Five days after Mexico beat Ghana 2-1 in London, Hugo Sanchez was fired as Mexico's coach. How so? He had only been in charge a year and a half, so what went so badly wrong? Under his tenure, Mexico lost the Gold Cup final 2-1 to the USA in Chicago, but that should have been no reason for dismissal since the CONCACAF bragging rights definitively crossed the Rio Grande when the States downed El Tri 2-0 back in the 2002 World Cup. Mexico also thumped Paraguay 6-0 and beat Brazil, yes Brazil, 2-0 in last summer's Copa America in Venezuela, before finishing third overall; another reason not to sack him one would have thought. Expectations had been raised by the fact Mexico won the U17 World Cup in 2005 and reached the last eight of the U20 World Cup in 2007, and thus the recent failure of the U23s to qualify for the Beijing Olympics was the biggest casus belli for the Federation. Olympic soccer is roughtly on a par with five-a-side football for most European nations, but apparently not so in Mexico, where the national team coach, in this case Sanchez, is also tasked with coaching the team to go to the Olympics. “We want leaders; we cannot accept another failure, another Olympic failure,” said Justino Compeán, the Mexican federation president. “If that was difficult, could you imagine if Mexico didn’t make it to South Africa?” Sanchez was perceived as arrogant and too much his own man, which got him on the wrong side of the big clubs, whose directors, each with one vote, ultimately blew the whistle on his tenure. He was dismissed 16-1, his only supporter being his old team, Pumas. But don't we want coaches to be Brian Cloughs and not Graham Taylors? That Premier League clubs could decide the England manager is a horrifying idea, but that it is they way they do it in Mexico. Criticisms of Sanchez's rigid playing style are easier to entertain. Mexico were playing with some flair under previous coach Ricardo La Volpe but seemed to stutter into stifling 4-4-2 inflexibility under Sanchez. Even in the flattering 2-1 win over Ghana, it was clear the full backs were not overlapping and that the static central midfield was inferior to that of the free-running Africans. But I still think the sacking was premature. A year and a half is not that long for any coach, especially one who sees his players so rarely, and while the Olympic team fell short, is that really that important? Mexico were always going to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, given that CONCACAF is the beneficiary of FIFA's largesse with three and a half places in the finals. And when it comes to the finals, Mexico reached the 1986 quarter finals (in Mexico), but otherwise have never advanced beyond the second round. Therein perhaps lies the key to Sanchez' sacking. A large and Latin football-mad nation naturally has some arrogance welled up as a result. That it has never achieved anything of note on the world stage is a source of constant frustration, so the fans look to the Olympics for some succour. Appointing its soccer icon as national team coach was always a dream waiting to be actualised, but like so many other countries and clubs have found out, the best players rarely make good coaches. Sanchez obviously made enough enemies amongst the league clubs to be voted out of office so comprehensively, but his record was not that bad. He walks away at least $8 million richer, but Sanchez' firing over a failed Olympic qualification (as if that really mattered) only masks the perennial failure of what should be one of the major football nations to take its place at the high table of world soccer. Mexico have perhaps unrealistic expectations of one man to cure their ills, but rather like another great underachiever, England, they are also guilty of using him as a scapegoat so they won't have to look themselves in the mirror. Rather than analysing what Sanchez did wrong, the Mexicans should be wondering what is it about their domestic football culture that has kept their national team so mediocre for so long. (c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

Brazil confounded the doubters to bag their fourth Copa America title in five, beating much-fancied Argentina 3-0 in Maracaibo, Venezuela. The two South American giants had met in the previous final in 2004 in Peru, which Brazil had won on penalties after a 2-2 draw, but it was their old rivals who had been the more impressive going into this game. Brazil had lost their opening match 2-0 to Mexico while Argentina had dazzled the tournament with some fireworks football, blitzing all opposition including Mexico 3-0 in the semi-final. Much was expected of their three musketeers of Juan Riquelme, Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi, but before the albiceleste could find their feet in the 34C Venezuelan afternoon, Julio Baptista gave Brazil a dream start with a thumping strike in the fourth minute. Baptista, who was on loan at Arsenal from Real Madrid last season, picked up a long spear from Elano, took two taps to beat veteran Roberto Ayala and then rifled past a frozen Roberto Abbondanzieri in the Argentina goal to give Brazil the lead. Riquelme hit the post with Argentina’s first attack five minutes later and a dream final looked in the making. Argentina then took the game to Brazil but always looked vulnerable to a swift counter from their more muscular opponents. Riquelme then drew a diving save from Brazil goalie Doni before disaster struck again for the albiceleste. Five minutes before the break, Daniel Alves swung over a cross from the right and the unlucky Ayala, threatened by the lurking Vagner Love, stretched and turned the ball into his own net. Two-nil down, Argentina laboured hard in their efforts to eke out a comeback, only to succumb again to a break in the 69th minute. Vagner Love carried the ball forward against the retreating Argentina defenders before releasing Alves, who found the net with an inch-perfect diagonal drive to make it 3-0. Carlos was the victim of a split-second offside call error late on as he found the goal, but otherwise his country was well-beaten by the hitherto-underrated holders. Brazil’s strength and power comfortably dominated Argentina’s skill and finesse, and every time the albiceleste strove to drag themselves back into the match, their silky techinique ran aground against a yellow wall of rugged tackles and massed defending.

Sunday's Copa America final has a familiar look to it as Argentina dismissed Mexico 3-0 in the second semi-final to set up a meeting with old foes Brazil for the championship. CONCACAF guests Mexico had threatened to trespass on the CONMEBOL showpiece event ever since they beat holders Brazil 2-0 in their opening match, and yesterday in Puerto Ordaz los tricolores began strongly, threatening the favourites with a number of thrusts through the middle in the first half. But the Mexicans were guilty of over-elaboration when it came to shooting. Starlet Andres Guardado sold the Argentine defence a delightful dummy ten minutes before half time but delayed too long and only grazed the outside of the post when he finally let rip.

We all do things in life that we later regret. More often than not; it involves pairing off with a tubster after a heavy night on the ale; or ‘Lenny Henry syndrome’ as it’s known on the street. I am particularly ashamed of my behaviour while on a family holiday in Greece. The hotel manager struggled to understand the wife’s thick Glaswegian accent, and jumped to the conclusion that she was mentally challenged. I should really have set him straight, but a good parking space is hard to find. Being married to a Sweaty does have its drawbacks though, as an outbreak of violence is always just around the corner. I remember when I foolishly overcooked her fish supper: she dropped the nut more than a KP rep with Parkinson’s.

Holders Brazil reached the final of the 2007 Copa America by beating Uruguay 5-4 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in Maracaibo, Venezuela. Inter's Maicon opened the scoring for the seleçao in the 13th minute before former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan equalised for Uruguay in the 36th and ex-Arsenal man Julio Baptista sent Brazil into a 2-1 lead with a strike five minutes before the interval. Los Charrúas' Sebastián Abreu levelled matters at 2-2 in the 71st minute and no further goals followed through extra-time, resulting in a penalty shootout.

The 2007 CONMEBOL Copa America quarter-finals produced an avalanche of 22 goals this weekend in Venezuela. Much fancied Argentina's comprehensive 4-0 dismissal of Peru in Barquisimeto was the lowest-scoring of the ties. Attacking ace Juan Riquelme notched a pair of goals while Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano added to the second half blue and white windfall. The prize for Argentina is a mouth-watering semi-final clash with Mexico, the revelation of the tournament. Their semi-final is a chance for the Central Americans to bounce back after the USA pipped them 2-1 to win June's CONCACAF Gold Cup , as well as an opportunity to extract revenge from Argentina for eliminating them by the odd goal at last summer's World Cup in Germany.

Smarter people than me, if such a group actually exist, have struggled to find a solution to the threat of terror. Islamic fundamentalists are often berated, but I have a certain amount of sympathy for their plight: if I couldn’t have a bet or a bacon sandwich, I’d probably be suicidal myself. I don’t want to ram my own theories down anyone’s throat (if I was to ram anything down somebody’s throat, it wouldn’t be a theory), but the only way we can move forward as a multicultural society is to embrace the concept of secularism. The only church I would ever enter is the tubby Welsh one, and I’d need a good few ales beforehand to warm the goggles up.

The USA retained its crown as the top nation in North & Central America by defeating traditional rivals Mexico 2-1 in the final of the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup in Chicago. Neither nation had impressed in squeezing past their semi-final opponents; the US beat Canada 2-1 and Mexico edged Guadeloupe 1-0, but the big two of this FIFA region served up a rip-roaring climax to the tournament. The 50,760 in attendance at Soldier Field in Chicago were largely Mexican expats, who saw El Tricolor snatch a precious lead a minute before the interval through Atlas' starlet Andres Guardado.

Copa America Venezuela 2007 The 2007 Copa America will take place in Venezuela June 26-July 15. This is the 42nd time the tournament has been held since 1916. Brazil are the current holders having won in 2004 in Peru .

I'm unwilling to pigeon hole myself politically, but if forced, I would happily place myself in the ‘frustrated feminist’ box. If I was around in the early part of the twentieth century I’d have been more than happy to burn bras with the Suffragettes, as it’s a literally evil contraption.