Cubo Cut Down

I'm not really referring to how Erick "Cubo" Torres went down in the box - it's more about how the president of Guadalajara, Nestor de la Torre, reacted. 

Néstor de la Torre, desnudado. Así se refiere a sus jugadores como el 'Cubo' Torres y al arbitraje. Hoy en DeporTV. http://t.co/IEwLoNzDjV
— Azteca Deportes (@AztecaDeportes) February 9, 2015

Though I didn't even know what Nestor had said about Cubo when I went to the Tecate presentation the next day for interviews, I couldn't leave it out of my article. 



I'm not sure if Torres will last the season at Chivas, but Houston will probably be happy to welcome him early. 


Leftover quotes from my interview:  

Nestor

We don’t have any problem playing against the Galaxy. For us, the Galaxy is a team with good characteristics and it would be a competitive game. I think it would be interesting. It would be interesting because of what the Galaxy represents in this community and because of what Chivas also represents in Los Angeles. It would be an interesting clash of cultures.

Chepo

Nadie gana solo. Es una parte importante - la aficion.

No one wins alone. The fans play an important part. So does the owner, the coaches, the players, the trainers, the equipment people - everyone plays a part. Together, we can do this.

Cubo

Well, in life and in work, the ability to adapt is important. When people can adapt to change, they can be successful. Whether it’s Chivas USA, the national team, Chivas Guadalajara, or Houston, I’ll work hard to adjust and do well.

I’m working hard, with a lot of humility and when it’s time to go to Houston, I’ll be there with that same attitude. I’ll be proud to be with a good organization like the Dynamo as well.

Chepo

What is here in the United States is very special, because the fans here don’t get to see the team in person very often, but they’re so excited when they do get to see the team. It means so much to them. We want to make the fans happy.

We want to bring the team here more often.

It’s a great responsibility. It’s very similar, but the magnitude is different, in terms of the amount of people. The people identify with these type of squads. To coach Guadalajara, to coach Mexico, it is similar. The difference is there’s 120 million people in Mexico, aside from those in the USA, and despite the differences economically, culturally, male or female, or religion, they simply want to see their national team win. They get really excited about that.

It’s something that professions have to learn to handle. They have to face a lot of pressure, but but despite that, they have to go out and perform their best. We know that it’s like that - sometimes you’ll be on top, sometimes you’ll be on the bottom, but you have to be able to express yourself and stay professional. People will notice when you put your best effort out there. And when they see that, they’re satisfied. Usually, the results will follow as well. If you win, of course you get the reward from that effort, but even if you lose, you still know that you gave your best. In the end, that gives you satisfaction as well.

All of players have to compete against each other, and I have to evaluate who is in the best form at the time. Whether they start, or are on the bench, or even make the bench, that’s part of the competition. What’s complicated for me is making those choices.

I don’t feel like a savior. We, as a group, have to work on this mission together. So everyone has to be strong so that we can reach our goals.

First Calls

Admit it - you can't wait until Jurgen Klinsmann reveals his first U.S. national team roster.

I can't either.

It could either be a completely different new set of names or a lot of the old standbys. Or a mix of both. Since it's an international fixture date, Klinsmann won't be limited with his choices. He will have carte blanche to select the squad of his liking.

But who will that include?

Some faces I would include right off the bat...

* Brek Shea. In case you hadn't noticed - and Bob Bradley hadn't - Brek Shea is having an MVP-type season with FC Dallas. He'd get my vote for MVP if I had to vote right now. Shea is a bit of a mystery player though as both Bradley and FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman have tried him out at different positions, but Shea is the kind of player who you just throw in there, give free reign to and watch him perform magic. Shea has scored some tremendous goals this season and can do the same with the national team, if given a chance. His lone chance to prove his worth was in a drab match against Colombia a season ago and was sadly nowhere near the Gold Cup squad when the roster was announced in May.

* George John. A teammate of Shea's in FC Dallas, John is what Oguchi Onyewu used to be - a great hope in central defense. John is a physical presence in the center of the defense and anchors one of the top defenses in MLS. He's also eligible to play for Greece. If he doesn't get a call soon for the U.S., he could very well opt for Greece and has expressed interest in doing so anyway. John could give the Americans a physical presence in central defense that, combined with players like Omar Gonzalez, Clarence Goodson and, my personal choice in Chad Marshall, could offer Klinsmann a wealth of new options to try out.

* Joe Corona. A major reason why Xoloitzcuintles of Tijuana reached the Mexican First Division was the LA-born, San Diego-raised Joe Corona. The right-sided midfielder has scored some good goals in his brief career and was singled out by LA Galaxy coach Bruce Arena as Xolos' best player in a friendly in March - even though Arena did not know Corona was American. Corona is eligible for three countries - El Salvador, Mexico, the U.S. Probably best to bring Corona in now than to risk losing him to Mexico (Corona has expressed no interest in playing for his mother's birth nation of El Salvador).

* Jose Francisco Torres. Yes, JFT made the World Cup squad, but he barely got a sniff of the field in South Africa. Bradley's preferred choices of Michael Bradley and Ricardo Clark, along with Benny Feilhaber and Maurice Edu, were the ones who saw the field, and Jermaine Jones has since been brought into the central midfield puzzle. Torres, though, was always a player who was going to be difficult to squeeze into a Bradley formation. Klinsmann could get the best out of Torres, a pacy, creative player who could add some spark to the team.

Any other young or overlooked players you'd like to see Klinsmann bring in right away?

TnT vets over USA newbies

New and exciting doesn't always produce the desired results.

Reaction from Port-of-Spain

Recap

Grahame takes a look at Torres and congratulates Bradley

My take on Torres

Here's my Tuesday PE column on Jose Francisco Torres.

It's along the same lines as the things I wrote when he first accepted the call-up to the US national team. But there was one prominent voice in this column that I hadn't mentioned here before.

I actually got to write a last-minute story on, not just Torres but the whole Mexican-American issue for Futbol Mundial. At first the story was supposed to be sort of a general piece about the Edgar Castillos and Michael Orozcos of the world. But then we got word that Torres had committed to the US and it was on. It became a rather timely piece for the magazine, which is great since fortunes change in the soccer world quickly. For instance, we could have written about a coach or team in qualifying but who is to say that said coach or said team will be in the same shape as before.

Anyway, I talked to Sunil Gulati about Torres and the issue in general and some of what didn't make it to the magazine wound up here.

Torres talks

An outing of around 20 minutes – what are your thoughts?

I’m very happy. I’m grateful to the coach for putting me in. I thank God that things worked out for me to come play for the U.S. I’m very happy. We won, we came out with a victory in front of our fans. (the camera pans to a fan sign: Torres > Castillo)

What did you think this experience was going to be like?

I was nervous when I got here. I thought it was going to be different. But I got here Monday and all my teammates welcomed me. Little by little, I was training more and getting to know my teammates. I think I have great teammates that have treated me well.

Did you know about the drama over you in Mexico? What are your thoughts?

I think I made the right decision. I did wait for an opportunity from Mexico, but they didn’t give me one. I waited a while, and then the U.S. called again. I talked with my family and then I was the one who decided to come. I think it’s a great opportunity for me to play and succeed. Thank God, things are turning out well.

Congratulations.

Thanks.

Advising Torres

Host: Let’s look at what his Pachuca teammates told Paco Torres before and after his decision to play for the U.S.

Torres: Well, I mostly talked with Gabriel Caballero and Miguel Calero. I think they’re supporting me in every way. Correa also told me a lot of things – that I made the correct decision. I think my teammates are supporting me 100 percent. I’ve learned a lot from them.

Narrator: Jaime Correa and Gabriel Caballero have admitted to talking with Torres about his decision and helping him come to the choice to play for the U.S.

Caballero: “Mexico waited until the last moment. They should have called him earlier. He decided to make the choice that was in his control. He’s got a lot of qualities. That’s going to help him to triumph. I think the Mexican team did lose a good player.”

Correa: “He held out for a little while, waiting to see if Mexico would call him. But he was thinking about World Cup qualifying games and the upcoming World Cup and he finally chose and I think made the best choice.”

Enrique Meza was the first person to seek out Torres about the decision and gave him the opposite council of his teammates.

Meza: He said yes to the U.S. before he ever heard from Mexico. We all told him to wait, but he felt a certain impatience because of the upcoming World Cup. The last time I talked to him about it, he told me, “Prof, I gave my word already. I have to keep it, because my word is important.”

Host: Gringo Torres also said that when he talked to Calero, Calero told him to wait for a call from the Mexican national team. The young Pachuca player made his decision in the midst of differing advice.

Then the panel argues. They mention Orozco and Camoranesi. They mention Torres is not a regular starter for Pachuca. They discuss how Torres didn’t go to the Olympics, despite the invite of the U.S. That should have been a sign, the panel argues, that Mexico should have taken him more seriously. Basically, the argument is, “Cap ‘im! Figure out later if he’s any good.”

They mention that Bradley sees potential in him and the panel expects Torres to play in the World Cup. They fault not so much Ericksson, but Jesus “Chucho” Ramirez for not brining Torres in to any youth team matches.

Overlooking

Schwartz takes Sven to task:



Si aquí no los pelan, tienen todo el derecho de hacer valer su doble nacionalidad, y en ese tenor, Michel Orozco y José Francisco Torres defenderán ahora con orgullo y dignidad los colores de Estados Unidos.

If we don't give them a chance here, they have every right to use their dual nationality, and in that vein, Michael Orozco and José Francisco Torres now defend with honor and dignity the colors of the U.S.

Orozco ya lo había hecho desde los Olímpicos, y Torres andaba con que sí y con que no, pero al ver que en la última llamada de Eriksson -donde no hubo europeos- no fue tomado en cuenta, pues de plano optó por lo que más le convenía a él, que es la selección de los Estados Unidos, equipo multirregional que da oportunidad a los talentos cuando los detecta.

Orozco has already done so in the Olympics and Torres was going back and forth in deciding until he saw the latest roster of Eriksson, which didn't have any Europeans. Torres wasn't called, and he finally opted for what appealed to him more, the USA team, a multiregional squad which gives an opportunity when it detects talent.

Así que yo le veo un futuro promisorio a los dos a la larga en esta escuadra, y los felicito por su valentía para dar el paso y la voz de alerta de que en México seguimos desperdiciando talento.

I forsee a promising future for both players on this team and I congratulate them for their brave step in this direction and for raising the alarm about what will continue to happen if Mexico continiues ignoring new talent.

Torres speaks

Unlike the earlier article I translated, this one from ESTO has a lot more quotes from Torres. I decided to just translate those this time.

Today, I complete a dream. I always wanted to play internationally and Thank God, now I’m going to with the U.S. Today they called me in.

The U.S. federation has followed me since I arrived in Mexico to play. They called me for the Olympics. I waited. I didn’t want to go because opportunity waited with Mexico. Now, the U.S. has called me again. They’ve talked to me in the past month and this second time that they wanted me, I decided I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. I made the decition with my family to agree.

Sure, when I saw the game (of El Tri) versus Chile, I noted the new players and wondered why they hadn’t called me. At that point, I decided to forget about getting called in, but then the coach of the U.S. called and wanted me to play with them and said I could have a future with them. I decided that this second time, I’d say yes and try to get a place with the team.

(about Orozco) He’s another player like me. I didn’t take advantage of the chance to go to the Olympics. Those are steps in life. I’m going on Monday and hope to win a place with the team and play.

I began my career in Mexico, always with Pachuca. I got here at 16 and in a year and a half, I was promoted to the first team. Coach Meza picked me for my debut – he believes in me as a starter and I’ve tried to take advantage of the opportunity.

Now both teams want me, but I’ve chosen the U.S. Since I was little I wanted to play with the U.S. team. I played here in Mexico and developed and to tell the truth, I never thought the U.S. would call me. Now Mexico has called, but I’d made up my mind for the U.S. already.

I talked to Fassi. When I made the decision, Andres told me that Sven wanted me for Mexico. I told him the truth and told him that I didn’t want to pass up my chance with the U.S. and play in qualifying games. I want to play well.

The U.S. team is a great team, with experienced players who have played in the World Cup and now there are new players like Orozco and I working for sports. I’m thankful to Mexico, and glad they called me, but unfortunately, I had already decided to play for the U.S.A.

Wailing and gnashing of teeth

Ok, so people aren't really crying in the streets of Mexico that they've lost Torres to the U.S., but they don't seem happy about it, either. Here's an article I translated from espn.deportes
- it's a little vague on sources and light on quotes, but one definitely gets the sense that some people feel Eriksson really dropped the ball on this one.
By contrast, then, Bradley and Gulati would seem to get credit for doing the opposite.



Anyone who has followed closely the career trajectory of Jose Francisco Torres, a left-sided winger, can assure that he’s a player who has already demonstrated his quality with Pachuca.

It turns out that this promising player that could have been a part of Mexico's future has now declined the shirt of the national team that Sven Goran Eriksson leads, because simply, he grew tired of waiting and has decided to defend the colors of the Uunited Sttes.

Rejected going to Beijing with the U.S.
Francisco was born in Longview, Texas, and will turn 21 on the 29th of October. He is the son of a Mexican and an American.

We know that in the last few months he was waiting for a call from El Tri. He counted on being part of the team that confronted Chile (and lost 1-0) and was made up of a team based on younger players.

Since he was young he dreamed of playing with Mexico. He always believed he could do it. That’s why five years ago he got permission from his parents to come to Pachuca and play for the Tuzos (Gophers).

It’s also been only three months since Torres rejected a call from the U.S. to play for their national team when he was invited to the Olympic Games, even though he had not participated in the qualifying games.

Sources close to the situation reveal that Jesus Martinez, the president of Pachuca, convinced him not to go to Beijing, because he thought Javier Aguirre would be the new national team coach and would soon include Torres in his plans.

The coach of Pachuca, Enrique Meza, also tried to influence his decision, and he succeeded for a while. But the day that Torres didn’t see his name on the list of players for Chile, he decided to accept a second call from the U.S.

He said, “No thanks”
Many people, everyone, recognizes the qualities of Torres, except for el Tri. It was finally this week that the coaching staff convinced Eriksson that Torres should be picked, despite his small size.

On Thursday night, Torres was contacted by a member of the coaching staff of the national team (perhaps Guillermo Canto?) to answer if he would accept an an invitation from Eriksson, but his response, in perfect Spanish, was, “No, thanks”.

Similar Cases
Mexico has lost the opportunity to count on a great player, young, versatile, left-footed, who has a lot of potential ahead of him.

Something similar happened in the case of Michael Orozco, a Mexican defender born in Orange, California, who is 22 and plays with San Luis. If El Tri didn’t give him a chance with their younger national teams, they probably weren’t going to do so on the older squad. That’s why for some time he has played for the U.S. and played for them in the Olympic Games.

Edgar Castillo, who plays for Santos, was born in Las Cruces, New Mexico and will turn 22 this October. He also claims double nationality, but he had the fortune to be called in for youth teams and now is an important player on the senior squad.

Debut in qualifying
In Pachuca, Torres said that he made his decision aware of what he was doing and that it is what he wants to do.

His family supports him in everything. Torres spoke with both the national team coach of the U.S. (Bradley) and directors of their soccer federation (Gulati, I’ll wager).

“The truth is that I had to take advantage of this second opportunity. I’m very happy to represent the country of my birth, but I will always have great affection for mexico, “ said Torres, who hopes to have a place in the starting roster of the team that plays this upcoming week.

His debut is very close and will probably come in a qualifying match for the World Cup 2010. On the 11th of October, the U.S. will play Canada, and on the 15th, they will face Trinidad and Tobago.

Torres coup

By now, you've probably heard that Jose Francisco Torres has decided to play with the US national team. Torres was among the 23 players called into camp by Bob Bradley ahead of the next pair of World Cup qualifiers. Actually, he'll be with the US for the match against Cuba on Oct. 11 and, my guess, he'll be part of the team that goes to Trinidad should the US take care of business at RFK.

Now, Torres is a talented player. You don't get significant playing time for a club like Pachuca without talent, after all. But this decision by Torres is really a coup in more ways than one.

Sure, Torres' presence on the left side gives the US another option, a young option who could develop into a talented first-choice player in the near future. Pachuca, after all, has produced several quality players in recent history and Torres stands to be another in the increasingly long list of national team caliber players that come from Tuzo-land.

But more important than his potential is his background. Although born and bred in Texas, Torres could have chosen to bide his time and wait to play for Mexico. Just a week ago, I was among a small group talking to FMF honcho Guillermo Cantu about this very subject. When asked about the potential for players like Torres to follow in the footsteps of Edgar Castillo, who chose Mexico over his birth nation, Cantu had a very valid point. He said Mexicans were very proud, and the allure of Mexico was strong even for Mexicans born here.

I can attest to that a bit. I've lived twice in my life in Mexico, when I was 18 and then when I was almost 30. And I hope in the future to be able to retire there or spend a lot of time there... well, either there or somewhere in the Caribbean, but that's neither here nor there...

Regardless, Torres could have spurned Bradley again and stayed with his club team and nobody would have thought any worse than they had before. Well, perhaps the US might have felt a bit turned back by it but he wouldn't be the first player to spurn the US lately, would he?

If that would have happened, Michael Orozco would have looked like a fluke. Orozco, of course, chose the US over Mexico when he agreed to play for the US Under-23 national team, which led to a spot in the Olympics and then call-ups to the senior national team as well. That would have looked like a case of a player not good enough to play for the team with more depth and instead going to the US simply because it was either that or nothing.

Instead, it looks like the allure Cantu talked about only went so far in this case. Perhaps Orozco and Torres felt their chances were better off professionally in another country, whose soccer is far more developed than it is here in the United States. But when it came down to it, it looks as if wanting to represent their birth country and defending their colors was also important, if not the aspect that sealed the deal.

There's hope. For the US, there is hope that someday, possibly sooner than many had anticipated, the US national team can tap into the vast wealth of talent that is the Mexican-American well.

Who knows how many players out there are as good as or better than Torres, Orozco or Castillo? But they're out there, playing with friends after school, trying their fate with a club team perhaps, maybe playing AYSO. They're 12, 13, 14 years old, possibly younger, hoping to make it as a pro one day.

And now when they look at their birth nation, the United States, and its national team, they will see some familiar names, names that they can relate to. And perhaps then Torres and Orozco will become some sort of role model, trailblazers if you will, and show that the allure to stay home is also a strong one too.