A Two Edged, Dangerous Sword

ESPN FC reported yesterday that, like the mighty Ajax in The Iliad, Miguel Herrera "[fell] on his own sword." The fiery personality, who is often seen yelling his head off at the referees or his Mexican national team players, allowed his famous tenacity to get the better of him. The weapon that he wielded to vault the Mexicans back to the top of CONCACAF and a victory in the recent Gold Cup (albeit not without a heavily warranted amount of controversy) led to his downfall. He overstepped his bounds and hit a Mexican journalist. Ah, if only he refreshed himself with the story of the heroic Ajax, the inspiration for the name of Dutch giants and talent factory Ajax Amsterdam FC, then he might have avoided this troublesome situation. Also, he might still have his job.

That's another matter to consider. Should Herrera have been fired? Admittedly, his position as a public figure and ambassador for Mexican football (soccer) does not provide him with any slack for the occasional need to attack an insolent journalist. Regardless, the question still carries some weight. Herrera led Mexico to an impressive World Cup performance last summer and claimed the 2015 Gold Cup just a few days ago. Compared to the recent failings at the Mexican helm, such a CV does not carry a "Please Fire" stamp with it. On top of that, reporters have mentioned how the players love playing for Herrera. I, for one, am a believer that the players should be consulted before a crucial decision like this is made. Sure, there might be criticism from the media outlets, but the player-coach relationship is very important in sports. At the minimum level, the players should at least be asked about their opinions.

While I am very well aware of the changing situation in the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) and how they desire to establish a new level of order and stability within the national team, they need to consider the results. One especially important result coming up on October 9th at the Rose Bowl--the play-off showdown with US national team (who I will be rooting for). Their decision to fire Herrera could potentially destroy the team's confidence and might negatively carry into their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign. The FMF and its new president, Decio de Maria, better be wary of tripping and falling on their own sword.