Borgetti Not To Play For Mexico In Friendly

Last updated : 26 March 2006 By Matt Bottom
Mexico will play a World Cup warm-up match against Paraguay at Soldier Field in Chicago on March 29 but 32-year-old Borgetti has been told he must remain in England.

"I do not understand. I am not playing at the moment," the striker told the Reforma newspaper.

"There cannot be any problems with me playing for Mexico. But because the match against Paraguay is not on a FIFA date, my team can refuse.

"I wanted to play for Mexico. I talked them about that, but I could not. I hoped to travel."

Borgetti recognises that he may be needed by Bolton as a number of their forwards are close to earning a suspension as they have four yellow cards.

"If they get suspended, I would play in their place," he said.

However, Borgetti has grown frustrated at a lack of first-team football, and has had to ask to play for the reserves to stay match fit ahead of the World Cup.

"I need to play for me and for my national team. Last Wednesday I played 50 minutes (for the reserves). It was not much, but it was an official match. Although it did not have a great level of football, I did have more minutes on the pitch."

Meanwhile, Bolton boss Sam Allardyce has put off ALL contract talks until the end of the season.

He said: "Once you start negotiating, if you don't hit the right figures or talk about the right money, it can affect a player's focus and I do not want that to happen.

"The main aim for us all should be to win as many games as we can and try to secure a place in Europe for the second successive season.

"If we can do that it will only strengthen the players' bargaining power because they can point to what they have achieved as part of the negotiations."