Posted on January 27, 2012
By Michael Lewis
TropiGol.com Editor
VANCOUVER — When he took over as Mexican women’s national coach in 1998, little did Leonardo Cuellar realize at the time he was about to start a dynasty.
Which is pretty incredible in a country that has changed men’s National Team coaches at the drop of a hat.
On Friday, the 57-year-old Cuellar finds himself and El Tri only one win away from qualifying for the London Olympics. The Mexicans take on host and favored Canada at BC Place at 11 p.m. ET.
Reaching the Olympics “would be a big push for women’s soccer in Mexico,” Cuellar said.
“It is very important. We are still in a culture you must win something to keep receiving support.”
Cuellar noted the success of Mexico’s men’s teams that won a world championship (Under-17) and finished third in another (U-20) last summer.
“So for us to go to the World Cup in Germany was a big accomplishment,” he said of the 2011 Women’s World Cup. “we have a big challenge for 2012 with the Olympic qualifiers. The federation has been great. They have supported our programs. Everything is going in the right direction. But we need to confirm that with results.”
Cuellar, a former Mexican international who has World Cup (1978) and Olympic (1972) experience under his belt, certainly doesn’t sound like someone who is complacent after 14 years on the job as a national coach. Few, if any coaches, last more than two world championship cycles, eight years, on the job.
“That is something that is strange in our culture to have a project on the long term,” he said. “They have been very supportive of that. But at the same time I have to consistently check myself to renovate my ideas, to renovate my work in the field to shape things, to fire people, to hire people. Only things what is the best for Mexico and women’s soccer in Mexico. It’s a job.
“It’s a profession you need to keep improving, you need to keep innovating. You need to find the right people next to you. You need to challenge yourself in all kinds of areas. Seeing my job that way, it gives me the energy. I can’t see myself keep doing the same. That is very negative. That will only hold us back. So we need to keep shaking things and looking for ways to improve.”
Since Cuellar took over, El Tri has improved by leaps and bounds. The Mexicans qualified for the 1999 and 2011 Women’s World Cups and reached the quarterfinals of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
Saying that, Cuellar realizes there is still a long way to go.
In 2010, the Mexicans stunned the women’s soccer world by upsetting the favored United States in the semifinals of the Women’s World Cup CONCACAF qualifying. The 2-1 victory, the first time the Mexican women defeated their rivals to the north in 26 matches (the Mexicans are 1-24-1 vs. the U.S.), booked a spot at the 2011 WWC in Germany and forced the Americans to qualify by defeating Italy in a home-and-away playoff.
“In Mexico it was a great accomplishment,” Cuellar said. “The fans were going crazy in the stadium. The city [Cancun] was outstanding in supporting our team in Cancun. The effects were very positive and what is happening in the country when more and specifically, young girls looking to play and participate in this beautiful sport.”
Since a 9-0 U.S. romp in the first meeting between the two countries in 1991, Mexico has closed the gap. No longer are there routs, only close encounters.
Still, Cuellar realized there still is a long way to go before the team can play with the U.S. and the big girls of international soccer on a consistent.
“Obviously, we have taken beatings from the U.S. for several years,” he said. “Every time we play the U.S. it’s going to be a test to evaluate our work to evaluate our players, to evaluate our attitude. We are very fortunate that we have the United States in our confederation because by the United States being the best program in the world, it’s a constant evaluation of our program.
“When we had the opportunity to play them in Mexico and beat them, it just shows we had worked very hard to get closer. Obviously, that day things were rolling our way. But it was only one game.”
On Tuesday night, the U.S. reminded the Mexicans who was the boss with a 4-0 triumph.
“There’s something about mommentum,” Cuellar said. “We basically played against a team that lives together the last two years. They work as a team, and they play in one of the best leagues in the world. To put a team together that comes from college players, from local players, players that come from the U.S., it’s not easy. It’s not easy. It takes time. Tt takes practices. That’s no excuse. It’s something that we need to put in front of us. And we must find a way to develop a program to be a better opponent in these kind of matches.”
Cuellar did not plan to be the Mexican women’s coach. In 1998, he was living in the United States, starting a college soccer program and coaching a youth club in southern California that had six girls teams. He was approached by the president of the Mexican Football Federation and two other high-ranking soccer officials about starting the women’s program from scratch.
He had to turn it down because of his commitments, but the officials would not give up and eventually convinced Cuellar to take over the coaching reins.
“It was such an exciting challenge that they convinced me to come back to Mexico and start this program,” Cuellar said. “It was nothing from design. It was more from destiny and I feel very grateful that I had the opportunity that I could do something for my country to start a lot of things from zero and to see how it developed to this moment. We still have a lot of challenges. One of my duties is preparing teams, preparing people, preparing coaches, administrators. And some of them are already working with the men’s side after working with me. It’s a really a big challenge, but at the same time, it’s only moving forward because of the energy of the Mexican girls.”
The Canadians enter Friday’s encourage with a 16-1-1 mark. Cuellar noted Canada was seventh and Mexico 21st in the latest FIFA women’s rankings.
“First of all, there is a popular sports saying,” he said. “On paper we’re behind. But you need to play the game. They also might have pressure on them playing at home. They may prefer to have more rhythm playing against better opponents while we have been able to play againt the best team in the world. I feel that may loosen us up a little bit and make our players come out and be very aggressive.”
In 2004, the Mexicans pulled off one of the biggest upsets in CONCACAF women’s soccer history when they stunned Canada, 2-1, to reach the Olympics for the very first time. A talented 25-year-old named Maribel Dominiguez led the way with two goals. Dominguez helped the Mexicans to the quarterfinals in Athens, scoring once.
Eight years older and wiser as team captain and leader, Dominiguez is a seasoned veteran as Mexico’s all-time goal-scoring leader with 71 goals in 96 international appearances.
Dominguez lived through the early struggling years and has enjoyed the recent success, which included an appearance in the 2011 Women’s World Cup the Mexicans jolted the United States in qualifying. In case you were wondering, Dominguez scored a goal in that triumph as well.
“You always start with a dream and you always hope to be part of a good team,” she said. “Later on, you start thinking about the national team and foreign teams and your dream starters getting bigger. Over time you eventually start to achieve it.
“We know it’s a long journey,” she said of London. “The last time we weren’t able to qualify, but we haven’t lost anything yet and the ticket to the Olympics is right in front of us.”
Midfielder Teresea Noyola, the Stanford University standout and the Hermann Trophy winner as the U.S.’s top collegiate women’s player, agreed and elaborated.
“It’s important for us to move past this loss. Despite the scoreline it should give us confidence,” she said. “I think it was pretty even at times and I don’t think the score totally reflects how we played. I think we should take confidence going into our next game.
“It will be the test for the [Olympic] ticket.”
The Mexicans might have a surprising secret weapon up their sleeve — the 12th player — fans in the stands.
On Tuesday, there seemed to be more Mexican than American supporters in the stands. They certainly were a loud and enthusiastic bunch.
“I know we are away, but you saw the crowd,” Cuellar said. “Don’t be surprised if we have more Mexicans than Canadians on Friday.”
Photo: Leonardo Cuellar on playing Canada: They also might have pressure on them playing at home. They may prefer to have more rhythm playing against better opponents while we have been able to play againt the best team in the world.” Photo by Michael Lewis
Categories: Canada, Mexico, North America, Olympic Qualifying, Women
Tags: CONCACAF women's Olympic qualifying tournament, Leonardo Cuellar, Maribel Domiguez, Teresa Noyola
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