We mentioned a couple of weeks ago that Cruz Azul signing Luis Suarez was an idea that didn’t make sense at any level. However, the news about Cruz Azul being in the running for the Uruguayan striker only to fall short of signing him at the end of the day doesn’t necessarily put Liga MX in a great spot. The fact that the holidays are upon us has allowed the issue to somewhat slip under the radar. However, it’s just a matter of time before local voices around Liga MX David Faitelson, Alvaro Morales and company bash Cruz Azul for the failed signing if they haven’t already. While also claiming that Liga MX is the worst league in the world and that no renowned players take it seriously.
While adding Luis Suarez certainly could’ve had a positive commercial impact on Liga MX particularly in the glow of the news it’s doubtful that his presence at Cruz Azul would’ve been overly impactful on the field. How big of a blow though is his loss to Liga MX? Also, what happened? Why didn’t he sign?
It’s Hard To Think Cruz Azul’s Push Was Too Strong
Although we have to think that representatives from Cruz Azul were in contact with Luis Suarez at some point it’s hard to believe that the push was strong or that the offer was overly appealing money-wise. Cruz Azul has been a mess in the administrative side for some time now. With a president who is constantly struggling to keep his role as the head of the company that runs the team he hasn’t proven too willing to spend big on signings. Even if some of the latest players that the team brought on like Rotondi and Carneiro actually seem to be working just fine.
Another issue that seems to indicate that the push for Suarez wasn’t all that strong or at least organized has to do with Cruz Azul’s personnel on the administrative side. New sporting director Oscar Perez was at the World Cup as a TV personality for Telemundo when the Luis Suarez talks were said to have taken place. Maybe Perez was able to reach out to Suarez personally in Qatar. However, the fact that he was doing a side gig when the team was essentially being built by the man he is supposed to replace just doesn’t seem right from any angle.
What Type of Players Should Liga MX Look To Attract? More Gignac’s Less Alves
Liga MX as a whole is looking to become a more world renowned league. For one reason or another Liga MX is not all that followed outside of Mexico and the United States. There are a lot of reasons that we can point to, so we’re not necessarily going to get into this too much. What is clear though is that Luis Suarez was potentially coming to Mexico for the player that he was more than the player that he is. Getting a player of his caliber at the peak of his powers in Liga MX is virtually impossible.
However, bringing these guys like Dani Alves because of what they’ve done in the past, but well past their primes isn’t necessarily the answer either. The ideal player is without a doubt Andre Pierre Gignac. A known commodity with still plenty of gas left in the tank! Perhaps Liga MX, and its high salaries can also start attracting players from Europe particularly from Balkan countries, and former Soviet states. These are physical players that could get an edge in Liga MX. Vincent Jansen for example had some early success at Rayados. That could be a bit more interesting than trying to lure in South American players. Particularly since you can find deals in Europe for some of these players.
