Sven's Decision to Recall Blanco: Pros and Cons

Sven Goran Eriksson proved once again on Friday that he isn’t going to manage in a traditional fashion when he recalled Cuauhtemoc Blanco of the Chicago Fire to the National Team ahead of Wednesday’s massive qualifier at Estadio Azteca versus a very good Honduran side. This matchup between arguably the two most talented teams in CONCACAF will go a long way towards determining a place in the final round of CONCACAF qualifing, the Hexagonal.

Here are how I see the pros and cons of Blanco’s recall:

PROS

• Blanco’s work rate and technical skill remain very sharp even at 35.
• Blanco can hold the ball even with his back to goal against a strong Honduran midfield
• Blanco remains a fan favorite in Mexico and his inclusion builds some credibility for Sven’s young regime.

CONS

•      Blanco’s volitile personality could clash with the young starlets of the side like Gio Dos Santos and Carlos Vela
•      Blanco has typically had a hard time working with Omar Bravo in the midfield
•      With all the young talent around, how much longer will Blanco and Jared Borgetti continue to start for Mexico? Do you really want to transition away from these two right around the 2010 World Cup?