Mexico manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino hit back at criticism after his team failed to hold onto a 2-0 lead in a 3-2 friendly loss to Colombia on Tuesday, instead focusing on what he believes are structural issues in the country’s program.
“[Soccer in] Mexico is peculiar,” Martino said, alluding to not having the full support or trust of domestic clubs. “Mexico has investment and at the moment it has money. So how do we make a better national team? I recently heard, I don’t know if it was a [Liga MX club] director, I don’t remember, they said that the league did not have to play for the national team.
“I don’t impose things. I analyze, I communicate and we agree on matters [with clubs]. We don’t exclusively do what I want.”
Martino was assertive in the postgame press conference in which he also objected to the lack of Liga MX players going abroad, who could then further help the national team.
“They don’t leave because teams won’t let them, they don’t leave because their wages are exorbitant,” Martino said, adding that it’s tough to make moves to Europe when players “are worth $10 million” in the domestic market.
“It’s a shame we don’t seek to fix things from this other side and that everything is on the manager or the players. That’s not the debate that Mexico needs to improve footballistically,” Martino added.
Martino and his players have dealt with an immense amount of criticism from El Tri fans and media in 2022 after a rocky path through World Cup qualifying and just two wins in their last seven friendlies, including the latest World Cup warmup matches in California this month that have done little to help.
On Wednesday morning, the Mexican press took aim at the national team that now has less than two months to go until the World Cup. “TRITANIC,” read one cover. “S.O.S.,” read another, while describing Martino’s side as a sinking ship.
