Group C: Seattle Sounders, Monterrey, Saprissa, Marathon

Monterrey enters the group as favorites, as is almost always the case with the Mexican clubs. In fact, in the two years of group play, every Mexican side has advanced out of their groups, and seven out of eight have won their groups. So even though this is Monterrey's first appearance in the Champions League in awhile, there is little doubt they are the favorites, even in this tough group. Monterrey has been arguably the best club in Mexico for the past year, winning the Apertura in 2009 and finishing first in points in the Bicentenario before falling in the first round of the playoffs. Monterrey is one of the better defensive sides in Mexico and is certainly a threat to win the tournament.


Saprissa is the most successful team from outside of Mexico in CCL history, having taken three titles, including in 2005, the last non-Mexican team to win. They were also runners-up in 2008, but have not made it out of the group stage the past two years. They represent a real challenge, the best team from a strong league. We have seen them take on many MLS teams in recent years. Just looking at the past five years, in the Champion's Cup format, they knocked out the Wizards in 2005, the Galaxy in 2006 and the Dynamo in 2008. In the new format, they finished ahead of DC United in 2008/2009, while Columbus is the only team to come out ahead of them when they took second in their 2009/2010 group, which included a win in Costa Rica.


Marathon is one of the strongest club from Honduras, and has had much success in the CCL in the past two years. To continue on a theme, they are the only club from outside of Mexico to win their group when they did it in 2008, finishing ahead of Cruz Azul, Saprissa and DC United. They lost in the quarterfinals to Puerto Rico Islanders. Last year they finished second in their group, this time only finishing two points ahead of DC United, before losing to UNAM in the quarterfinals.


Group C should be a lot of fun, with each team capable of advancing. Last night Monterrey beat Saprissa at home in a game they seemed to dominate (I didn't get to watch it). I still will put my faith in the Sounders, they have been playing so well recently that I can't bet against them. That being said, Marathon's recent success is hard to ignore, and I think they will push the Sounders hard for second place behind Monterrey.


Group D: Toluca, Puerto Rico Islanders, FAS, Olimpia

Toluca has been been up and down in recent years, finishing last in the 2007 Clausura, but also winning the 2008 Apertura and 2010 Bicentenario. The clear favorites to advance out of a group left weaker from the Galaxy's defeat.


Olimpia is another familiar face in the tournament, they and Marathon are the strongest two clubs in Honduras. It has been awhile since they have gone deep in the tournament, losing in the preliminary round last year to Arabe Unido and finishing third in their group the year before. Having already picked up an away point from the Islanders, however, they seem to be the team to beat for second in the group.


Puerto Rico Islanders continued their form of performing well in thetournament when they advanced past the Galaxy, but now have their work cut out for them if they are going to make the quarterfinals again,having dropped points at home to their main competition. However it would be a mistake to write them off with only one game played, they should at least make the fight for second place interesting.


FAS is one of the most successful club in Salvadoran football history, but Salvadoran teams have not done well in the CCL in quite awhile. In an interesting note, FAS did win the Champion's Cup in 1979. Given the recent form of Salvadoran teams, I think FAS will find itself at the bottom of the group.


When I look at this group, I can only see how the Galaxy would have a
very reasonable chance at advancing, and the disappointment lingers. That being said, watching the Islanders try to advance may make the group interesting, although it looks like no one will threaten Toluca for the top spot.

As I write this, Herculez Gomez has just scored again for Puebla in the Mexican top-flight. That's five goals in five matches for the ex-MLSer, making Gomez far and away the hottest American forward in any league. With the dearth of forward options facing Bob Bradley, any player capable of scoring should be on the USMNT radar; the probably for Herculez is that his timing is truly and utterly terrible.


Gomez hasn't had an National Team cap since getting his only two during the Copa America debacle of 2007. Never a first choice option at his position, he didn't impress enough to merit Bradley including him in future squads. He continued his career in MLS, but didn't shine with Colorado or Kansas City, scoring just seven times in three seasons.


Making his explosion in Mexico all the more puzzling. Gomez was always a frustrating player in Major League Soccer, full of promise but unable to turn it into consistent performances on the field. His run of form at Puebla is amazing on many levels, and would, in almost any other year, make him an obvious choice for National Team duty.


Is Gomez a better choice than Eddie Johnson? Conor Casey? Robbie Findley? It wouldn't be difficult to make the argument that he is, especially considering that none of the those mentioned have done much when given the opportunity to make their World Cup cases. But Gomez is on the outside looking in both because his streak is so late in the game and because he showed little sign of its coming previously; if Gomez had been scoring like this in '08 or '09, wouldn't he have already had a chance to make his way into the team?


Maybe not, especially since Jozy Altidore and Charlie Davies, both younger players with more potential, announced themselves in 2009. But Gomez can obviously score, and aside from Donovan and Dempsey, the Americans lack healthy players with good goal scoring records for either club or country.


Gomez is twenty-seven. If he was to have a shot at a World Cup squad, this one would have been it.


Congrats on all of your success, Herculez, but curse your terrible timing.


Hell, maybe it's not too late for some of you. Anyone want to see Bradley give Gomez a look?

The US World Cup bid for either 2018 or 2022 received a boost today, as Mexico withdrew from the running. Mexican federation President Decio de Maria chalked up the decision to economic factors, including the considerable investment hosting the tournament would require.

Mexico's withdrawal leaves the United States as the only CONCACAF nation bidding for a World Cup, which should work to their benefit. The confederation's leadership will no longer be split as to which bid to back, meaning that the powerful voices in FIFA's hierarchy representing the region should be fully behind the US bid.

The US is now in competition with Australia, Belgium and the Netherlands (joint bid), England, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Spain and Portugal (joint bid), Qatar, and Russia for one of the two World Cups up for grabs.

The American bid was already strong, and no nation in those believed to be leaders for 2022 can match the US in stadiums or infrastructure; Mexico falling out only makes the bid stronger, as CONCACAF can now concentrate their efforts in one direction.

What do you make of Mexico's decision to remove themselves from consideration?

Edgar Castillo's recent statements that he would like to switch national team affiliation have brought him some criticism from a FMF executive.

Nestor de la Torres makes sure to direct his comments generally rather than to attack Castillo directly, but the message is clear. The Mexican federation, whether Castillo is a part of the national team's future plans or not, can't be happy a trend is developing. Add Castillo's reversal to the decision of Jose Francisco Torres to play for the US, and it appears that Mexico will not longer get every prospect with dual-citizenship by default, as they have in the past.

It's interesting to note that de la Torre does not think the FMF should have to convince players to play for El Tri, that the players themselves must convince the federation. It's just another example of the typical arrogance that has pervaded the Mexican National Team program. Unfortunately for Mexico, as more players with dual-citizenship come to the fore, they may find themselves on the short end of the stick if they choose not to actively recruit those players.

Say what you will about the USSF; at least they make an effort when they can to present their case to young players with a choice. Torres may not represent an example as I have no insight into the courtship process that may or may not have occurred, by the proactive approach is clearly going to serve the US well into future.

On the flip side of the criticism Castillo has received are the words of his coach at Tigres, Daniel Guzman, who supports the defender's decision. Freedom of choice is at the heart of the matter for Guzman.

A final note: Sunil Gulati has confirmed that US Soccer has made contact with Castillo, and that they are discussion his inclusion in the National Team. Gulati deferred to his head coach, of course, saying that any role Castillo will have in the team is up to Bob Bradley. Let's hope Bradley takes a good long look.

Mexico and CONMEBOL have officially kissed and made up, with confirmation coming through today's announcement that El Tri has been invited to participate in the 2011 Copa America tournament and their clubs in the next edition of the Copa Libertadores.

I mentioned the coming reconciliation last week, when news broke that representatives from CONMEBOL would meet with the FMF leadership at the FIFA conferences taking place in the Bahamas.

The implication that a Mexican "defection" from all things South American futbol might benefit CONCACAF is now just a fleeting memory. The pull to compete with the best the hemisphere was obviously simply too much for the FMF, and the South Americans clearly made it worth their while to return to the fold. This includes placing the Mexican clubs that pulled out of the Copa Libertadores this year directly into the round of sixteen for next year's tournament, the aforementioned Copa America invite, and a the potential of hosting the 2015 installment of that competition.

I've run out of insight on this issue, other than to say that things may not always be stable in CONCACAF when it comes to Mexico; I'm unsure on how FIFA would view a request on their part to become full members of CONMEBOL, so I'll refrain from making comments in that "what if" direction.

Mexico continues to look south, rather than north, for any significant club competition. It's hard to blame them for that attitude at the moment, and it won't be until MLS clubs are able to more properly compete financially with FMF sides that the focus will change.

Even then, the situation may remain as it is.

The sidebar to this story is that the United States was not invited to play in the next Copa America. Unfortunately, the young side Bob Bradley took with him to that tournament in 2007 did the US no favors; CONMEBOL was reportedly none too happy to see an American "B" team (or "C" perhaps), and that surely factored into the lack of an invite this time around. Instead, Japan will return to the field.

Officials from Mexico's FMF and CONMEBOL will meet in Nassau during the FIFA meetings taking place June 1st, with an eye towards working out the differences that saw Mexican teams pull out of the Copa Libertadores.

This appears to be the first step in an effort by the South American confederation to make nice with the big money FMF, an effort that will eventually end with Mexican clubs back in the big-time Libertadores.

While that may be good news for fans of the Mexican game (especially those that support big clubs), it's not necessarily the best news for fans of other CONCACAF leagues.

With Mexico shunning CONMEBOL, there were some that the the CONCACAF Champions League would benefit; without the carrot of the much more prestigious Copa Libertadores, those those would be more likely to treat their own confederation's top club as a tournament worth winning. That could only be a good thing for Major League Soccer, the Costa Rican league, and others around the region. More attention in Mexico means more money, which would theoretically raise the prestige of the CCL.

It's hard to blame the FMF, however, if they are in fact receptive to CONMEBOL and end up jumping right back into bed with them. CONMEBOL is where the biggest clubs in this hemisphere are, and Mexico's vision of itself (as a giant footballing country) means that pride will more than likely win out over principal.

Expect CONMEBOL to say something like:

"We apologize if you were offended. Our clubs were simply concerned about the Swine Flu, and it was not meant in disrespect to you or your clubs. We hope you accept our invitation to return to our competition, as we believe that Mexican clubs add richly to it.".

At which point the FMF will nod thoughtfully and say:

"We accept your apology, and humbly accept your invitation, as we wish to resume our relationship with CONMEBOL. Mexican futbol is among the best in the world, and we are honored to have the opportunity to test ourselves against the storied clubs of South America."

Handshake, smile, handshke...

And voila! It's like it never happened.

Too bad for CONCACAF.

I'm confused this morning. And not just because I spent an hour and a half exposed to the inanity that is the Winning Ugly Radio Show last night. I'm confused because I've just read something that baffles me completely.

A little background if you will:

If you pay attention to soccer in this hemisphere, you're probably aware of Copa Libertadores, Mexico, and the fallout over the H1N1 virus. Mexican clubs have now pulled out of the competition after a massive overreaction by CONMEBOL clubs that some are labeling "discrimination". The South American competition, perhaps the second most prestigious club tournament in the world, far outweighed the CONCACAF Champions Cup (and now League) for Mexican clubs, and rightly so. Mexico's withdrawal has opened a giant can of football worms, and things are very up in the air on the FMF's tournament future.

CONMEBOL may have burned their bridge to Mexico for good, and CONCACAF could be the beneficiary. If Mexican clubs can longer look for glory in the Copa Libertadores, it stands to reason the the CONCACAF Champions League will take on greater importance.

But that's not why I called you all here today. Instead, I'd like to highlight a single paragraph from a story on the above situation that appeared yesterday on the Guardian Online. Said piece was written by one Matt Scott, and while I have no previous knowledge of the man, who might be worth talking to. Apparently he knows some things that I don't.

The paragraph:

That (the withdrawal of FMF clubs from the Copa Libertadores) will push it into the embrace of Concacaf and the MLS, whose long-term strategy, Fifa permitting, is to include Mexican clubs in its competition in a move that would make the US league a genuine global player in terms of supporter interest and revenue.

Did you catch it? Read it again.

Huh? Major League Soccer's long term strategy is to include Mexican clubs in its competition? Since when?

I assume you're as confused as I am, or perhaps you've quickly surmised that Mr. Scott has absolutely no idea what he's talking about. Previous to the paragraph above, he also states the Mexico plays in CONMEBOL (at least that's what I think he meant; I suppose he could have been attempting to say that Mexican clubs play in the Libertadores, which is a CONMEBOL competition, but that's a big leap to make from the sentence he wrote).

Maybe he meant SuperLiga. Maybe he got confused about the relationship between MLS and the FMF. Maybe it was an honest mistake, the result of a convoluted federation/region/club situation on this side of the Atlantic.

Maybe the Guardian needs to review its articles just a little better, and maybe they should kindly advise Mr. Scott not to write about soccer in the Americas.

Or am I missing something here, and this is some comedy piece disguised as proper soccer writing?

Just saw this, thought I would pass it on.

Sven Goran-Eriksson has been fired as Mexican National Team manager.

The circus continues south of the border, and I'm curious who will be the next to willingly sign up for the position of Human Cannonball.

Share all baseless rumors, pass along BWHAHAHAs, or mourn if you are sad to see Sven go.

By the way; I think Sven is a fine manager, that the FMF is so dysfunctional it's self-cannibalistic, and that the next Mexico manager is guaranteed to be a Mexican of strong managerial background, perhaps even a retread.