Ex-Mexico national team managers Hugo Sanchez and Javier Aguirre said in an interview with ESPN published Friday that they believe MLS has more global outreach than Liga MX.
"Without a doubt I think that Mexican coaches are capable of managing in any part of the world," Sanchez told ESPN.com's Tom Marshall. "The advantage some of us have is that we first played in Europe and later coached in Europe, like in the cases of Javier Aguirre and I.
"Sadly, in the Mexican league we don't have visionary leaders that [internationalize Liga MX], like they did in England and Spain in promoting their tournaments. It would mean that games from Mexico could be seen in other powerful countries in the world. Instead, the United States are smart and do it better than us."
Aguirre offered up a similar sentiment.
"No one sees us [in Mexico]," he said. "They see MLS and they don't see Liga MX. They see the Libertadores and not the CONCACAF Champions League."
"After the World Cup in Brazil maybe [former Mexico coach] Miguel Herrera had an opportunity but it passed by. They only see us in World Cups and it is a shame."
Sanchez was a superstar for Real Madrid in his playing days and gained a reputation as one of the best goal-scorers of all time before he started coaching after this retirement, managing Pumas UNAM, Necaxa, Almeria and Pachua in addition to two separate stints on the sideline for Mexico -- first on an interim basis in 2000, then in a permanent role from 2006-2008. Aguirre starred in Liga MX from Club America and Chivas Guadalajara prior to a lengthy, well-traveled coaching career of his own that saw him manage El Tri in 2001-2002.
Read Marshall's full write-up featuring quotes from both Sanchez and Aguirre here.
