Diego Cocca’s homecoming as the new head coach of Mexico’s national team was a bit rough around the edges. A lot of the media scrutiny and even the boo’s from the fans were misguided or at least not property then interpreted by the media. What we’re trying to say here is that fans were booing the team, and specific players for what happened in Qatar. Also, they were booing the institution. That’s perhaps a bigger concern for the Mexico National team’s bottom line. Let’s explore the boo’s before we move on to what can happen to Diego Cocca.
They Stole Two League Titles & Now They’ve Got Hold Of The Mexican National Team
This is probably something you’re not going to hear anywhere else. The truth is we don’t have enough sponsors yet to care how this lands with the Liga MX establishment. We talked months ago about how the Grupo Orlegi takeover of the Mexican National team was taking shape. That included bringing in the general manager of the worst team in Liga MX. The signing of Diego Cocca confirmed everyone’s worst fears. Grupo Orlegi owners of Atlas and Santos had completely taken over the Mexican national team.
Even casual fans in the streets of Mexico would agree that Atlas’ back to back championship run was suspect to say the least. That came off the back of Grupo Orlegi being touted as the driving force behind the no relegation rules currently in place in Liga MX. At the time they had the most to gain because Atlas would’ve likely been relegated. While we cannot confirm nor deny Grupo Orlegi’s influence in Liga MX the fans see the same thing we see. Booing Cocca is a way to boo the establishment. Currently, the fans have completely lost faith in that establishment and to be fair, who can blame them?
Some Figures Inside Liga MX Are Probably Rooting For Him To Fail
Within this context it’s entirely possible that many owners of teams in Liga MX want the national team to fail badly and do so quickly. The best way to ensure there’s a complete fan riot, boycott or whatever it may be that takes power away from Orlegi is for Mexico to lose their next two games against the USMNT. That will put the fans over the edge and back Orlegi into a corner.
This is where it can get really interesting. If they just outright sack Cocca after literally 4 games in charge of the team they could be weakening their grip within Liga MX. At the same time though, the tension could get really high. Especially if we see fan riots and things like that. The only thing that Orlegi now have going for them is that these next two games are not on home soil. Technically the Vegas fans won’t get as angry as the fans in Mexico City, but you never know.
Can Cocca Save Himself On The Field?
He definitely can! Fans may be fed up with some of the players from the team, and like we said the management situation is a mess. That doesn’t mean there isn’t talent on the squad that can literally help heal all of the ailments that Cocca probably has at this point. Chucky Lozano proved to be in much better shape than he was at the end of the Tata Martino days. Tecatito may be able to come back for the final 4 in Vegas. Santi Gimenez is literally one of the best young center forwards in the world.
If he plays Acevedo or Ochoa he’s ok between the sticks. The center backs are a big problem! Also, his left and right back spots are suspect. He’s got some time to figure this out though. Don’t be surprised if Julian Araujo plays on the right. He looked better than both Sanchez and Kevin Alvarez. At this point it would make sense for him to play Vazquez and Montes at the center back spots. It’s the combination that he hasn’t tried.
