There is undeniable disappointment and concern within the Mexican Soccer Federation after failing to defeat the USMNT at the Azteca Stadium. This would have practically sealed Mexico’s qualification to Qatar 2022. That is why there is already a plan B to rescue El Tri’s ship if it were to sink with Gerardo Martino at the helm.
The Azteca Stadium is no longer the fortress it once was for Mexico. For three editions of the Concacaf Qualifiers (including this one), El Tri has not been able to beat the United States. If this is added to the defeats in the Gold Cup and Nations League finals, it is increasingly doubtful that Mexico will remain the best team in the zone.
Add to that the fact that Canada has dominated the Concacaf Qualifiers from start to finish and that Mexico’s performance is far from optimal, and it is credible that Gerardo Tata Martino’s process could be under scrutiny if they do not get a direct pass to the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The candidate to replace Tata Martino at the Mexico National Team
According to ESPN‘s Mexico insider John Sutcliffe, the Mexican Soccer Federation, led by Yon de Luisa, wants to support Gerardo Tata Martino’s process with the Mexican National Team until the end. However, they are aware that there are limits that cannot be crossed without consequences.
As mentioned, should el Tri fail to qualify directly for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in the two remaining matches of the Concacaf Qualifiers, and have to fight for a ticket to Qatar 2022 via the Intercontinental Playoff against a National Team from Oceania, the name on the table to take the reins of Mexico is current Liga MXTigres coach Miguel Piojo Herrera.
Miguel Herrera, Mexican coach. (Mauricio Salas/Jam Media/Getty Images)
Miguel Herrera already knows what it means to be the coach of the Mexican National Team and also what it means to be at the helm to rescue a qualification to a World Cup, as he did it in the qualifying process for Brazil 2014, where he took Mexico to the World Cup after beating New Zealand in the Intercontinental Playoff.
Herrera currently has Tigres at the top of Liga MX. He is the winningest coach in Mexican soccer in recent times, with two league titles with America and multiple league titles in the tournaments he has coached. With the Mexican National Team, he won the Gold Cup 2015.
