Héctor Altamirano is out at Querétaro after the Gallos Blancos opened the season with an 0-3-4 mark. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
When the Gallos Blancos pink-slipped Héctor “Pity” Altamirano on Aug. 23 and replaced him with Uruguayan manager Leo Ramos, the 18-team Liga MX found itself with just four Mexican coaches. That’s right … four.
One of the four remaining Mexican head coaches in Liga MX is Víctor Manuel Vucetich who is on a very hot seat with the Chivas. So if “El Rey Midas” is asked to pack up and leave soon (due to a combination of poor results and recent derogatory comments he made to the media about Guadalajara’s proudly held tradition of exclusively using Mexican players), we could find the Mexican coaching fraternity in Liga MX reduced to just three members.
Those three managers are Miguel Herrera (Tigres), Javier Aguirre (Monterrey) and Guillermo Vázquez (Necaxa). The first two are secure in their positions, while “Memo” is patching together a low-budget team just as new owners begin to establish control of the franchise. So his job security is questionable until the front office restructuring is complete.
Of course, there is always the chance that Vucetich rights the Chivas ship after the lousy 2-3-3 start for “El Rebaño Sagrado” and manages to hold onto his job through the rest of the Apertura 2021. I’m not betting on that happening; I’m just saying there’s a chance.
Will Liga MX coaching carousel resume spinning?
If Ricardo Peláez and Amaury Vergara pull the trigger and sack Vucetich, it is not a given that a non-Mexican will be hired. The 100%-Mexican policy does not extend to the coaching box. Among the prominent foreign managers – there have been 20 in all – who’ve patrolled the Chivas sidelines are Leo Beenhakker, Osvaldo Ardiles, Xabier Azkargota, Ricardo LaVolpe, Carlos Miloc, Ricardo “Tuca” Ferretti and Matías Almeyda. “Tuca” and Almeyda won Liga MX titles for Guadalajara and Almeyda’s controversial departure in 2019 remains a sore spot for Chivas fans.
The early odds on who will replace Vucetich – this subject has been in the sports pages for over a month now – favor Argentine Antonio Mohamed. “El Turco” was a favorite of Peláez when the latter was GM at Cruz Azul but he was outmaneuvered by other members of the Cementeros front office and Robert Dante Siboldi was installed as head man for “La Máquina” (the internal power play led to Peláez’s resignation and re-emergence with Guadalajara a few months later).
Mohamed has three Liga MX titles on his résumé (Xolos of Tijuana – Apertura 2012, América – Apertura 2014, Monterrey – Apertura 2019) as well as two Copa MX trophies, both of those while managing the Rayados (Apertura 2107 and 2020).
One other candidate gaining support is Jaime Lozano, coach of the bronze medal-winning El Tri Olímpico. “Jimmy” announced his availability last week upon resigning as Mexico’s U-23 manager. His goal is to coach “a prominent club” and gain experience so as to be in the running to take the El Tri job after the 2022 World Cup.
Uruguayan manager Leo Ramos</a>, the 18-team Liga MX found itself with just four Mexican coaches. That’s right … four.</p>
<p>One of the four remaining Mexican head coaches in Liga MX is Víctor Manuel Vucetich who is on a very hot seat with the Chivas. So if “El Rey Midas” is asked to pack up and leave soon (due to a combination of poor results and <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2021/09/07/liga-mx-odds-ends-coaches-big-4-talk/"https://playingfor90.com/2021/09/04/latest-liga-mx-soap-opera-chivas-turn/">recent derogatory comments he made to the media</a> about Guadalajara’s proudly held tradition of exclusively using Mexican players), we could find the Mexican coaching fraternity in Liga MX reduced to just three members.</p>
<p>Those three managers are Miguel Herrera (Tigres), Javier Aguirre (Monterrey) and Guillermo Vázquez (Necaxa). The first two are secure in their positions, while “Memo” is patching together a low-budget team just as new owners begin to establish control of the franchise. So his job security is questionable until the front office restructuring is complete.</p>
<p>Of course, there is always the chance that Vucetich rights the Chivas ship after the lousy 2-3-3 start for <em>“El Rebaño Sagrado”</em> and manages to hold onto his job through the rest of the Apertura 2021. I’m not betting on that happening; I’m just saying there’s a chance.</p>
<h2>Will Liga MX coaching carousel resume spinning?</h2>
<p>If Ricardo Peláez and Amaury Vergara pull the trigger and sack Vucetich, it is not a given that a non-Mexican will be hired. The 100%-Mexican policy does not extend to the coaching box. Among the prominent foreign managers – there have been 20 in all – who’ve patrolled the Chivas sidelines are Leo Beenhakker, Osvaldo Ardiles, Xabier Azkargota, Ricardo LaVolpe, Carlos Miloc, Ricardo “Tuca” Ferretti and Matías Almeyda. “Tuca” and Almeyda won Liga MX titles for Guadalajara and Almeyda’s controversial departure in 2019 remains a sore spot for Chivas fans.</p>
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<p>The early odds on who will replace Vucetich – this subject has been in the sports pages for over a month now – favor Argentine Antonio Mohamed. “El Turco” was a favorite of Peláez when the latter was GM at Cruz Azul but he was outmaneuvered by other members of the Cementeros front office and Robert Dante Siboldi was installed as head man for <em>“La Máquina”</em> (the internal power play led to Peláez’s resignation and re-emergence with Guadalajara a few months later).</p>
<p>Mohamed has three Liga MX titles on his résumé (Xolos of Tijuana – Apertura 2012, América – Apertura 2014, Monterrey – Apertura 2019) as well as two Copa MX trophies, both of those while managing the Rayados (Apertura 2107 and 2020).</p>
<p>One other candidate gaining support is Jaime Lozano, coach of the bronze medal-winning El Tri Olímpico. <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2021/09/07/liga-mx-odds-ends-coaches-big-4-talk/"https://www.record.com.mx/futbol-futbol-nacional-seleccion-mexicana/jimmy-lozano-acepta-interes-de-varios-clubes-pero-asegura">“Jimmy” announced his availability last week</a> upon resigning as Mexico’s U-23 manager. His goal is to coach “a prominent club” and gain experience so as to be in the running to take the El Tri job after the 2022 World Cup.</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">An image América fans have seen all to often: Nicolás Benedetti being carted off the pitch. Coach Santiago Solari is hoping that is all in the past. (Photo by Leopoldo Smith/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>América reconsiders, will hold onto ‘El Poeta’</h3>
<p>Nico Benedetti appeared to be the odd man out at América after coach Santiago Solari agreed to welcome Renato Ibarra back to La Coapa over the summer. Ibarra – an Ecuador international – had been booted from the club in 2020 after an ugly domestic violence incident that even saw Ibarra spend time in jail.</p>
<p>After a year in exile “on loan” to Atlas, Ibarra returned in August, scoring upon his debut back in an Aguilas uniform. However, the winger suffered an injury that same day, with the Aguilas declaring it season-ending. Ibarra angered América management by seeking a second opinion, and his new doctors claim he could be available to return in a matter of weeks.</p>
<p>At the same time, Santiago Baños was working to loan out Benedetti and acquire Darwin Machis from Spain’s Granada. But with the Ibarra injury and <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2021/09/07/liga-mx-odds-ends-coaches-big-4-talk/"https://www.espn.com.mx/futbol/mexico/nota/_/id/9151349/america-rechazo-granada-darwin-machis-venta-jugador">the Machis deal scuttled</a>, the América GM suddenly had two “foreigner” spots unfilled. (Liga MX regs allow each team to include up to 10 foreign players on its game-day roster.)</p>
<p>Benedetti was already on his way to Mazatlán FC when the Aguilas reneged on the deal. <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2021/09/07/liga-mx-odds-ends-coaches-big-4-talk/"https://www.record.com.mx/futbol-liga-mx-america/america-nicolas-benedetti-se-quedaria-en-america-ya-no-habria-otro-refuerzo">América determined it best to hold onto the Colombian playmaker</a> so as not to be caught short.</p>
<p>“El Poeta” has oodles of talent but he has been beset by one injury after another since joining<em> “Los AzulCremas”</em> in January 2019, making it impossible to establish himself in the Aguilas’ rotation.</p>
<p>Another player getting whispered about in América circles is Jonathan dos Santos. The Team Mexico stalwart currently plies his trade for the L.A. Galaxy, but he is out of contract in December.</p>
<p>Some argued that Jona was unlikely to sign with the team he grew up dreaming of playing with (his father, Zizinho, played for América in the 1980s) because of the way they treated his brother, Gio. The elder Dos Santos remains without a club after his unceremonious dismissal by the Aguilas over the summer.</p>
<p>But then last week, Jona was seen clowning around with goalie Memo Ochoa at a Team Mexico practice. Audio of the incident appears to indicate Jona was urging the Aguilas captain to convince coach Solari to sign him up. Naturally, the Galaxy man could have just been playing around in front of the cameras, but it would make for an interesting addition to an already sturdy midfield.</p>
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<h3>UNAM: Least of the Liga MX Big Four</h3>
<p>The Pumas momentarily halted <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2021/09/07/liga-mx-odds-ends-coaches-big-4-talk/"https://playingfor90.com/2021/09/06/liga-mx-fifa-break/4/">talk of a disaster</a> after their 2-0 win over Puebla on Matchday 6. However, that was followed by a calamitous 2-1 loss at Toluca that featured three red cards for <em>“Los Universitarios.”</em></p>
<p>Right back Alan Mozo, winger Ángel García and striker Juan Ignacio Dinenno were sent to the showers by ref César Ramos, making the Pumas’ upcoming match against the Chivas a real uphill climb.</p>
<p><a href=https://playingfor90.com/2021/09/07/liga-mx-odds-ends-coaches-big-4-talk/"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vvwIbUPi6g%22>Mozo raked Rubens Sambueza’s knee</a> with a reckless high challenge, collecting a red card for the third season in a row. The once-promising fullback is proving more and more unreliable, and he might find himself parked in Andrés Lillini’s dog house for some time.</p>
<p>Dinenno earned his expulsion AFTER the final whistle, adding additional headaches on top of the dissension the underperforming Argentine has been causing at the training ground where he has been acting out to protest the club’s failure to move him to a European team.</p>
<p>The on-field and off-field drama occurs just as it appears the club can re-open its stadium to fans. There’s not many more attractive games to sell tickets for than a visit from Chivas. Unfortunately, Pumas fans might not like what they see. They already don’t like the 1-2-4 performance that has <em>“Los Auriazules”</em> in 15th place.</p>
<p>To that end, the UNAM board of directors is pursuing a new general manager to replace the departed Jesús Martínez. <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2021/09/07/liga-mx-odds-ends-coaches-big-4-talk/"https://www.record.com.mx/futbol-liga-mx-pumas/pumas-tato-noriega-podria-ser-el-reemplazo-de-chucho-ramirez">The top candidate appears to be</a> Pumas academy product José Antonio Noriega.</p>
<p>“Tato” came up through the UNAM system, debuting with the Pumas in a championship season – 1991. In addition to a long playing career (“Tato” also played for the title-winning Monarcas Morelia – Invierno 2000), Noriega has considerable experience as a front office man.</p>
<p>The 51-year-old Mexico City native served as general manager with Santos Laguna, Monarcas Morelia and, most recently, with FC Juárez. “Tato” is also media savvy, having spent years as a commentator on ESPN’s UEFA Champions League coverage.</p>
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<p>Whoever UNAM settles on, the principle goal will be stability. Pumas fans have experienced dramatic ups-and-downs the past several years. To wit, a top 3 finish in the Apertura 2018 that ended with a 7-2 rout at the hands of América in the Liga MX semifinals; a 15th-place finish the next season and a 13th-place place right after; then a second-place finish and a Liga MX Finals appearance in the Guardianes 2020, followed by a 15th-place finish last season.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">