América begin the search for a new coach - who is available?
The Eagles have already been turned down by ‘Vasco’ Aguirre and Diego Alonso. Their options have been reduced, but they still have a wide deck to choose from.
América are on the lookout for a new coach following Fernando Ortiz’s departure. Ortiz announced that he would be stepping down after his side were eliminated in the Clausura 2023 semi-finals by Chivas. The following day, the board tried in vain to keep Tano at the club but he remained firm with his decision. One week on, and the search for a new coach is well underway, but so far, without success.
It has already been confirmed that two of the candidates who have been approached, Diego Alonso and Javier Aguirre, have turned América down. Alonso spent a year coaching Uruguay’s national team and is currently looking for a new project but perhaps not in the Liga MX. Aguirre’s contract with Mallorca is due to expire in just a few weeks’ time but according to some sources, the Mexican is expected to strike a two-year extension with the islanders after guiding his team to a mid-table finish in Spain’s top flight. Aguirre’s agent was quick to dampen rumours linking him to the America job, telling reporters, “We’ve been working on a new deal for a while and it’s heading in the right direction. We have some issues to sort out but hope to have the situation resolved in the next few days. I will be in Mallorca until Saturday and we hope the small flecks that remain will be ironed out before than. It’s all going well”.
Another option on the table is Atlético San Luis coach, André Jardine, although bringing him to the Azteca would also be a complicated operation. To hire the Brazilian, América would have to pay his release clause to buy him out of his contract with the Rojiblancos and that seems unlikely.
However, there are other coaches who are available - some of them took teams to the Qatar World. América will eventually get their man. We look at some of the possible candidates.
Reinaldo Rueda
Age: 66
Previous clubs: Colombia, Honduras, Ecuador, Atletico Nacional, Flamengo, Chile
Last coaching post: (Colombia 2022)
Honours: Copa Libertadores 2016, Copa Colombia 2016, Superliga Colombiana 2016, Recopa Sudamericana 2017
Víctor Vucetich
Age: 67
Previous clubs: Neza, Leon, Tecos, Tigres, Cruz Azul, Puebla, Pachuca, Veracruz, Monterrey, Mexico, Queretaro, Chivas
Last coaching post: (Monterrey 2022)
Honours: Primera División, Copa Mexico, CONCACAF Champions League, Copa MX
Gerardo Martino
Age: 60
Previous clubs: Libertad, Cerro Porteño, Newell's Old Boys, Colón, Paraguay, Barcelona, Argentina, Atlanta United, Mexico
Last coaching post: (Mexico 2022)
Honours: Argentina Primera División, Paraguayan Primera División, Spanish Super Cup, MLSS Cup
Hernán Cristante
Age: 53
Previous clubs: Tepic, Toluca, Querétaro
Last coaching post: (Juárez 2023)
Honours: -
Gustavo Alfaro
Age: 60
Previous clubs: Atlético Rafaela, Patronato, Quilmes, Belgrano, Olimpo, San Lorenzo, Rosario Central, Tigre, Gimnasia, Huracán, Boca Juniors
Last coaching post: (Ecuador 2022)
Honours: Argentina Primera División, Copa Argentina, Copa Sudamericana, Supercopa Argentina
José Cardozo
Age: 52
Previous clubs: Olimpia, Querétaro, Sportivo Luqueno, Toluca, Chiapas, Puebla, Veracruz, Chivas
Last coaching post: (Municipal 2023)
Honours: -
Clarence Seedorf
Age: 47
Previous clubs: AC Milan, Shezhen, Deportivo
Last coaching post: (Cameroon 2021)
Honours: -
Raúl Gutíerrez
Age: 56
Previous clubs: Correcaminos, Mexico U17, Atlante, Potros, San José, Real España
Last coaching post: (Cruz Azul 2023)
Honours: U17 World Cup, Central American and Caribbean Games
Jaime Lozano
Age: 44
Previous clubs: UNAM, Celaya, Tigres, Cruz Azul
Last coaching post: (Necaxa 2022)
Honours: Supercopa MX, Pan American bronze medal, Olympic Games bronze medal
Pablo Guede
Age: 48
Previous clubs: El Palo, Nueva Chicago, Palestino, San Lorenzo, Colo-Colo, Al-Ahli, Morelia, Tijuana, Necaxa
Last coaching post: (Málaga 2023)
Honours: Supercopa Argentina, Copa Chile, Chilean Primera División, Supercopa de Chile
Francisco Palencia
Age: 50
Previous clubs: UNAM, Lobos
Last coaching post: (Mazatlán 2023)
Honours: -