Can Boy do a man’s job as coach of struggling Chivas?
The Chivas announced the hiring of their new coach on Wednesday and Tomás Boy has been tasked with rescuing the Clausura 2019.
Tomás Boy has just become the 27th Chivas coach in the past 17 years as Guadalajara ownership announced the signing of “El Jefe” via a press release.
Boy will take over for interim coach Alberto Coyote who managed the team this past weekend in its 1-0 home loss to Lobos BUAP which saw Guadalajara drop into 17th place in our Power Rankings. Coyote had stepped in for José Cardozo who was fired after the Chivas lost to the Pumas on March 31.
The signing is a bit of a surprise as Chivas CEO José Luis Higuera was in Europe supposedly interviewing candidates for the coaching job, arguably one of the very best in North America. Among the names being dropped during Higuera’s sojourn were Juande Ramos, Luis Michel and Quique Setién. Higuera reportedly also spoke to Julen Lopetegui, the former Real Madrid coach.
Back in Mexico, the names being bandied about included Marcelo Michel Leaño (former Necaxa coach who is currently working in the Chivas front office), Antonio Mohamed (former Tijuana and Monterrey coach who won a title as manager of América), former Team Mexico coach José Manuel de la Torre (won titles as head coach of Toluca) and Francisco Palencia (current Lobos BUAP coach who had served as general manager with Chivas). Juan Carlos Osorio, the former coach of El Tri, was also linked to the job.
Instead, the 66-year-old Boy returns to the Liga MX sidelines for the first time since October 2016. El Jefe had been coaching Cruz Azul for nearly a year, but resigned after a 2-1 home loss to Puebla that dropped the Cementeros into 12th place.
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Boy started his coaching career only a year after retiring in 1988, taking the reins at Tampico Madero. The brash, straight-talking Boy went on to manage Querétaro, Veracruz, Morelia, Monterrey, Morelia again, Puebla, Veracruz again, Atlas, Morelia (yes, again), Atlas and then Atlas yet again before his year at Cruz Azul. His longest stint as manager with any single club was his third and final term with Morelia from 2009-2012.
The coach is known for aggressive tactics and prefers offensive flair (Boy was a talented midfielder as a player, wearing the tricolor jersey at the 1986 World Cup), and is also known for his sideline histrionics. Boy has never won a major trophy as a manager though he guided Morelia to the Clausura 2011 Final where the Monarcas lost to the Pumas.
There has yet to be confirmation that Boy will be on the sidelines for the Matchday 14 game that will see the Chivas visiting Morelia. The reaction of the players will be rather interesting to observe. Several players lobbied for Coyote – the club’s youth team coach – to remain at the helm. Boy is known for his no-nonsense approach and can be rough on his players, though he demonstratively has their back on game-day. He once famously was suspended for 5 games after taking part in a melee involving Cruz Azul players and coaches during a playoff match.
The Chivas are in 12th place but are only 6 points out of a playoff spot with four games remaining. Their bigger concern is with piling up points the rest of the season – even if they miss the playoffs – because they will have serious relegation concerns beginning with the Apertura 2019. Here is their remaining schedule: at Morelia, vs Puebla, vs León, and at Tigres.
Notes: Tomás Boy remains the all-time leading goal-scorer for the Tigres despite playing as a midfielder. His record (104 goals) is likely to be passed by André-Pierre Gignac in short order. … The always controversial Boy once referred to the Chivas as “a loser franchise.”