Mexico vs. New Zealand World Cup 2014 Playoffs: Will Javier 'Chicharito Hernandez' & Giovanni Dos Santos Be Cut From the Team?

Will Giovani Dos Santos and Javier Hernandez be left out of next month's World Cup Qualifiers?

New Mexican coach Miguel Herrera has announced his squad for a set of upcoming friendlies leading up to the fateful matches against New Zealand and neither star was placed on the list. In all fairness, no European player was on the squad, likely out of consideration for the commitments to the leagues in coming weeks. Both Dos Santos and Hernandez play in the Europe.

"We will only be calling up players who are committed to El Tri, there is no time to make substitutions. At this time we are thinking about two games," Herrera said Sunday according to ESPN. "The players who don't want to be on El Tri won't be there. There isn't time to sit down and look for anyone."

Most of the players announced on the squad come from the Mexican club America which Herrera used to coach. This indicates that the new coach, knowing what is on the line, is using players that he is comfortable with.

Hernandez and Dos Santos were once seen as the cornerstones of a Mexican golden age. However, the two stars have diminished in prominence over the last years. In the fateful game against Costa Rica last week, Dos Santos was left on the bench until late in the game while Hernandez became the scapegoat for most pundits and fans. He looked uncomfortable on the pitch, missed two prime scoring chances, and was invisible when the team needed him most. Oribe Peralta, the other main goal scorer on the team was called up by Herrera and could be taking over Hernandez's spot as the top goal scorer for the upcoming qualifiers.  

Herrera's new squad could give him solid results and the coach could ultimately feel that both stars are unnecessary for the matches against New Zealand. If he opts for this route and Mexico manages to qualify then both players will need tremendous performances throughout the remainder of the 2013-14 season to justify an appearance in Brazil next summer.