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Cinco de Bueno: Apertura Managers On Hot Seat
The Mexican league will continue its annual bloodletting of managers, and these five coaches should have a concrete back-up plan in place, Goal.com's Luis Bueno says.
Aug 23, 2010 11:39:00 AM
By Luis Bueno
The numbers will only climb from there, as a manager’s position in Mexico is about as stable as the global economy. With a 17-game regular season, clubs need always to win and win now. Long-term building processes are rather nonexistent when the onus is on winning and reaching the playoffs; anything short can and often times cost managers their jobs.
Which managers are the next to go? Here are five men who might want to hammer out their back-up respective plans.
Ignacio Ambriz, San Luis
San Luis are in tatters and have been for a while. Despite reaching the playoffs in the Apertura 2009 season, one in which the club made a midseason managerial move, San Luis made another coaching move and brought Ambriz aboard. His first venture as manager resulted in a three-win campaign. Now, San Luis have one victory in five games.
In the relegation table, San Luis sit in third place and have a bit more solid footing than Jaguares but just barely. San Luis are six points ahead of Jaguares and could see themselves fall behind their league rivals in all of three games.
Miguel Herrera, Estudiantes
So far, “El Piojo” Herrera has been a bit of a survivor. Herrera has been in charge of Estudiantes before their rebranding and has been there through thick and thin. Much to the club’s chagrin, it’s been mostly thin. Herrera took over during the Apertura 2008 season and helped Tecos reach the Liguilla then, and also led the team to the postseason in the Clausura 2009 season but have not been there since.
Herrera has weathered storm after storm. With the roster he’s put in place, Estudiantes will always surrender goals and will be successful if their offense is firing on all cylinders – otherwise, games could and have gotten ugly. This season, for instance, Estudiantes sit with a minus-five goal differential, having yielded a league-high 11 goals.
Thus far, Estudiantes management has been patient with Herrera but even the fiery and diminutive manager will see his luck run out at some point.
Whoever Takes Over At Atlas
While other jobs seem unsavory, Atlas’ managerial position is perhaps the most unappealing in Mexico. The club is mired in a seasons-long slump that could result in a ticket out of the Primera Division. Atlas last reached the playoffs in the Clausura 2007 season and since then have gone through six managers, including Ischia.
Atlas, San Luis and Jaguares are within seven points of the bottom of the relegation table and success by any one of the clubs could see the others spiral downward. Atlas, though, seems in more dire straits than their other two clubs. Atlas’ front-office situation has been unstable as well as the club have dealt with financial issues in recent past.
Ischia’s successor will have a short amount of time to make things right, and if he does not Atlas could send him packing quickly.
Jose Guadalupe Cruz, Jaguares
Sure, Cruz just took over before the Apertura season but Jaguares desperately need points. With an 0-3-2 record, the club sits in the penultimate spot in the relegation table and only the recently-promoted Necaxa sit between Jaguares and the Liga de Ascenso. If Necaxa start to obtain some points, los Rayos could see themselves shoot up the table and leave Jaguares at the bottom and in line for a second-division trip.
Cruz won a league title with Atlante in 2007 and led los Potros to the CONCACAF Champions League crown in the 08-09 edition, but that does not guarantee anything. Jaguares after all went through three managers just last season and the pressure to win is especially high.
Jose Luis Real, Chivas
A trip to the Copa Libertadores final is enough for Real to consider a long-term spell with Chivas, right? After all, he’s proven that he can have success both internationally as well as domestically (playoff appearance last season).
Well, consider Jose Manuel De La Torre. In 2006, “Chepo” led Chivas to the Copa Libertadores semifinals and won the Apertura 2006 title. In the Clausura 2007 season, he took Chivas to the semifinals. Nine games into the Apertura 2007 season, he was gone. Since then, he’s won two titles with Toluca and is in line to take over the Mexican national team. Managerial talent, thus, had nothing to do with De La Torre’s stay in Guadalajara and won’t save Real either.
Chivas’ success in Copa Libertadores will only go so far. After all, if Chivas puts on a display of ineptitude at their new stadium, volatile owner Jorge Vergara might get an itch trigger finger and Real may find himself on the outside looking in.
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