Mexico has 4 center-forwards in coaching for its World Cup warmup matches this week however will take solely three strikers to Qatar and Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez is not going to be in both group, coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino confirmed Tuesday night time.
Martino dominated out Chicharito from an look in his fourth World Cup whereas talking on the concourse on the stadium the participant calls residence with the LA Galaxy.
Whereas the 34-year-old is having a largely excellent season together with his MLS membership, Martino is concentrated on the opposite 4 candidates to guide the road when Mexico makes an attempt to interrupt out of a tough World Cup group.
Regardless of rumors he would possibly select all 4 center-forwards or recall Chicharito to bolster a crew that endured a stretch of poor offense throughout CONCACAF qualifiers, Martino stated he’ll take solely three of the candidates to Qatar.
“Within the case of Chicharito, we’re merely going with different forwards,” Martino stated. “We are going to strive to decide on the 26 gamers who’re closest to our sport.”
These forwards are Raul Jimenez, Rogelio Funes Mori, Henry Martin and Santiago Gimenez, however not everybody is able to play. Jimenez is working via a groin damage that has saved him out of Wolverhampton Wanderers lineup just lately in England, whereas Funes Mori has been out just lately with a muscular damage after a robust begin to his season with Liga MX’s Monterrey.
Martino would not count on Jimenez or Funes Mori to play in opposition to Peru on Saturday on the Rose Bowl or in opposition to Colombia in California’s Bay Space on Monday, however they’re with El Tri for coaching, restoration and reference to their teammates.
“We’ve two [forwards] who can play and two who cannot,” Martino stated. “What I like is that we do not have not sufficient gamers. 4 forwards will not be going to go [to Qatar], however so long as they make it tough for me to decide on, I am very comfortable about that. Absolutely there shall be speak of who’s unnoticed, however the issue shall be abundance and never shortage.”
Martino admitted that he’s involved in regards to the health of first-choice striker Jimenez, who has began simply two Premier League video games to this point this season, however stays hopeful his place on the World Cup is just not in critical doubt.
“I want to assume not, there’s loads of time for him to get well,” Martino stated.
“[But] I by no means thought we’d be on this scenario. I believed that it wasn’t so critical, it is not very critical, however I do have to present it loads of thought.”
The scenario is much extra precarious for fellow key man, Jesus “Tecatito” Corona. The Sevilla winger fractured his fibula in a coaching session final month, seemingly ruling him out of the World Cup. Martino, although, urged that the 29-year-old nonetheless has an opportunity of constructing the journey to the Qatar.
“The aspiration that we now have, within the first days of October, is that he can work with our medical workers,” Martino added. “[Hopefully] he has some probabilities to struggle for a spot.”
Mexico completed second within the CONCACAF qualifiers behind Canada, however Martino’s crew scored simply 4 targets in its remaining 5 qualifying matches regardless of having each Jimenez and Corona out there.
These offensive struggles and the brand new damage issues appear harmful for Mexico’s hopes of escaping a bunch that additionally contains Saudi Arabia, Lionel Messi-led Argentina, and a Poland squad with Barcelona star Robert Lewandowski.
Even the gamers have observed that Mexican followers are downbeat in regards to the crew’s probabilities, however that is hardly uncommon for a nationwide crew that has identified its share of heartbreak. Veteran center-back Hector Moreno hopes El Tri’s supporters will discover some optimism — and he hopes the crew can present it with two robust performances in California this week.
“On paper, it is a powerful group,” Moreno stated. “Argentina is among the candidates to win the entire event. However you continue to need to play these video games. Within the final World Cup, you by no means would have thought we’d beat Germany, after which lose to Sweden, both. We’ve to deal with Poland, after which after that, we now have to deal with Argentina and [Lionel] Messi, the perfect on the planet. We’re at all times going to have huge challenges at this stage, and people are two huge challenges, however I believe we shall be prepared.”