Alexi Lalas has been getting a lot of notoriety in Mexico lately. Apparently, his comments on ESPN a week ago about how he hates Mexico and wants to crush them were not taken too kindly down south.
Here's a clip from Futbol Picante that has what Lalas said and then some back-and-forth between the panel (which I took the liberty of loosely translating):
The first guy talks about how Alexi Lalas went to Italy but that it did not go well for him at all, and how the US has had better exports than him. Then, he says that a US win over Mexico is to the US like a Mexico win over Brazil is to Mexico and that he doesn't have the slightest doubt over that. He goes on to say that, because of the United States' inability to beat Mexico in Mexico, everything is even between the two nations.
He then talks positively about the Americans and their performance in the 02 World Cup, how they tap-danced over Portugal and had a 3-0 lead over 30 minutes, how they had a goal robbed from them against Germany.
Then, the younger guy chimes in and seems incredulous about the statement that beating Mexico is akin to El Tri beating Brazil. He says that the US made them (Mexican media/fans I assume) believers a long time ago.
The host says to look at who the US has played - they've played against England, Italy, Argentina, Holland. They know that if they don't play those teams they won't grow.
The gray-haired guy says that the US does have some talent, that Donovan is a great player but that is a team that succeeds because of their tactics and not because of their talent, that the best thing they do is defend.
The host says that what has worked for the US has been their consistency, that Steve Sampson was an assistant under Bora, that Bruce Arena worked with the Under-20s (did he? I'm not sure he's right on that one), that Bob Bradley was an assitant coach as well, and then compares that to Mexico who went from Ricardo Lavolpe to Hugo Sanchez, which was a completely different coach, and now Sven Goran Eriksson, whom he says he still does not understand and says the US has an advantage over them there as well.
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9 comments:
Damn, this game needs to happen soon or I'm going to explode.
The grey-haired guy sounds like my brother-in-law.
ELAC
Lalas is a fag, no wonder he hates Chivas USA, he hates everything Mexican! This clown needs to leave soccer, and fined something else to do. No becuase he hates everything mexican but becuase he is an idiot.
(as a mexico fan) it bugs me to see how mexican media thinks the MNT are some sort of futbol juggernauts. we havent done SQUAT.
as for alexi, thanks for those comments. i almost forgot how much i hate you.
on a side note, it also bugs me that 90+% of US/Mex games are played on US soil.
i don't see anything wrong with lalas' statements... he was talking about a sports rivalry... it is in that context that he said he 'hated' mexico... yes, he wants to 'crush' them... of course, he does, it is a bitter rivalry, he lived it as a member of the usmnt...
and the mexicans do HATE the americans (los gabachos, los pecosos, los gringos) with a passion... there isn't a single mexican that can deny this with a straight face...
there is no other rival that we HATE losing against the most... maybe the argentinians, but that's a far second...
it'll be a tough, physical game, and the americans will take it...
great job at translating the discussion, luis. you are a classy act, i mean this.
saludos, d
The last anonymous commentator ("d") is absolutely right. Regarding Lalas, all of you should know that publicity to Lalas is like cocaine to an addict; he can't live without it. Lalas will never go gently into that good night, to steal a phrase from Dylan Thomas. He believes he has to remain "relevant" at all costs. Nothing he says about the U.S.-Mexico rivalry should be taken as serious analysis.
Luis I think you didn't properly translate the "Tactics" part,what Rafa Puente was referring to is the tactical discipline that U.S. teams have shown in the past 15 years.
The U.S. has consistently presented solid and well organized teams as far as game schemes are concerned.
The USMNT needs to make a statement against the TRY.
Lalas is a buffoon, but he played his ass off against Mexico.
ELAC
It's funny how the Mexican commentator states that the USA's biggest strength is their tactics, while a whole lot of US fans think that Bob Bradley is completely clueless tactically.
god i hate lalas. i dont even care what he says, i cant stand the guy. whoever said media attention is like cocaine to lalas is 100% right. the guy was a decent player but an awful GM. sure, he helped bring Becks, but lets be honest, lalas had nothing to do with it beside being the GM. whether he was there or not Becks would have come.
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