🇲🇽 Mexico must leave it to Jimmy
Whether or not El Tri beats Panama in today's Gold Cup final, the decision should be clear
If Jimmy Lozano manages Mexico to its record ninth title in the Gold Cup, his continuity will be the biggest topic of discussion after the final.
Named interim manager when new FMF commissioner Juan Carlos Rodriguez decided to move on from Diego Cocca after a disastrous Nations League semifinal against the United States, Lozano hasn’t been perfect but he’s done very well to get Mexico to this point: The final of the Gold Cup against Panama.
Yet, ahead of September friendly matches (likely against Asian teams in the United States) and upcoming Nations League. it’s not clear the 44-year-old will coach another match for the national team.
It’s not that his continuity rests on a win against Panama, it’s that he might not get the job even if El Tri lift the trophy.
Cards on the table: Even if he doesn’t win, I would keep him on. This is a guy who is extremely enthusiastic about the opportunity, who immediately has improved both the results and watch-ability of the national team, and who has some international success to his name, albeit at the youth level.
Just like the United States bringing Gregg Berhalter back, there’s a natural off ramp after the Copa América should it become obvious during the Nations League and in that tournament that Lozano is in over his head when it comes to preparing a team for the 2026 World Cup.
“If tomorrow’s the last game, I’ll want to come back no matter what. Don’t doubt that. It’s the most beautiful thing that could happen to me as a manager,” Lozano said Saturday. “If I’m a candidate and I can continue, that’d be marvelous, but today I’m not thinking about managing a World Cup or what I think what excites me the most, managing at home. I’m thinking about tomorrow’s match.”
Lozano is a candidate for the job. We know that because Ivar Sisniega, executive president of the FMF, said last week that he was. But also that he might not stay on. But he might. But someone else could come in too.
It’s classic FMF and classic Mexican soccer, even under the new leadership, overthinking the decision so much that it’s too late to make the right one. That’s what happened hiring the manager Lozano replaced.
Lozano is winning, he’s available, as a former national team player he’s extremely committed and the players want him to stay on.
“I think Jaime always has been ready. It’s a question of continuity. Obviously, the decision isn’t in our hands, but I think what the Mexico national team needs right now is a bit of calm, of tranquility to be able to build,” Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa said.
“In Mexican soccer, there’s lots of noise and fire that makes it tough to be calm and patient, but without a doubt that’s what Mexico needs: To go step by step,” Ochoa continued.
It’s normal for players to be on his side. Players almost always love a ‘player’s coach’ and even more so when it’s someone they’ve worked with before. More than half this roster was on Lozano’s squad for Tokyo, where Mexico took the bronze medal. But his knowledge of the next generation is critical.
Mexico has grown since Cesar Montes returned from suspension, with Lozano able to lean on the Montes-Johan Vazquez partnership he used at the Olympics. Players like Henry Martin, Uriel Antuna and Sebastian Cordova, who missed the Gold Cup with injury, understand Lozano’s counter-press. This team knows Lozano, and Lozano knows this team. A new coach coming from outside the setup can get to that point, but they won’t be able to do it as quickly.
There has been chatter about setting Lozano up as the top assistant to a more veteran manager. What isn’t clear is what veteran manager is interested in the Mexico job in the first place and also so interested that he’d let the federation call the shots on his staff - plus put a popular assistant on the bench next to him that fans would immediately want the federation to have take over at the slightest sign of adversity.
The reverse would intrigue me. If your feeling is that Lozano is too young to take the senior national team job full-time and needs guidance from a more experienced manager, stick a graybeard on the staff who knows Lozano, who wants to help but who would clearly be in a mentorship role.
That’s the narrative after the game. Heading into this evening’s contest, Lozano insists he hasn’t been worried about his contract, about federation politics or about anything other than working out how to beat a Panama team nobody has beaten this Gold Cup.
“This is life. Ultimately, there are decisions you have to take and opportunities you have to take advantage of,” Lozano said. “My life has changed a lot because it’s a great escape to take over the national team, a lot of people see you, a lot of people support you. I saw it as a player.
“We’ve got to take it calmly, living in the moment and in the present, focusing on the next match. That’s what I’m thinking about today.”
The result of the match will determine what he’s thinking about tomorrow. It shouldn’t affect what Rodriguez, Sisniega and the rest of the Mexican soccer brass are thinking.
📅 Today’s slate
All times Central
Mexico v. Panama - 6:30p
The final is sold out. Would it have sold out had it been Jamaica-Panama? We’ll never know.
We do know I’ll be back tomorrow with a wrap-up edition of Gold Cup Daily for premium subscribers plus a few other newsletters during the week.
I think keeping him on is the obvious choice (so as an American who wants Mexico to fail, they should sack him). But I’m skeptical of this point: “immediately has improved both the results and watch-ability of the national team.” I’m don’t disagree, just, it’s been like three weeks, and five games so far, the sixth tonight. Is that enough to give him that much credit? Maybe it is, because it’s national team soccer, and that’s actually a lot, especially with no qualifiers on the horizon for a true test.
At a minimum I would keep him on through 2024 Copa America! If not, you risk missing on the next manager and going back to the Tata Martino and “Cocca sin gas” atmosphere which was a rock bottom or close to it.