Giovani Dos Santos

[warden90 0]

With less than two weeks away from participating in the inaugural World Cup match, Mexico players are trying to console one of their great hopes for 2010.

After learning his brother Jonathan was left off the World Cup roster, Giovani Dos Santos apparently took the news hard. According to his father Zizinho, 'Gio' called his father in tears and said he no longer wanted to play in the World Cup.

Teammates, though, have offered their support to try and settle the youngsters' nerves.

"We want Gio to feel calm. We're trying to console him," Mexico skipper Gerardo Torrado told Mexican daily Record. "Jonathan is gone and we should shoot forward, support him because it him the hardest. We're talking to him and letting him feel the support of the group and that he feels better as quick as possible, that he feels like he's at home so he can train like everyone else and for him to get to the World Cup strong."

After 'Jona' was let go from the team, Zizinho launched into verbal assaults on the Mexican Football Federation and the national team, saying that his younger son would no longer play for El Tri.

Torrado said such a reaction was understandable.

"We should look at those declarations as coming from a father who defends his son," Torrado said. "I haven't seen everything he said but let's take them that way."

Jonathan Dos Santos had been given opportunities to prove his worth. He played in four games with El Tri this year, the latest a 90-minute effort in Sunday's 5-1 win over Gambia. He had gained the respect of players around him and because of that, the group tried to console him when they learned he was the final player omitted from the roster.

"He is a player of great quality, offered the same as everyone, worked hard, gave a good effort and responsibility," Torrado said. "We were notified of his status and everyone went up to him, one by one. It was something spontaneous. We told him what we feltt and tried to lift his spirts up, to know that we wished him the best. It was the decision of the coaching staff and there are other players who can occupy his position."

However, Torrado stopped short of calling Jona's removal unfair.

"We can't talk about injustice. We all knew that one of us was going to be out, that there would be one cut," he said. "Jona has character, and has a long road in front of him and now we must move forward, concentrate on our work and think about Italy."

http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/67/world-cup/2010/06/01/1953213/mexico-players-trying-to-console-giovani-dos-santos

[supermac 115]

Pretty childish to play for your country is an honour I wouldn't let Gio back in