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Whether the managerial position will soon be open or not, former El Tri boss Miguel “Piojo” Herrera did not rule out a return to Mexico‘s men’s national team.
Speaking on ESPN’s Ahora o Nunca, the Tigres UANL manager said “I would never say no” to coaching Mexico again amid initial reports that current El Tri boss Gerardo “Tata” Martino could be on thin ice.
“I think my name has always been on the table, it gives me great pleasure, great pride, it means I’m doing things well where I show up to work. Honestly my mind is 100% with Tigres, [but] I’ve also said I would never say no to the national team,” Herrera said.
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Herrera’s comments followed a report from ESPN Mexico’s John Sutcliffe on Monday that Mexican club owners were mulling Martino’s future with El Tri, listing Herrera as a possible back-up plan. ESPN Mexico’s Rene Tovar reported on Tuesday that Mexican Football Federation president Yon de Luisa was “unaware that there will be a meeting with owners soon” and that Martino will remain with the team if it reaches the World Cup in Qatar. Tovar also reported that FMF officials were caught off-guard by Herrera’s comments.
Mexico has one game left in CONCACAF’s qualifying round against El Salvador on Wednesday and only need a tie to guarantee a direct spot to Qatar 2022.
Martino missed Mexico’s away qualifier on Sunday, a narrow 1-0 win over Honduras, due to recovering from a retinal detachment procedure on his right eye. Ahead of the game, the FMF announced that medical recommendation advised him to not travel by flight for at least six weeks. Martino is expected to return to Mexico’s bench for their qualifier at home this Wednesday against El Salvador.
Herrera, who coached Mexico to the 2014 World Cup, added that if Martino “doesn’t have the health, he should step aside.”
Martino has been under pressure since last year after failing to win a Gold Cup and Nations League title. Coupled with a noteworthy lack of goalscoring in World Cup qualifying and a reliance on veterans, as well as an absence of wins over the United States and Canada during World Cup qualifying, serious doubts have been put above the head of the Argentine.
For the match against El Salvador, Mexico will be without Hector Herrera, who will miss the game at Estadio Azteca due to yellow card accumulation.