Marquez threatens boycott
ByReuters
Published 04/09/2005 at 15:21 GMT
Mexico defender Rafael Marquez has threatened to boycott the team and not play the World Cup if coach Ricardo La Volpe is sacked, local media said on Sunday. Other players said they would follow Marquez's lead following Saturday's 2-0 defeat away to the United States in a World Cup qualifier.
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The owners of the country's first division clubs are due to hold a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the administration of Mexican Football Federation (FMF) president Alberto de la Torre.
There is speculation that they could vote to throw him out of office, which could open the way for a change of coach.
Although La Volpe has De La Torre's full backing, a replacement could prefer another candidate, such as former Real Madrid and Mexico striker Hugo Sanchez.
"If they take the decision to sack La Volpe, I will pull out of the World Cup," Marquez was quoted as saying by the Notimex news agency.
"This group is completely united and we want to support Ricardo and the job he has done," said the Barcelona player.
"I'm with La Volpe and De La Torre."
Midfielder Gerardo Torrado agreed with Marquez, while goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez and striker Jared Borgetti also gave him their support.
"We're a group and that's how we think," Torrado told the daily newspaper El Universal.
"But I don't think it will come to that. The (club) presidents are aware that the team is playing well, that a good job has been done and that the team has improved greatly with Ricardo."
Mexico, who have beaten both Argentina and Brazil in competitive internationals under La Volpe, still need one more point to qualify for next year's World Cup finals in Germany and are at home to Panama on Wednesday.
Saturday's defeat in Columbus was the first in Mexico's 15-match World Cup qualifying campaign.
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