Panchito Mendoza is reportedly in the sights of Mexico coach Hugo Sanchez.
The story appeared in Mexican daily Mural on Tuesday. At training, we talked to Panchito Mendoza and Claudio Suarez about the possibility of Mendoza getting the call to the Mexican national team.
This would be a grand accomplishment if it did happen. Mendoza came up through Chivas' youth system but has only played professionally in Major League Soccer. Of course, you can only wonder if Juan Pablo Garcia had stayed here and had continued to perform as he did a year ago if he would be in a similar position. Instead, he's languishing on the bench at Tigres.
Still, Mendoza might be more attractive because of his age. At 22, he can be part of Mexico's Olympic squad next year so this might be with the Olympics in mind.
Only time will tell if Panchito gets the call but Claudio Suarez has spoken highly of Mendoza now and in the past, and if he's got Suarez's stamp of approval, that can only be a good thing.
4 comments:
Mendoza just isn't of national team caliber. He has nothing on Andres Guardado or Edgar Castillo.
Not to mention that while he's played well in MLS, his performances haven't been necessarily the talk of the town. He's a slightly above average player who adds a little flair to Chivas.
Some declarations he made also bugged me. He said in the past that if Mexico didn't call him, he'd see about getting the American Citizenship so he could play for the USMNT.
That to me speaks volumes of a player who is more interested in his own personal gains at the international level, than about representing a country.
Ohh players across the world play this game all the time. If you are bothered by his declaration then you should even be more bothered by Nery Castillo and how Sanchez had to convince him to play for El Tri. Now that was for personal gain, as we know the man was only born and not even raised in Mexico.
Except, Nery had a legitimate dilemma. You said it yourself, he was not raised in Mexico and was actually part of Uruguay's youth system. He was born with a dual citizenship.
Mendoza was born and raised in Mexico. He hasn't even been in the US 5 years. It's all self interest. Just because you see it in other parts of the world, doesn't make it any more acceptable.
From the declarations about the FO's contact with FMF, it seems to be Vergara and Cue are trying to pimp Mendoza. Don't think his performances merit a call up, and his attitude certainly doesn't.
But you still don't have a problem with Nery doing it out of his own self interest for Mexico. He had no vested interest in Mexico but yet Mexico gladly accepts him as a member of El Tri though he is not Mexican and was only born there. Like many immigrants/migrants who come to the US, Mendoza is only stating that he wouldn't mind representing his new or second home. Like the Brazilian player (Zinho?) and the Argie player who both represented El Tri in WC 06. Neither were born in Mexico but played because they couldn't get on their native countries squads. I have no problem with players stating that they wouldn't mind representing the country they are currently living in if their home country is not interested. If anything it doesn't show a lack of loyality to El Tri but a lack of loyality to the 2nd choice team.
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