Edson Alvarez's admission of the reasons why Martino did not include him in Mexico's defeat by Argentina in Qatar will confirm suspicions that Tata did not seek to win that match.
LOS ANGELES – Finally Edson Alvarez He announced what he said privately in the corridors of Lusail Stadium in Qatar, after the defeat MexicoDirected by Gerardo Martinoin view of Argentina (2-0).
–Why didn't you play?–, he asked Edson A Mexican TV reporter in the transit zone for media outlets that have World Cup broadcast rights.
Edson, who was the undisputed owner, replied: “Tell me because I don't understand it!” Gerardo Martino And that night he did not play a single minute, although he was, almost, the ideal footballer to cover the area approaching the area of the Mexican Lionel Messi, who would certainly make it 1-0, given the nervousness. The emotional, mental and physical stagnation of Hector Herrera.
Previously, the same reporter had questioned Guillermo Ochoa. “What happened (against Argentina)?” The trio's goalkeeper replied: “Nothing, this (Gerardo Martino) is…!”
Hours later, Juan Carlos Zuniga, director of W Radio, recounted in his live report a similar tactic with a Mexican national team, with identical reactions. At the discussion table, Alberto García Aspe responded by quoting Edson Alvarez. Zuniga's resolute silence confirmed these suspicions.
Against Argentina, Gerardo Martino decided to use two players stuck in the defensive wall, pushing Edson Alvarez aside. But Andres Guardado had to come off the bench since the first half, a victim of the effects of osteoarthritis in his knees, and it was already clear against Poland and in the friendly matches that Hector Herrera could not last more than 60 or 70 minutes, at most, on the court. .
However, Edson, who started in the 0-0 draw with Poland and will feature in the 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia, that night in Lusail, against Argentina, was dropped from the bench.
When these disagreements between Edson and Ochoa were made public after the match against Argentina, through the spaces of ESPN, the defenders of the trio immediately stood up to protect Tata Martino, denying the facts confirmed by Edson Alvarez this week in a conversation with Caliente TV.
In the conversation, Edson Alvarez referred to his friendly relationship with Martino, and even confirmed that the Argentine coach asked him about Ajax Amsterdam's training systems. For this reason, the Mexican midfielder was shocked to see himself without minutes against Argentina.
It was clear to everyone that Edson was, physically, technically and football wise, far superior to Andres Guardado and Hector Herrera, and already carried the vestiges of a creditable career in European football.
How will Mexican fans receive Tata Martino?
Rafa Ramos and Eli Patiño talk about the scenario that Gerardo Martino will live when he visits the Mexican stadiums in the Concaçampiones.
However, Gerardo Martino's management has been plagued by insubordination, lies and untruths, such as when he denied under oath that he had asked Guillermo Almada for help to ensure that the player in the Mexican national team had the same level of strength, commitment and skill. The performance the Uruguayan is achieving in Pachuca.
Or his refusal in 2020 to travel to Mexico, even when foreign military forces placed a private plane at his service. Or when he again refused to travel to Mexico in 2022, in the middle of a World Cup year, when Liga MX was already active and when he was asked to approach his potential World Cup squads. Martino spent months changing diapers.
Or during all that period he did not dare to admit that the veto power over Javier Hernández was exclusive to Leon de Loayza, as the then notorious FMF president confirmed in his discussions with the media, especially José Ramón Fernández of ESPN, and with TUDN and MedioTiempo.
Or when #Unta de Duinos (as Sven-Goran Eriksson said), the owners' association, demanded his appearance in November 2021, after the embarrassing humiliation in front of the United States, but Martino had until then ignored instructions from de Luiza himself to appear and answer the employers' questions. However, it would be foolhardy to assert that, apart from his bromance with Lionel Scaloni, Tata Martino could have sold out that match against Argentina on 26 November in Losail. I refer to it being sold and not delivered, yes, and there are less and less doubts. Were Edson Alvarez's discoveries timely and necessary today? The truth will always be better, even if it appears late, and sometimes uselessly, than continuing to hide it. On the other hand, remember, access to World Cup soccer players was severely restricted, even for rights-based media. It is certain that there were not many exposed and open channels to reveal these facts, except for what happened thanks to the coincidence and boldness of the reporters that night in Lusail. But stay calm and don't blaspheme a Mexican fan. Believe me, Tata Martino didn't sell the game against Argentina… but he did well. No offense, but yes, perhaps his moral honesty and work can be questioned, in a profession that only thrives in the extreme third world of Major League Soccer.
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