In today's interview with DeporMundo, Bianchi answered some of his most immediate questions after taking over the reins for El Tri. Interview loosely translated here: DM: Who will be your toughest opponent in CONCACAF? CB: This region is underrated by our country and across the world. I see a number of talented teams, but the first that I see is Costa Rica, "Los Ticos." They have talent at every position, and now have a great coach in the form of the American, Steve Sampson. DM: You see Costa Rica as better than the United States? CB: Yes, I fear more the Ticos than the Yanks. They have more skilled players, it is tougher to play at their home stadium, and now a better coach. The United States was a little lucky to achieve the results they did. Korea earned both a 4th place and the United State's 8th place finish. DM: Who is Mexico's best player? CB: Torrado. Or perhaps Marquez. They are both very good young players. Their wing midfielder Morales is also underrated. DM: Will Mexico now play the attacking style we have seen at Boca Juniors? CB: This we will have to wait and see. Mexico does not have the talent we have at Boca Juniors. Many of their better players are old for this round, and they are thin in young players. DM: Are the expectations higher at Boca Juniors or Mexico? CB: My expectations have not changed. I expect to win, though I think it will be easier to win in CONCACAF than it is to win in Argentina. DM: Javier Aguirre leaves "El Tri" as a national hero. Does that add any pressure? CB: No. I have followed good coaches, probably better coaches, in the past. My style, my planning, nor my preparation does not change. DM: Bruce Arena showed to be a talented coach achieving a good result. How will you prepare for this rival? CB: While Arena might be a fine coach, I think he was also the beneficiary of good luck. I do not prepare my teams for coaches. I prepare them for the team they will be playing. Against the United States, we learned that you have to prepare for a fast team that runs hard. There are ways to beat this kind of team. DM: Do you leave Argentina with any regrets? CB: No.
this is fantastic! another Mexican coach who has no real respect for us. Bianchi is a great coach, but his arrogance shows through here. In fairness, given results in qualifying, it's probably a reasonable position to fear CR more than the US; the differene in home atmosphere that he mentions is legitimate.
2 - 0 in the World Cup round of 16. Sure the USA got some help from SK, but we also beat Portugal and tied SK. And then took advantage of the help by beating the Mexicans. Whatever, you keep worrying about CR, we'll keep beating Mexico when it counts most.
This is great news. El Tri keeps hiring coaches with the old stereotyped assumptions. Mexico will only improve once they face their past mistakes with honesty and try to resolve them. 2-0 in the biggest match between the countries did not result from luck. It resulted from better tactics and better players to execute the game plan.
Bianchi is an idiot I LOVE this interview; Bianchi is in for a RUDE awakening. Costa Rica? More skill, better coach? Are you kidding me? I hate watching us play in Saprissa, but c'mon. I think the match in Columbus was a smidgen tough, don't you? And Reyna, O'Brien, Donovan, Beasley don't match up favorably with Wanchope and the funky bunch? Mexico -- old players are the better ones, not much youth? Boy, Various Styles, you gotta be lovin' this coach now (either he hasn't been doing any scouting, or else you're flat out wrong). Watch, he brings back El Matador when he needs a result... ...which is going to happen when he gets a CONCACAF welcome, from the heat of remote inland Guatemala to the dry jokes of a pitch in the Carribean. Winning WITH BOCA in Argentina is more difficult than qualifying out of CONCACAF? Given Boca's resources relative to the rest of the Argentinian clubs? Please. Let's see: "America's game is all hustle." Wow, if ANY country on this planet should know by now that this old stereotype doesn't cut it, it's MEXICO (led by their coach). Hey, Bianchi, try popping in a World Cup Round of 16 match sometime, followed by a Quarterfinal match, I don't know, circa 2002 -- where the U.S. outplays and outthinks its opponents. One of which... hey! ...happens to be Mexico! Hey, while you're at it, watch a May 2002 match between the U.S. and Holland, where the U.S., despite losing, "outskills" the Dutch, to the point where no less than Edgar Davids, fresh from a 90 minute tussle with Reyna, predicts (correctly!) that Portugal, and the rest of the field, is about to experience a rude awakening. Bianchi, welcome to CONCACAF. A can of whoop-ass awaits...
Interview with Mexican team: MK: Blanco, what was it like being the bitch of Mastroeni? CB: I didn't like it at first, but then I remembered what Senor Roberto Knight said to Senorita Connie Chung: "If rape is inevitable to lie back and enjoy it." After that, it started to feel better. MK: Marquez, why did you confuse Cobi Jones with a test crash dummy? RM: Everyone knows that I am a low-life punk. When I saw that Cobi was a superior player to me, faster and more talented, I just got very angry and thought I was on the Jerry Springer show instead of at the World Cup. MK: Bianchi, please tell us how you really feel about the US team. CB: I am terrified of Bruce Arena and the US Team. I know that I will need a lot of luck to beat them. The most likely result will be another embarrassment for Mexico. But should we really be embarrassed? After all, the US is the best team in CONCACAF.
Hey sucka, it was 6th place, not 8th, BOO yeah! Whatever. Everyone has his opinion, and his isn't outrageous. The Ticos probably do have more skill as a team than USA, and Sampson isn't as bad a coach as he showed at WC '98, sorry to go against the BS party line. (no senator, I am not, nor have I ever been, a member of the communist party. ) And let's face it: we DID get lucky, with that Korea-Portugal result. AND...(sorry to keep editing) this guy is pretty insulting to Mexico as well; Boca juniors has better players than mexico and the legendary departing coach isn't as good as coaches this guy has replaced? Perhaps true, I have no idea, but curious coming from a new guy on the block trying to establish a relationship with El Tri supporters. I suspect Bianchi isn't making the best of first impressions in Tri land with some of this rheoric. Dunno though...any mexcians around?
What team that wins does not benefit from some luck in a match? This guy is a blessing for us..typical pig headed snobbery about US Football...love it, then when we clean his clock again he can complain about some bad break or whatever... SCORE BOARD 2-0 WC 2002...any questions? Mexico as a nation hasn't quite accepted that they are no longer the big dog in the region...time to wake up and smell the budweiser there buddy...they still think that are string of victories are ALL tied to some wierrd cosmic fluke. bring there punk a$$es on..any day, anywhere. Watch them flail around on the ground after some phantom foul...as we run by them and notch another one in the win column
The best part of all of this? it will hurt that much more in Mexico next time we whup their ass. Hell, Mexico usually waits until it's losing before it loses its composure. Nice to see they're starting early. Also, gotta love our chances against any coach who is in the Steve Sampson Circle of Friends.
Mexico will be always a challange never to be takem lightly, and I do belive their arrogance is an extra incentive for the americans to beat them over and over again, next on line a 3-0 trashing in Azteca would get them to cry some more as they did after their 2-0 loss in Korea, and Bianchi is a fool, I don't think he knows who the US team is, probably he is so ignorant never even tried to watch a game they played
It seems like the reporter doing the interview even disagreed with Bianchi. He asked two follow up questions that basically said "Do you really think that about the US?" The Bianchi guy might not be the most politically correct he might just have a point about Costa Rica though. Afterall, if we were in CR's group and vice versa I think our world cup performances might just have been reveresed. It's all speculation, but Costa Rica is definitely a good team. Of course the US is getting better every year, so I think we have a good shot at winning the hex(or whatever it is by then).
I don't consider our advancement out of the group stages at WC 2002 to be luck. Portugal finished 3rd in the group because we BEAT Portugal. We played them head up and beat them. If they came into the tournament concentrating on Poland and SK and got trounced, then that is there fault. As for comments from our destinguished Southern neighbors that luck was involved in our World Cup run, lets discuss the Berhalter crap handball call qualifying and the Germany handball if you want to get petty. It all evens out. Thanks for the disrespect. It will make our job easier like it did against Portugal.
Nutmeg The FMF will not name the new coach untill they return from the Panama U-20 WC qualifying. Do you have a link for this article ? I havent read anything like this in the Mexican or Argentine press.
Jim: Boy Bob, it sure is a beautiful day out here. Bob: Yep. A mighty fine day. Jim: Couldn't ask for better fishing weather. Bob: Yep. A mighty fine day. Jim: You think we'll get any bites? Bob: Yep. A mighty fine day. Jim: I guess we'll just throw in the bait and see what happens. Bob: Yep. A mighty fine day. Jim: Fish on!!! Bob: Yep. A mighty fine day.
Nutmeg I knew something didnt seem right. Bianchi has been bunkered up in Argentina and has not given any interviews similiar to the time he was a candidate for the Boca Jrs job. the closest to a Bianchi Interview is this: http://espndeportes.espn.go.com/futbolmexicano/noticias/bianchialtri17oct02.html
Re: Nutmeg Neither have I Various Styles. Nor have I ever heard of DeporMundo. I too would like to see a source for these quotes. Bianchi likely will be Mexico's coach but nothing is official yet. I think the internet lemmings have fallen for a hoax.