[Hajduk Chicago]

Aguirre mocks Croatia's chances

Mexico coach Javier Aguirre has put down his side's first World Cup opponents Croatia, insisting they are not a "really strong team".

Aguirre's men take on Croatia in Niigata, Japan on 3 June and the Mexico coach is confident that they can impress against their European opponents.

"I think this Croatian team here is not as strong as the one that placed third in France in 1998," said Aguirre.

"It does not look like a really strong team."

Aguirre said that he expected Bosko Balaban to start the game ahead of Alen Boksic, who has been struggling with injury.

"Balaban has been playing most of the time," Aguirre added.

"He has played 53% of the time the Croatian squad has played, more than Davor Suker, more than Goran Vlaovic, more than Ivica Olic.

"My friend (and assistant coach Ignacio) Ambriz and I know the Croatians in detail."

Starting line-up

Aguirre confirmed that he had decided his starting line-up for the opening game, but would not publicly name the team.

"In the training session on Wednesday I will field that line-up, but I won't tell the press," the coach said.

Striker Cuauhtemoc Blanco limped out of Tuesday's training session and was later seen with an ice bag on his right knee, but team officials said he would make the opening match.

Blanco is widely expected to start against Croatia, partnering Francisco Palencia of Spanish club Espanyol up front.

 

[Hajduk Chicago]

Then I read this

Mexico remain a mystery

Despite a 2-0 victory over Tokyo Verdy on Sunday, the Mexican media were less than convinced by the national team's World Cup warm-up.

"(Coach) Javier Aguirre and the players continue to fail in their quest for a suitable door to enter the World Cup," the Reforma news daily said afterwards.

Although Aguirre dismissed the game as "just a practice", Reforma added that "the result could not disguise the lack of ideas in midfield and the shortage of firepower up front".

Likewise, La Jornada newspaper expressed doubts about the squad's true ability.

"It was an average performance that failed to wash away the doubts about the team's real capacity," the newspaper saidd.

Mexico opens its World Cup campaign in Group G against Croatia on 3 June in Niigata, Japan.

 

[IVO]

This is just a midleading headline that the author used. Nothing written in the article can be seen as mocking. If he thinks we're not a really strong team, it's his opinion but it's not mocking.

 

[Hajduk Chicago]

Damn, you're quick to respond

 

[IVO]

That's coz I'm sick and have nothing else to do but take medication and waste my time on the internet

 

[Dragan T]

That's coz I'm sick and have nothing else to do but take medication and waste my time on the internet

So what you're saying is that you're sick all the time.........:tongue: :greed: jk

 

[Tuco Ramirez]

UEFA.COM picks Mexico for the second spot.



Croatian dream
Croatia, of course, provided the fairytale story of the 1998 World Cup finals, beating Germany 3-0 and coming close to eliminating the host nation and eventual winners France at the semi-final stage. Despite that performance and their tremendous feat in having qualified for two successive World Cup finals (and one UEFA European Championship) in their first eight years on the international scene, they will do well to get beyond the second round this time.

Ageing squad
The international retirement two years ago of charismatic playmaker Zvonimir Boban and the recent injury-enforced exclusion of defender Igor Tudor have not helped their cause. Furthermore, coach Mirko Jozic has been forced to rely on players such as defender Robert Jarni of Panathinaikos FC, Aston Villa FC striker Bosko Balaban, and TSV 1860 München striker Davor Šuker, all of whom failed to establish regular first-team places with their clubs this season.

Geographical advantage
As for Mexico, their tremendous qualifying record - this will be their eleventh finals appearance - owes much to geography, since throughout the modern era their Central American qualifying group has presented them with less stern opposition than they might have had in South America.

Classy playmaker
However, Mexico's run all the way to the final of the Copa America last summer proved that even when they step up in class they can still perform. The 35-year-old playmaker Alberto García Aspe remains a key figure in the side, despite recent surgery on both feet, as do younger players such as Ramon Morales and Gerardo Torrado.

Semi-final ambitions
Coach Javier Aguirre has done an excellent job, even if his forecast of a "semi-final finish" for Mexico sounds a little ambitious. In the end, though, Mexico could be good enough to see off Croatia and secure the runner-up spot behind Italy.

 

[CroatTommy]

Coach Javier Aguirre has done an excellent job, even if his forecast of a "semi-final finish" for Mexico sounds a little ambitious. In the end, though, Mexico could be good enough to see off Croatia and secure the runner-up spot behind Italy.

haha good i love it! alright why not have Mexico come behind Italy as long as Italy comes in behind us! ahh those Mexicans they're encouragable :tongue:

NAPRED VATRENI:fero:

 

[IVO]

We're gonna rip them to shreads, tear em apart piece by piece:fero::fero:

 

[BOban_2]

mexico

I really hate to mock an entire peoples but...

MEXICANS ARE YOU FOR REAL? YOUR COACH is a piece of sh!t and an uneducated (football wise) fool. He thinks that Balaban will play because he played 53% of the matches? He has been sniffing too much coke lately. Who the hell is he and what the hell has mexico ever done to claim anything or mock anyone. You are nobodies outside of CONCACAF and the only great player you ever had (Hugo Sanchez) retired years ago.

If I were Jozic, I'd have a list of all of this moron's coaches translated, I'd have all the idiotic articles translated and I would give a portfolio to the players and ask them to read it. LET'S SEE WHO THEN WINS.

WHAT A BUNCH OF IDIOTS AND FOOLS. :devil: :devil:

Let the flaming begin (as if I give a DAMN)

 

[Ljubuski]

I hope we trounce those guys real good.

Mexico had a tough time qualifying from their region and they think they're going to push us around.

No way.

 

[Guest]

Hrvatska igra Europski nogomet!

Croatia play's european football, and finished 1st in there group qulifications for, Korea/Japan. Mexico comes from a totally different region of football playing, CONCACAF. In the past they never defeated Croatia, and thats likely to be the reason that why they talk-propaganda. Just before the 94'World Cup - USA, Croatia blasted away Mexico 2-0 in Zagreb, with players who had no international or national team experience. I think the 2-0 will be the match result June 3, 2002 in Korea/Japan for Hrvatska.

Volim te Hrvatska!

 

[spwolf]

easy guys... i preffer them thinking that they can beat us ;-)

 

[BOban_2]

spwolf

there is nothing wrong with them thinking that they can beat us but when you devalue a team who had the least amount of goals scored on it, who qualified from a tough European group, who came in 3rd in the previous WC (after it was ridiculed as it is today by those same idiots) then you either are brain dead or have no brain to begin with.

 

[IVO]

Who knows, maybe they have a few tricks up their sleeves or maybe Aguirre is similar to Ciro and likes to make bold predictions.

 

[Ero]

Re: Hrvatska igra Europski nogomet!

Croatia play's european football, and finished 1st in there group qulifications for, Korea/Japan. Mexico comes from a totally different region of football playing, CONCACAF. In the past they never defeated Croatia, and thats likely to be the reason that why they talk-propaganda. Just before the 94'World Cup - USA, Croatia blasted away Mexico 2-0 in Zagreb, with players who had no international or national team experience. I think the 2-0 will be the match result June 3, 2002 in Korea/Japan for Hrvatska.

Volim te Hrvatska!

we actually beat them 3-0 I think

Suker and Racunica.

 

[juve 4ever]

i like when teams do this to other teams because now.......WE have something even better to want to achieve on......because the mexican coach is soooooo stupid........it will be even better when we send them back to south america!!!!!

USTASA!!!!!!!!HRVATSKA!!!!!!!!!

 

[baraba]

I like the way that UEFA.com comments that WE have an aging aquad and then proceeds to state that Mexico's greatest strength is their 35!!!!!! year old plymaker.

it's just too funny.

I guess this old tag will haunt us until all the original vatreni retire.

 

[BOban_2]

IVO...

excuse me but Ciro had the likes of Boban, Suker, Prosinecki, et al as well as RESULTS to use in order to back his claim. Mexico has two players in crappy European teams and GARBAGE RESULTS.

THE HAVE DONE NOTHING, ARE NOTHING, WILL DO NOTHING yet he predicts a semi-final finish. What an idiot.

 

[IVO]

I know, I'm just talking about his brash nature. Ciro also guaranteed a win for Iran over Ireland and said he's hang himself from the crossbar if it didn't happen