en 2018, When the Mexican National Football Team was looking for a replacement Joan Carles Osorio in the technical direction, were carried out 24 interviews (15 personal and 9 telephone) with different coaches around the world to find the ‘ideal’ that would take the reins of the Tricolor.
Yon de Luisa, president of the Mexican Football Federation, boasted of “the job” of Guillermo Cantú, Dennis Et Kloese and Gerardo Torrado, who were in charge of conducting the polls to elect the new national strategist.
Without having a defined technical profile, it was known that they looked for strategists of international stature such as Marcelo Bielsa, André Villas Boas, Quique Sánchez Flores, Jürgen Klopp, Carlos Queiroz, Guus Hiddink, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Louis Van Gaal, Jürgen Klinsmann, José Pekerman i Mauricio Pochettino, Others; to the premises Ricardo Ferretti and Miguel Herrera.
The story ended with the designation of Gerardo Martino – who directed to Atlanta United of the MLS, club in which was champion -, with the antecedents of to have failed in Barcelona and the selection Argentina.
What is all this about? That it is not the first time that the directors of Aztec football put their eyes and their dreams on a world-class coach, beyond that except César Luis Menotti, World Champion with Argentina in 1978, has been the only one with this label to have commanded the Tricolor.
PEP GUARDIOLA, OUT OF REACH
This week, Pep Guardiola announced that in 2023 he will leave Manchester City, as the next aspiration in his career is to lead a national team.
“After seven years at the club I have to take a break. See what has been done and think about my inspirations. A selection, yes. If given the chance, a selection is the next step.
“I have to stop to see what we’ve done, learn from other coaches and maybe take that path. I’d like to train in a Euro, An America’s Cup or World Cup“, Expressed Pep.
The rumors about which national teams would be available to Guardiola immediately began: Spain, Germany and EnglandNaturally, they were the first to be put on the table.
Do youAnd Mexico? As for the economic issue, the Mexican Football Federation pays its coaches very well: Joan Carles Osorio earned $ 3.8 million in two years and nine months in office, and was the 13th highest paid coach of those who led the World Cup. Russia 2018.
However, Guardiola is fof economic and football scope for Mexico. Pep earns 23 million euros gross a year at Manchester City, is the second highest paid in the world – below Diego Simeone-.
And although it is a reality that national team coaches have perceptions lower than those of clubs and they are hired by cycles, not by years as in teams, Pep wouldn’t fit into the Tri budget either.
According to the Forbes magazine, Joachim Löw, with $ 15,400,000, Was the highest paid in the last World Cup, followed by Didier Deschamps, Which in fact would be champion, with 14 million… In this range and up will be Guardiola when he takes on a national team.
From the direction of the Mexican Selections has the desire of to renew Gerardo Martino until the 2026 World Cup, Whatever happens next year in Qatar, Although the Argentine asked for patience to finalize this agreement.
Guardiola will be free in 2023 and Guardiola knows Mexico and has filled it with praise: “How good it is to play football in Mexico, what a love of gambling there is, what a love of life there is, how well it is eaten, how it is people having so little. Mexico is a country Fantastic“I have a lot of love for Mexico,” he said in an interview a few years ago.
Of these praises to contemplate directing to the Tri there is a piece Infinity, Especially because Catalan will aspire to be World Champion or one Euro.
I would like to, yes. fascinating. But no, Pep is out of reach.