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Give & Go: Mexico's Ramon Ramirez
Ramon Ramirez is one of Mexico's most-capped players in history of El Tri, yet his time with Major League Soccer's Chivas USA also taught him much about the U.S., where he now lives with his family. Before the "CONCACAF Clasico" Ramirez answered questions from Goal.com's Andrea Canales.
Feb 6, 2009 3:53:47 PM
Andrea Canales: When you think back to playing the U.S. during your time with Mexico, what stands out?
Ramon Ramirez: I have a lot of memories, both good and bad, of victories and defeats. What's clear to me is that, starting around my days with the Mexican national team, up to now, I've seen the U.S. grow and develop a lot. They've got some quality players. In this short amount of time, we've seen the U.S. put more attention to soccer and they have improved notably.
How does the growth of U.S. soccer affect Mexico, if at all?
I think it affects us a lot. Now that the U.S. has grown into a potent competitor in the region, it pushes us. It's good for not just the United States, but for other teams in the region to improve, and it would benefit us all if other teams from CONCACAF are playing well enough so that around the world the region is more respected. Honduras, Costa Rica, Guatemala, it's good if they improve like the U.S. did. Even if it makes qualifying more complicated for Mexico, it logically pushes improvement along. The whole area benefits from competition. A big criticism of CONCACAF is that it's not of high enough quality. Some think it's the weakest federation on the planet. So it's good for not only Mexico and the U.S. to be fighting for the top. It breaks the monotony there.
You were one of the top players in the rivalry back in your day - who are the top players for both teams now?
For the U.S., Landon Donovan continues to be the most game-changing player. He's probably the one most people identify as the main player for the U.S. Other players can also have a big impact. I think the U.S. has a good combination with the players from Europe and the ones in MLS. Sacha (Kljestan) is a young player who is improving. Brian Ching is a good player. The centerback from Europe, Oguchi Onyewu, is a talented player who adapts well to different situations. Bob Bradley's son, (Michael Bradley) is another player who has grown a lot. (Benny) Feilhaber, who played for a while in Germany, I think he's a very interesting player. But their central player, when it comes down to it, is still Landon Donovan.
For Mexico, I believe Rafa Marquez is the player who is most emblematic of Mexico's team. It's a shame that Andres Guardado won't be able to play, because I think he's the most game-changing player on the Mexican squad at the moment. For me, what Mexico is lacking a little bit is a key forward - I think Omar Bravo is a great player and Guillermo Franco, too, but I don't think any of our central forward options are in their best form right now. That's a little doubt I have. But as far as the players who are the icons, the top players of the two teams, I'd put Landon Donovan on one side and Rafael Marquez on the other.
Do you think Sven Goran Eriksson understands the Mexican style of play and the mentality enough to help the team to reach their goals?
It's difficult. I sometimes think that even Mexicans themselves aren't sure about what that team identity is or should be. It's a conflict of many years, and I don't think the problem is necessarily with Eriksson. The most important thing is that the players convince themselves of what they need to do. The problem with the national team is structural, it's not just with the coach. I think the players bear the largest responsibility for results. We also need to improve the structure of development - we want a big team, but we don't have things organized at the lowest levels to really improve that. We've neglected that in Mexico. For the immediate situation, though, the players need to come together to make sure qualification happens, because it won't be easy.
Does it surprise you that the issue of naturalized players is still a controversial one?
It's not so much that I'm surprised by the situation as it makes me wonder, "Why don't we have more production, why aren't there large quantities of good players who are born in Mexico?" It's not that I wonder about why there's a controversy, but it worries me that it says something about our production of quality players.
Do you think Mexico's "Golden Generation", the young players who won the Under-17 World Cup in 2005, ensure Mexico's future?
People make the mistake, when a group wins a tournament like that, that it says something about Mexican soccer. That group of kids came together, united, played well and won a title, but that doesn't really reflect on Mexican soccer as a whole. It's asking a lot for these players, who are working on their own development, to lift the whole of Mexican soccer. That requires a lot of things that a lot of people have to work on and it takes time. We're not going to beat the best teams in the world the next day. In all of these youth tournaments, there are artificial constraints that push the level of teams closer together. There are some players who will move on from that team and contribute on another level and some won't - that's natural. If we live in the past of that one championship, it's a mistake.
Will the cold of Columbus affect Mexico's style of play?
I'd say that most Mexicans aren't used to playing in weather that cold. It's no excuse, though. There comes a moment when players have to accept that it's part of the nature of qualifying games, that teams take advantage of whatever physical challenges are available at their own venues. I'm sure the American players think the same thing about playing in Azteca's altitude and smog. Whether a team is put in a hot field, cold field, high field or low, it's no excuse for not getting a result. Mexico needs to be able to play well wherever they go.
How do you feel about Sacha Kljestan, one of the improving players for the U.S., developing with Chivas USA - your former MLS team?
It's fantastic. It's an MLS team. It plays under the rules and regulations of the U.S. league, and it offers opportunities to Mexican-American players and American players alike to improve. I think it speaks well of the team that Jonathan Bornstein and Sacha have developed there to the international level. They have talent and a great mentality. It's good for their MLS team, the U.S. team and CONCACAF - because it's important that the quality of players in the region improves.
What's your opinion of Pachuca's Jose Francisco Torres, who now plays for the U.S. - did Mexico lose out on a good player?
I completely support Torres in his decision. He's a player who had the option of two teams. I think he had a family who cared about him and that backed him up in whatever choice he made. I don't think he made his decision overnight. I think he finally decided what he really wanted to do, and I think that's what anyone should do. I have no reproach against him for playing for the U.S. I think we have yet to see entirely what kind of player he is. He's clearly of a good level, but I'm not sure that he's a starter for Mexico. That could say more about the other players for Mexico in that field position than it does about him. Now, if the U.S. has more opportunities for him there right now, and he can develop there, how wonderful for him as a player. Players all over the world, on any side of any border, want to play more than anything. In this case, he had two possibilites. It's not his fault that he chose one over the other. I don't think anyone can blame him for that.
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