USA TODAY International Edition
USA should hire Mexico’s coach
MOSCOW – When it comes to the soccer relationship between Mexico and the United States, the bragging rights currently reside south of the border.
Not only is Mexico flexing its muscles in this World Cup while the U.S. team sits at home, but the most recent period of the rivalry’s history is firmly tinted in green, white and red.
To have any hope of reversing that trend, the USA first needs to find itself a quality head coach, someone who can wash away the stains of the miserable tenures of Jurgen Klinsmann and Bruce Arena, who combined to stumble to a qualifying failure of epic proportions.
And it doesn’t have to look very far. Juan Carlos Osorio, the man who has masterminded Mexico’s swaggering and sensational start to the World Cup, would be the perfect choice for the Americans.
Forget about the psychological boost frustrated American fans would get from stealing away the leader of their bitter rival. Osorio is simply the right man for the job. He is not American but has spent plenty of time in the U.S., most recently as coach of the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer.
He understands the inner workings of the CONCACAF region, which might be the easiest to qualify from in all of soccer but can still trip you up if you are improperly prepared. Just ask the U.S. team, watching on television this summer instead of taking part in the sport’s grandest show.
Osorio, 56, attended college in the USA, coached the Red Bulls and the Chicago Fire and has a wide array of experience in England, Mexico, Brazil and his native Colombia.
Being bilingual is a bonus and could help connect the team to a part of the American soccer community that has sometimes felt isolated.
Most importantly of all, he has proved adaptable and resilient during his time with Mexico, one of the toughest and most demanding jobs in world soccer. Expectations with “El Tri” are always high, and when he took over in 2015, Osorio became the team’s 12th coach in nine years.
He has survived pressure during that stint. Mexico was deeply hurt by the 7-0 thrashing it received from eventual champion Chile in the 2016 Copa America. But Osorio took the team to the semifinal of the 2017 Confederations Cup and then cruised through CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.
Osorio ended the Americans’ run of beating Mexico in home World Cup qualifiers, toppling the Americans 2-1 in Columbus, Ohio. In the final round of qualifying, Mexico lost only one game out of 10, its last one, away to Honduras. It was a defeat most Mexico fans were happy with — for it eliminated the USA.
And now, when it truly matters most, he has the team firing on all cylinders with a spectacular triumph over Germany followed by a gritty performance against South Korea.
Given how well Mexico is doing, why would Osorio want to leave? There are strong indications he does. He turned down a contract extension offered by Mexico’s soccer federation this year and has admitted that other challenges hold strong appeal. In an interview with a British newspaper three months ago, he spoke of his affinity for the USA and pointed out that his sons were born there.
His relationship with the Mexican news media is also a source of annoyance to him, one that he makes little attempt to disguise. Former players in the media have been savage in their commentary, though that has naturally subsided after the performances in Russia.
The better Mexico fares in the World Cup might only increase the chances of his departure. A run past the Round of 16, where Mexico has lost the last six times, and his time in charge could legitimately be regarded as a major success.
As for finances, his reported Mexico salary of $1.2 million or greater would be well within the means of U.S. Soccer. Klinsmann was making more than $3 million annually by the time he was fired.
The American team has had no permanent coach in place since Arena left, with Dave Sarachan overseeing duties in the interim. The thinking is that there is always a swath of coaching moves after a World Cup and a number of highprofile options could potentially be available.
Waiting around was a smart move for U.S. Soccer, and the right choice is now right on the doorstep.