Sad news Steelers ask coach Jamie Lozano leaves…..
Mexico is now searching for a new head coach after Jamie Lozano’s departure, as we have previously reported. After failing to go past the 2022 World Cup group stage under Tata Martino, Mexico was eliminated from the Copa America during the group stage. According to the Mexican Football Federation (FMF), Lozano was offered a demotion, but he declined it in order to go on.
“Jaime Lozano was offered, along with his coaching staff, a contract until 2030, in which during 2024-2026 they will accompany a more experienced head coach towards our World Cup, and later it would be Jaime himself who would retake the reins of head coach in the 2026-2030 process,” according to a statement from the FMF. “Jaime Lozano told us he didn’t want to proceed after reviewing the plan. We honour his choice.”
After losing to the United States in the Nations League once more, Mexico’s conquest of the Concacaf Gold Cup proved to be short-lived as they have been unable to keep pace in an increasingly competitive zone. This isn’t just Lozano’s fault because the FMF is aimless and finds it difficult to bring in dual nationals, despite a pipeline of players from Major League Soccer to Liga MX developing. Even if Lozano finishes with a 10-4-7 record, there is still a lot of work ahead of the next coach, especially with a home World Cup in 2026.
ESPN reports that the FMF appears to be considering hiring Javier Aguirre as their team’s coach. He previously served as El Tri’s manager from 2001–02 and 2009–10, helping the national team both times to reach the World Cup. His most recent position was manager of Mallorca in Spain, when he led the team to play Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final. Aguirre is skilled at managing teams that prioritise defence, but Mexico also needs a player who can spark their offence.
The new head coach will be Mexico’s fourth since the 2018 World Cup, although the two that have come before Martino have not been very good. In the FIFA men’s rankings, Mexico has fallen to 15th place and is expected to keep falling as countries that are lagging them are getting better quickly. Neither Diego Cocca nor Lozano was able to accumulate a winning percentage beyond 50%.
Though currently balanced, an overhaul is required. Although strengthening Mexican football as a whole must take precedence, Aguirre’s choice of a well-known figure also makes sense in the midst of a World Cup cycle. Mexico needs to be in the best possible position to win the World Cup in the short term, but in the long run, youth development and dual national recruitment need to be examined.
If the proper management is in place, the roster should be strong enough to support that, so hiring someone with experience to handle it could be beneficial—as long as the process doesn’t overlook long-term objectives. After parting ways with Gregg Berhalter, the United States is in a similar situation, although unlike during the disastrous 2018 cycle under Bruce Arena, the USMNT do not currently have a manager who has coached the squad in the past on hand.
