Club Tijuana appoints Miguel 'Piojo' Herrera as new head coach

Club Tijuana has appointed Miguel ‘Piojo’ Herrera as the new head coach amid the 2023 Liga MX Clausura. 

He replaces former manager Ricardo Valiño, who parted ways with Tijuana on February 5 after a string of negative results. At the time, the Xoloitzcuintles tallied a total of four draws and one loss to land in 14th place on the table with just four points.

Piojo now returns for a second spell with the team, after first leading Club Tijuana from 2015 to 2017. During his initial stint, Piojo carried Xolos to top-of-the-table finishes in the 2016 Apertura and 2017 Clausura regular seasons.

He comes in with extensive Liga MX experience, having coached Atlante (2002-04, 2011), Monterrey (2004-07), Veracruz (2008), Tecos (2008-10), Club America (2012-13, 2017-20), and most recently Tigres (2021-22).

Herrera also previously led the Mexican men’s national team, inspiring the qualification to the 2014 World Cup and the winning CONCACAF's Gold Cup title in 2015. Shortly after the title, he was dismissed by the Mexican Football Federation for an alleged altercation with a journalist in a Philadelphia airport.

Piojo was linked to a possible return as El Tri manager, campaigning for the position on relevant television programs and interviewing with the FMF before the national teams committee selected Diego Cocca. 

"Every time they ask me, I'll say the same thing, I'll always be ready [to take El Tri]," he said when asked during his unveiling with Xolos on Friday. "I'm no longer a candidate. They ask me if I now think about the national team and it's no, I think about Xolos.”

He will now take the reins, as Tijuana desperately attempts to climb the Liga MX table. The team earned their first victory of the 2023 Clausura on Friday, triumphing 1-0 over San Luis. Though Piojo could not yet lead from the sidelines, he was present at the stadium.