? The answer to that question will be found when they start training and then showing whether they are the same old Mexico or a team that does not accept underachieving.

Terra/EFE