Mexico coach sacked after allegedly punching a reporter
Miguel Herrera has been fired as Mexico coach just two days after guiding them to a record seventh Gold Cup crown following allegations that he punched a television reporter.
The Mexican Football Federation on Tuesday confirmed the decision to sack Herrera after Television Azteca’s Christian Martinoli claimed Herrera hit him in the neck following a confrontation at Philadelphia airport on Monday.
Mexico beat Jamaica 3-1 in the Gold Cup final in Philadelphia on Sunday evening.
“Violence has no place in society, family, and much less so in sport,” said Decio de Maria, president of the Mexican Football Federation, in a statement.
“Anyone who wants to use aggression and not the ideas and concepts based on freedom of expression cannot be a member of the Mexican Football Federation.”
De Maria added: “Despite some extraordinary success during his coaching career, the results cannot rise above our statutes, regulations, respect and freedom of expression.
“The Mexican Football Federation, the different leagues that comprise it, and above all our national team should be an example to the younger generation and what happened does not show the spirit of fair competition we want to promote in our game.”
Long live Miguel Herrera! pic.twitter.com/GGCjANTVsI
— Stanley Cup Champ (@face_ventura) July 28, 2015
Mexico only reached the final of the tournament after controversial decisions in their favour during wins over Costa Rica and Panama in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, but they dominated the final against Jamaica.
Herrera had been in charge of the national team since October 2013, taking the job after leading Club America to the Clausura title earlier that year.
He led Mexico to qualification to the 2014 World Cup, where they reached the knock-out stages before losing 2-1 to Holland in the last 16.
