Paco Jemez’s press conference after America vs Cruz Azul

Paco Jemez's stint as Cruz Azul coach has been controversial from the start. A guy with a notorious relationship with the press before, has lived up to expectation since his start at Cruz Azul. Days after saying that Cruz Azul wasn't a big team, in relation to his current team losing 3-0 to Lobos BUAP, he once again got into with the press when he accused them of twisting his words to create controversy. Still, it might have been less confrontational than expected after Cruz Azul lost to America and was eliminated from the Copa MX. Here are some of the highlights from the Press conferences after the game

-What can you say about what happened in the game and especially about Chaco's (Christian Gimenez) red card?

We made a great effort but didn't get the result. In the first half it was a very even game and going a man down against a team like America is tough. Even though we had a very good second half, we had our options to tie the game but having a man down makes every player have to give more effort. I'm sad for the result not because of the effort we had.

I was too far from the play to see if it was a red card. From where I was, I though it looked like but I can't tell you anything more.

-Do you feel today that the team level of play is decreasing? The team started well but these last games as the team hasn't been getting the results, do you feel they have been going down football wise?

No

-In this game they were several key players who didn't play like Jesus Corona, Martin Rodriguez, Gabriel Peñalba, how do you feel missing those players affected the team today?

I can't predict the future. I brought 18 players who are all part of Cruz Azul. Players like Jerry Flores, who wasn't playing and played a great game. It had nothing to do with it.

-Were you looking for something, like a reaction, from your team in the field after the game against Lobos BUAP, when you said that Cruz Azul hadn't played like a big team?

We have to look for every way to try to wake up your team. Many times you may not have the best option but the one that gets to the team. Today we have nothing to complain about this team. I'm very proud of this team. We aren't doing anything different from what we were doing before. Today we were eliminated from the Copa MX playing in what I consider a great level. Playing with great integrity after being a man down. We have three games left in the league and we have to concentrate on the fact we are a great team. This doesn't have to affect us. We have a clear objective that we have been working all season.

-It's part of the job of the media to give the opportunity to clear things up. Is there anything you want to clear with the Cruz Azul fans about your statement that Cruz Azul isn't a big team?

Look I won my words not what you interpret. Cruz Azul fans are very smart and now exactly what I meant. The problem is when you, or some of you, lie or manipulate the information and say what you want, that your problem not mine. You are the ones who should be explaining it to them, not me. You, the ones who lied and manipulated the information are the ones who must explain why they said that.

-How can you lift the team for the Tigres game after this result?

They lift themselves up. They are great professionals. They know you can win and lose. They know we faced a great rival that you can give advantages too. I can assure you that after the game was over, we are concentrating only in the Tigres game.

- You can see things from two ways, while it tough that you lost the game and are sad but you can now only focus on the league. Have you see it this way?

In all negative things you have to look for the bright side. If you want to look at it that way, yes we will have more time to prepare for the league games. I would have wanted to continue in the competition but we will have more time to prepare, to get players back from injuries. It can be seen as a positive but I would have liked to continue and it was our obligation to do so.