“Failing is not trying”: Fernando Ortíz after Liga MX end Leagues Cup adventure

After losing 2-0 to Nashville, a result that left Rayados out of the Leagues Cup, their coach Fernando Ortíz was calm and without any reproach towards his team. He accepted that the MLS team was the deserved winner, but that they had their chance to win the contest. Unfortunately, they just couldn’t out the ball away when it mattered.

“Nashville were better”

“If you don’t score goals, it’s hard to win,” said the South American boss showing that he knew the fine details of the sport’s objectives. “At times we were superior and we were not clear. Nashville did play a good game, I admit it, I congratulate them and we keep working, this continues. We will play for third place and then we will think about Liga MX.

“Nashville were better, they played well, they were just better, you have to admit that. You have to include situations that many sometimes avoid, it’s the reality. Hopefully they can have a good final and that they play their best match.”

“Sometimes a loss leads you to think about all these kinds of questions about what happened,” Ortíz continued. “There is a squad, there are players, and I keep supporting them. When there is not a result that we all want or expect, this type of situation happens, it is the only way I can answer you.”

And on the four semifinals that the team has recently lost, the manager stayed pragmatic and positive.

“It’s football, when it happens they’ll say you failed, if you don’t get there they’ll say you failed. Failing is not trying. They’ll always have something to say, so I’m calm with the work I do. It’s part of this job.

“I am sad because I did not get the win today but I am looking forward to being able to solve the small errors that prevented us getting to the final. I trust and I am grateful for the squad that I have, you saw it throughout this cup, the dedication that the players have. I’m lucky to be able to lead them.”