Football
ESPN staff 9y

Giovani dos Santos' Mexico omission puzzles LA Galaxy coach Bruce Arena

LA Galaxy manager Bruce Arena has suggested Giovani dos Santos' omission from the Mexico squad is a curious decision.

Dos Santos has shined since moving to MLS last month, scoring three goals and adding six assists in his first six games with the Galaxy.

He has become a figurehead for Mexico in recent years and started at World Cup, but he was surprisingly left off of interim coach Ricardo "Tuca" Ferretti's first Mexico squad for friendlies against Trinidad and Tobago on Friday and Argentina on Tuesday.

The Galaxy are off this weekend, and Dos Santos hasn't spoken to the media since the squad was announced last week.

Former United States coach Arena mostly kept kept his opinion of Ferreti's squad decision close to his vest, but told reporters: "Yeah, I have thoughts about it but it's certainly not my business.

"I would just think that they have a pretty good team if [Dos Santos] wasn't called up."

Dos Santos had expressed his support for former coach Miguel Herrera just after his firing this summer, and offered only tempered support for Ferretti after his hiring.

"Well, he's the new coach, and the federation has made that decision," Dos Santos told ESPN FC last month. "He's a good coach and we have to support him. He's got a lot of personality and he's a winner. I'm sure he'll bring good things to the team.

"Those of us who have been with the national team are used to this by now and we know now to adapt as quickly as possible to what a new coach wants.

"The good thing is that many of us know each other well and how we play already. We just have to adapt to the new philosophy of the new coach."

The Galaxy have five other players out on international duty this week as Omar Gonzalez and Gyasi Zardes joined the United States squad, Robbie Keane is with Ireland and A.J. DeLaGarza plays for Guam. Oscar Sorto is in England with the U.S. under-23 team.

The Western Conference leaders resume play on Sept. 12 against Montreal.

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