They need to look at the Expansion League: Luis Márquez

Luis Márquez , who emerged from the Chivas youth system, knows the Expansion League in depth, after a process with teams such as Zacatepec and Alteños de Tepatitlán , where he went from being a Chivas player to living a great stage in the silver division of Mexican soccer, in which he was a protagonist and won titles.

In an interview with EL INFORMADOR, "Gordito" Márquez stated that it is necessary to look at the Expansion League , since he considered that there are high-quality Mexican soccer players who could occupy a place in the First Division.

“We still need to look at the bottom of the list a bit, and I think there are several players who have done so successfully, who have played very well in the Liga de Expansión and have reached the First Division and stayed there. There are several cases; I can tell you two, three: Diego De Buen, Ricardo Marín, Pavel Pérez, who are the ones that come to mind right now, and who have done very well in the First Division, as well as other players who, without a doubt, could have a place with the most important clubs in the country,” he noted.

Márquez revealed that there are many foreign players whose places could be filled by Mexican players . He believed that many players in various First Division teams are taking away space from young players with better potential.

"In fact, you can find better players in Expansión than the foreigners brought into Liga MX, and they aren't given the opportunity because those foreigners are there. I can't say they're a hindrance, but they are taking away a spot from a young player who can do much better," he added.

During his time in the second division, Márquez became a protagonist and a figurehead. However, he explained that, despite his achievements, the young Mexican footballer has very limited opportunities, just as he experienced as a player coming through Guadalajara's youth system.

"There was a problem with a manager who was at Chivas, and he had already told me I would return to the first team while I was in Zacatepec, because of how we were playing that season in Expansión. Afterwards, we lost a quarterfinal, and he got angry with me because, according to him, I was at fault, and he ended up threatening me that if he didn't turn things around, he wouldn't return to Chivas.

“When I return to Chivas, I'm going to Tapatío. But I was hurt, I had a very serious, severe groin pain that prevented me from playing. I think that, despite all the rehabilitation I did, I couldn't do things the way I knew how and the way I wanted. Despite that, I didn't get any more opportunities to continue showing my true potential,” he asserted.

The "Talacha", better than the Expansion

Given the lack of opportunities available to players in the Expansion League, the so-called "talacha" (a job) in amateur soccer has become a refuge for many Mexican players . Luis Márquez has experienced this, asserting that there are teams that pay and treat players better than those in the second division.

"In fact, there are teams that treat you better than an Expansion team. Most Expansion teams give you clothes, food, a good salary, they treat you very well. I think many players have also left Expansion football for the money, because what you earn there, compared to what you can earn here in a tournament, is a huge difference.

“I do know some teammates. Here, at the very least, they'll give you a thousand dollars per tournament, which is what they earn. There, in a month, in the 'talacha,' they provide you with many services that aren't available at Expansión: you travel by plane, they provide you with clothing, very good hotels, you have your food and hydration on the courts, and as for care, they bring you a physical therapist, they provide everything. The only thing you have to worry about is playing,” he concluded.

SV