Herbert keeps watch on Mexicans

FOOTBALL

FINALLY, Ricki Herbert has some clarity.

The All Whites coach was a spy in the San Diego stands as World Cup qualifying opponents Mexico beat Finland 4-2 in a friendly on Thursday.

It was Miguel Herrera’s first game in charge of the struggling Mexicans, who have churned through four coaches in less than two months.

Herrera is also coach of Mexican league champions America and 10 of his club players were in the squad that beat Finland.

Herbert, who watched the game from a media box at Qualcomm Stadium, said Herrera had employed his preferred 5-3-2 system.

It is similar to Herbert’s All Whites 3-4-3 set-up, which becomes 5-4-1 when defending.

‘‘They play with a back three, same to us really,’’ said Herbert before flying home from Los Angeles yesterday.

‘‘With two wing backs that very much get forward. They’re good athletes the wide players [Miguel Layun and Paul Aguilar], up and down the line a lot.’’

While the turmoil in Mexico has caused great angst amongst their passionate fanbase, the constant coaching changes has also meant difficulties for Herbert as he plans for the qualifiers in Mexico City on November 14 and Wellington on November 20.

Mexico beat Finland without their European stars and Herrera said Manchester United’s Javier Hernandez and Villareal’s Giovani dos Santos would almost certainly be absent against the All Whites.

Ricki Herbert

‘‘It is not that they are bad, they are very good players, but the trip is very taxing and arriving on November 7, 8 or 9 to play on the 13th [local time], they won’t finish adapting to the situation that we attacking-type team and if there is any vulnerable area it probably is at the back,’’ Herbert said.

‘‘So there are some potential opportunities there, definitely. But they weren’t bad, they dealt with Finland quite well. The three centre halves were all pretty good in the air and dealt with that OK, probably better than what I thought they may do. Four goals, I think they’ll be well pleased with that but the playoffs [have] a lot more riding on it.’’

Herbert now crosses his fingers that his players emerge from this weekend’s club games unscathed.

Star striker Shane Smeltz is poised to make a timely comeback from hip surgery for Perth Glory against Sydney FC tonight.

Barring any setbacks, Herbert said both Smeltz and Vfb Stuttgart attacker Marco Rojas (foot) would be included in the 22-man squad on Monday to play Mexico.

‘‘The only issue with them [Smeltz and Rojas] is they haven’t had a lot of football,’’ Herbert said.

‘‘But obviously excellent talent for us. They’ll be utilised strongly, whether it’s away or home or whatever, very much so. Hopefully [Smeltz] gets some gametime. Obviously they wouldn’t bring him back into the mix if he wasn’t ready so that’s real good news.’’

Meanwhile, reports have surfaced that Panama are investigating a possible appeal against Mexico fielding an ineligible player during World Cup qualifying.

Former Argentina under-20 international Christian Gimenez played for Mexico throughout qualifying.

Herbert was unaware of the reports.

‘‘But it’s interesting.’’