Mexico

Ferretti offers Mexico stability amid chaos

Published Aug. 25, 2015 3:15 p.m. ET

Kyle McCarthy

Chaos rose to the surface from the moment Mexico manager Miguel Herrera took that fateful swing at a reporter in the wake of that CONCACAF Gold Cup triumph. The flashpoint finally brought a simmering situation to the surface and paved the way for Herrera's exit. It served as the justification to accelerate the inevitable parting of ways than some unforeseeable fork in the road. And it made the lurching period after Herrera's departure all the more frustrating.

The powerbrokers in Mexican soccer wanted to dispatch with Herrera after a series of off-the-field missteps and on-the-field frustrations, but they failed to line up his replacement ahead of time. There were designs on tempting long-time target Marcelo Bielsa to assume charge immediately, but those overtures faltered even after Bielsa parted ways with Marseille.

One of the potential alternatives offered a way out, though. Tigres UANL manager Ricardo Ferretti didn't want the job full-time. It made little sense for him to leave the security of his position at Tigres for the whirlpool of this particular post. He said as much when the FMF gauged his interest in the position. Instead, the veteran manager offered a patchwork solution to a federation accustomed to them: He offered to step into the role as interim boss.

The invitation to kick the can down the line somehow emerged as the best option in the short-term. Ferretti took charge for the next four matches on Monday with one objective in mind and a whole host of entreaties about his future to bat away.

"I do not look at the possibility of fulfilling the whole [qualifying] process," Ferretti said during his introductory press conference on Monday. "But I thought about how much Mexican football has given me. I proposed to take the reins of the national team in order to achieve a place in the Confederations Cup. Then they have all of the freedom to bring in another coach. This is my thanks to this football that has given me everything for so many years as a player and a coach."

Ferretti's gratitude handed FMF leaders and Liga MX owners a reprieve as they struggled to get their own house in order. The inevitable reshuffling after Herrera's departure moved a series of executives around within the federation and muddied the waters even further.

The vastly experienced Ferretti represents a safe choice to wade through the short-term. He holds no experience in the international game, but he is a seasoned operator capable of navigating through the next four matches -- and, crucially, the Confederations Cup playoff against USA on Oct. 10 -- with a minimum of fuss and a surplus of competency. It is the exact blend required at the moment, even if it is not a permanent solution.

"In the circumstances we are in and after talking with Ricardo -- and I saw he had great enthusiasm to come -- we believe it is a great option for the short-term because we are adding more time. In that sense, I'm delighted," FMF general secretary Guillermo Cantu said.

Expect that enthusiasm to manifest in a more pragmatic fashion than Herrera usually preferred. Ferretti said he expected to pick his squads from the players selected for the Copa America and the Gold Cup earlier this year, but he left the door wide open for alterations, too.

"I will look to this group and be fair with my selection," Ferretti said. "The door is not closed on any player. We have to analyze certain things. Every Mexican player has the possibility to be in the Mexican national team."

There are changes ahead given the circumstances, the lack of match practice for some European-based players and the tactical preferences of the interim boss. Ferretti usually plumps for a 4-4-2 setup with Tigres with ample emphasis on composure in defense, grit in central midfield and speed in the wide areas. Those preferences represent a marked departure from Herrera's penchant for wingbacks in his preferred 5-3-2 formation or his reluctance to deploy wingers unless completely necessary.

Ferretti's focus on organization and possession injects necessary stability during this latest upheaval. He is a seasoned hand to guide Mexico through yet another tumultuous period, even if he must juggle club and international commitments as the Apertura continues. At the very least, his status allows him to train his focus on defeating the Americans without worrying about any potential fallout in the future.

"There is one thing that concerns me: finding a place in the Confederations Cup," Ferretti said. "Everything in life has pros and cons. If we succeed, I will not be the great wonder of the world. I do not come as a savior or as anything. I come as an interim boss, no more."

It is a rare measure of certainty within this evolving situation. The uncertainty continues to swirl with a playoff still to win and a vacancy still to fill. It will rage onwards for now, as ever. It is down to Ferretti to cope with chaos long enough to meet his objective and then step out of the way to allow someone else to bear its burdens.