"I disagree with those who say it's an elephant cemetary, because that's where I would've buried myself. "But I'm in great shape physically, because that's how you have to be there, above all else; and mentally, because you have to think much faster there than here. It's harder to keep the ball at your feet; they pressure you very quickly." http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2007/01/17/index.php?section=deportes&article=a22n2dep
i think overall it's fairly classy of him to say something positive about the league (when he by no means had to). although if you read between the lines he's essentially saying that technical skill is not a strongsuit -- nor does it appear to be a high priority -- of the league. oh well, that is not anything we didn't know before. overall i think it's nice of him to say, 'you better be in shape in that league or they'll run right over you.' contrasts with the Figo comments about "slowing down" at Al Ittihad.
Palencia is telling the truth. He didn't score that many goals but he made things happen with his vision and tells us of how fit and mentally focused you have to be in this league. His words speaks for itself.
It means no free lunch when you join MLS. That's a great comp, to our league and work rate of players in this league is much higher then most of the Euro leagues as well.This says a lot about how powers to be want the league to be the best it can be.
That was a classy statement and if you think otherwise because it might insinuate that the league lacks technical ability, well its true. You have to be fit and you should know what to do with the ball by the time you get it. There are only a few teams that are quick thinking like DC, Houston, CUSA. But the rest of the league still suffers from the lack of technical players or have no imagination creatively and that stifles the flow of the game. Either way Paco has always said good things about the league and he saying that this league is competitive and is no vacation. I hope he does well in UNAM.
I'm gonna miss watching him. I think he brought class to our league. Hmmm, may just have to watch some Mexican league games...
I think Paco is going to have a very good Clausura with PUMAS. He is in the best physical condition of his career. And this is a direct result of his time with Chivas USA. He has stated as much in other interviews. I was really sorry to see Palencia go. Of all the Mexican players that have played in MLS, he seemed to appreciate the League. He understands that it's different from Mexico. But that MLS and it's players deserve respect. And he ALWAYS gave his best effort. I wish him well.
i have been on NS a while, but can anyone tell me how you can rep a player?? nicely said Palencia...or maybe he is saying this so that the media in mexico will start respecting MLS so that they can cover their asses in case of defeat in SuperLiga?
Good words form Palencia. Its really good for the mls too see palencia leave chivas usa for a good team like Pumas. Its not like he went to some 2nd division team, he still has juice .
As does the entire American system, only slowly improving, and on a playing-career-generation measure at that.
I'm going to miss watching him too. He may not have scored as many goals as he would have liked, but he was a good player.
Claudio Suarez also speaks positively about the league, echoing much of what Palencia has mentioned. What's more, he said the technical level was much better than what he had expected. Perhaps, his expectations were pretty low, but I still think that's a genuine compliment coming from a world class player.
The motifs behind his decision?, well, I guess only Palencia knows for sure, some say that the Chivas organization wanted to save some money through payroll, cuting ties with some high profile and expensive players, that's why "Loco" left too, and Oswaldo Sanchez is now with Santos, rumors claim that more cuts and sales were planned, but because Chivas Guadalajara won the Championship Jorge Vergara was forced to keep players he was planning to sell like Omar Bravo, Alberto Medina, Adolfo Bautista and Ramon Morales. Another version simply claims that Palencia was tired of MLS, that he never intended to go there on the first place and that he simply wanted to go back home from day one. Finally there's yet another version that claims simply that Palencia wants an opportunity to make a comeback to the Mexican NT, and he knows that in MLS he won't get that chance, so he decided to move back home. Regardless of all the previous speculation, a real motif presented in December, when his father died, he was in talks with Necaxa and Tigres already, but he broke them to offer his services to Pumas, why? Simple, he's a native of Mexico City, his mom lives there and now that his dad is gone he wants to spend time with his mother and be close to her. With Pumas he gets to live in Mexico City, play in a good club and a nice check every month, maybe less that what he could be making in Tigres or Necaxa, but as the Mastercard ad would say "There just some things in life that money can't buy".
Probably a little of everything you've just cited--a reasonable and complex set of details. Part of the reason that Mexican players have tended to stay home is that--for the most part--they have it good. Passionate fans, good money, reasonable good living conditions, not as much pressure as some other countries (I know, El Tri face pressure but it's not like England for instance), good climate, fun league with attractive attacking soccer. I'd rep Palencia if I could--given the USNT-El Tri rivalry, it would have been easy for him to play to the press and trash MLS. I think there is another point to be made from this. When MLS started, then NT coach Steve Sampson and some of the players (John Harkes most notably) said that their games were suffering b/c of the lack of pressure by defenders--you got too much space. This was explained as a combination of the heat (you can't run as much as you would in England or Germany) and sloppy defending. Starting around 2003 I think, almost the entire league focused much more on defense. Prior to that, you had teams like the early Chicago teams or KC that could play sharp defense but the belief that "Americans come to see goals" combined with developing talent and sloppy coaching meant that players were given too much space or often left unmarked, there was too much ball-watching. All of that has changed in the past 3-4 years in particular.
I prefer players being more efficient and skillful than "hustling" all night long to make up for bad passes.
Much of the Mexican league is played at altitudes higher than Denver. Mexico City is over 7,000 feet and Toluca closer to 8,000. Meanwhile, up north, the games at Santos (Torreon) and in Monterrey can often be played in extreme heat. If MLS were played in those conditions, it probably wouldn't be a high-pressure league, either.
CLASS! THE MAN IS CLASS! He totally upped MLS in that interview. He is not overstating anything, he is just saying with the upcoming tournament that Mexican teams should not expect an easy time, and that they are to take it seriously and just play their game and things should unfold in their favor. The fact he says MLS is faster is quite interesting. He didn't say ANYTHING about MLS lacking skill, he only said the league is up and coming and a force to reckon with, nothing more.