By Graig Carbino - ALBANY, NY (May 21, 2009) USSoccerPlayers -- In case you might have missed it amongst all the "end of the European season, Champions League, looking forward to summer international soccer" fervor, there is a familiar face heading back into Mexican National team camp for upcoming World Cup qualifiers in early June.
That's right, Chicago Fire play maker Cuauhtemoc Blanco is back in the mix for El Tri and is likely to play some sort of role in their upcoming matches against El Salvador (June 6th) and Trinidad and Tobago (June 10th). The 36 year-old is not on a farewell tour with Mexico. He is being called in to contribute to a struggling squad in need of a lift.
Javier Aguirre is back in the Mexico hot seat as coach, and has also called 2002 World Cup goalkeeper Oscar Perez into the squad in place of the sometimes maligned, always hot-tempered Oswaldo Sanchez. It seems to be a bit of out with the old and in with the old for Mexico at the moment. Maybe a mix of young and, let’s say “experienced” is the magic formula necessary for picking up a few crucial positive results.
On the surface, calling in Blanco to play in these few games (and possibly the Gold Cup) makes sense for Mexico. Why wouldn’t you want a player of his experience, and still above level skill set? Sure, his physique is not exactly world class at this point, but we all know he has never gotten by on superior fitness. His vision and touch on the ball are what has made his legend, not his time in the mile.
Blanco has been a bit up and down with the Fire so far this season, and his form wouldn’t exactly suggest great things coming his way against international competition. Still, it might be worth the gamble of throwing him on from the start against El Salvador just for the shock value alone.
Not suggesting that inserting El Temo into the lineup would or should shake up either the Salvadoran's or the Soca Warrior's but I guess you never know. The "shock value" being referred to here has more to do with Mexico and their seemingly fragile psyche. Maybe some of the players need a hero like Blanco to drum up a little much-needed confidence. Whether or not professionals should really need something like this is a story for a different day.
So we know that he can probably help the team in some way, shape or form, either physically of psychologically. Whether that help is 70-80 minutes from the opening whistle or a late cameo is yet to be seen. What hasn’t been really discussed too much as of yet though is the effect that this surprising call-up will have on the Fire.
You have to believe that Denis Hamlett and the Chicago brass were taken aback just a tad when the news came down. After all, the guy did "retire" from the national team after making his 100th appearance last September. He did say at the time though that if called he would never turn down the opportunity to pull on his country's colors once again.
The Fire's schedule is thin in June right now with only two League matches scheduled. You'd have to assume at this point though that if Blanco plays on the 6th and 10th for Mexico he will certainly miss Chicago's games against Houston on June 5th and DC United on the 13th.
No team likes to lose their best players for any reason, but when it comes to players in their prime representing their countries coaches tend to begrudgingly understand.
Not so much when it involves 36 year-old's towards the end of their careers that have not been in great form this season as it is. Blanco is rounding into shape recently (no pun intended) but the fiery Hamlett (pun intended) cannot be happy. These two haven’t exactly seen eye to eye in the past and you wouldn’t imagine this absence would help.
At this point though, I find it hard to really believe that Blanco cares much for Hamlett's opinion. He has already said he plans to leave the Fire at the end of the season to look for "new opportunities." He's even willing to stay in Major League Soccer, just as long as it’s not in Chicago. You'd have to imagine that some of his displeasure with the organization centers on his strained relationship with the manager.
In the end there are a couple interesting situations that are going to play out soon regarding Cuauhtemoc Blanco. One, the short term excitement of a recall to the national team and what that will do to re-energize their, up to this point, disappointing World Cup qualifying campaign. Two is what this recall does to the Chicago Fire and Blanco's standing within the squad.
You get the sense from an outsider’s perspective that he is loving the chance to get out of the Windy City for awhile and spend some time with the best Mexican soccer has to offer. Not so sure the feeling is reciprocated from his club teammates, who could use his help as the dog days begin in MLS. A classic club versus country with a twist that we will have to watch closely over the next few months.
Graig Carbino covers American Abroad and writes a weekly column for USSoccerPlayers. Contact him at graiger11@yahoo.com
