As a supporter of a Mexican club what would you rather your team do. Be the club at the top of the table at the end of the season. or Win the Final playoff game (name?)
tough question... granted....winning the League Cup is what will put your team in the history books... but as a fan.... you would like to see your club at the top of the standings because it is an indication of how well your club is doing. Granted, there are clubs that come out of no where and win the Cup.... but then go back into hibernation.... but its usually those teams that are consistantly in the top standings that make a run for it and win it. The last 7 years...the 1st place team in the standings have not won the League Cup. I think the FMF should change the format and go back to the way we had it with a couple minor modifications. I think the club that tops the standings at the end of every season should be considered League Champion. THe winner of the Liguilla should be considered Cup Champion. The League Champion and the Cup Champion should play each other and the winner be considered SuperCup Champion. The FMF is trying to have a "Super Cup". The winner of Apertura and Clausura will play each other. But i just dont see the point in it anymore.. I embraced it... but am having my doubts now.... Winter 2001 Pachuca are Champs Summer 2002 America are Champs (Pachuca doesnt even make it to the playoffs..... teams change alot in that short of period...
I like the playoffs format. If a team call themselves as the best they should be able to win "La Liguilla"(MFL playoffs). Only when you can see a team on extreme situations like a playoff games is when you can se of what the team is made off. Of course a fluke can decide a playoff series, but also can decide the Top of the table if the tournament is close enough (like is usually at the MFL). Until all the Top Mexicans team can play a competitive international tournament La Liguilla is the only way to have the emotion that only a "Live or Death Game" can give. We have La Copa Libertadores, but only 2 teams can play on it, and they not always are the best. Making another Cup title, like RDL proposed, isn't the solution. It's too difficult for new Cups to get credibility.
lets call a spade a spade here.. the short season was implemted to give the small teams a chance to recuperate faster and not lose as much money. Its sort of a welfare program but without the big teams having to pick up the bill. THe liguilla has been around since 1970 so its nothing new to us (it has gone through). Teams like Toluca, Santos, Pachuca, Morelia all benefited from it. Toluca has 7 titles. You can win 2 titles in a years time in todays game. Thats doing teams like America, Chivas, Cruz Azul injustice... because winning back then was a b1tch... you had to be more focused for a longer period of time. My cousin says that Toluca is one of the best teams of all time in the Mexican league... just because they have 7 titles... did he forget the past? Where its possible to win 2 titles in a years time... when back then you could only win one in a year. If America, Chivas, Cruz Azul, Pumas, Leon all had that shorter season.... its safe to say they would have had more titles.. I am just saying..... we dont appreciate consistency... La Piedad was not given the respect they deserved when they lead the table. Atlante is not really getting the respect they deserve for leading the table. Playing well throughout the season should be commended
i dont think your grandchild will be alive to see that one. kind of bad when the "best" club from Mexico and the most "popular" club from Mexico get tossed out in the first round.