Rafa Marquez lambasted Liga MX owners on Tuesday for introducing a rule he believes will restrict opportunities for young Mexican players, even though the league said it was intended to do the opposite.
The 37-year-old El Tri captain has said that the new "10/8 rule" to assure that there are at least eight Mexican-born players in each matchday Liga MX squad is more to do with the economic side of the game than the sporting side and will actually harm the development of youngsters
"It will mean that there aren't talented players or groups [of youngsters] inside the same institutions and that those places will be taken by foreigners," said Marquez in a fiery news conference in Mexico City, where the national team is currently preparing for the Copa America Centenario. "They should think about things and take balanced decisions for the good of Mexican football."
The former Barcelona player also lamented the lack of voice and input for players to opine and help make decisions on such issues.
"The player doesn't have a voice or a vote, there is no union like in Italy, Spain or Argentina," said Atlas defender Marquez. "We have to follow orders like the 'gentlemen's pact' and we can't do anything.
"There are few leaders and fear of the monopoly," added Marquez. "That's why [Mexican] football is as it is and the country is like it is."
The "gentlemen's pact" is a secretive and unofficial law between Liga MX club owners, which results in players not being free to move clubs even when their contracts are at an end. It gives team owners much authority in Mexican football and the freedom to vote for rules like 10/8.
Marquez did, however, extend an olive branch to the owners, suggesting that he would be willing to help out should the opportunity arise.
"I always put myself out there without fear," said Marquez. "The day that something can be done for the player to participate, do something, have a voice and vote, I put myself forward as an option."
El Tri's captain also gave his opinion on the omission of Giovani dos Santos and Carlos Vela from the Mexico squad for the Copa America.
"Those of us that are here are committed and Gio and Vela are people that maybe didn't need this opportunity" said Marquez.
Finally, El Kaiser de Michoacan said that Mexico has a good chance of achieving big things at the Copa America in the United States next month.
"Looking at the squad and team, the coaching staff and knowing that in the Untied States we have support, we have an opportunity," he said. "It'll take a lot of work because there are quality national teams. We have to go step by step."