Learning from Mistakes

The Sven-Goran era, which came to an end last night (I guess they couldn't wait until the 27th), has occasioned some serious navel-gazing about the state of Mexican soccer. Here's El Universal, in its lone news editorial today:

Mexico doesn't have a state policy regarding sports. A team from the President's Office of Strategic Planning has just begun to work on what Mexico wants to do about it.

We must establish a national plan that has continuity and depth because only with a long-term plan, and not through changing the coach, can we have a significant role in international football.

Here's the analysis from one of the commenters beneath the editorial:

Mexicans' favorite sport isn't soccer. It's tossing themselves in front of a TV to watch soccer. And if it's not on, then whatever other nonsense is on, preferably telenovelas.

Ouch. Mexico's lack of success in a number of sports in recent years is striking. One hundred million inhabitants, but only a few medals in the Olympics, a worsening situation at every level of international football (and just a few years after storming the U-17 squad stormed its way to the World Cup), no basketball team to speak of, a respectable but ultimately forgettable performance in the World Baseball Classic...it's a long list. At the same time, Mexico's individual pros, i.e. those athletes who don't rely on the government for much of anything, are often world-class. The nation's boxers are probably the best in the world at 135 pounds and below. The best female golfer in the world is Mexican. Mexicans have a significant impact in Major League Baseball, which is all the more impressive especially considering that baseball really isn't a big deal in much of the nation (it's no better than the fifth most popular sport here in Torreón). The nation has never had so many players at important squads in Europe as it does now. Even the NFL is starting to see a sprinkling of Mexicans. But when you examine Mexicans' performance in national team competition or in the Olympics, it virtually always falls short of expectations, at least in recent years. I don't know if the solution is greater coordination at a government level or what, but if El Tri doesn't make the World Cup, it might just spark a third consecutive revolution in years ending in the number 10.

Just kidding about 2010, I don't believe in that stuff. Although if the Spurs win it all this year, I'll inch closer to believing in Duncan's odd-year magic.