Mexico coach Herrera fired just days after Gold Cup win for punching journalist

Mexican national team coach Miguel Herrera was fired Tuesday following a television reporter’s claim that the man known as “El Piojo” punched him.

The ouster came just two days after Herrera led Mexico to victory in the Concacaf Gold Cup. But Decio de Maria, who on Saturday becomes president of the Mexican Soccer Federation, said the incident with the journalist was not in keeping with “the spirit of fair and respectful competition” the organisation espouses.

“Our values, our principles, are above any result,” de Maria said at a news conference. “In our profession, our industry, the matches are never over, and as public figures who represent an institution we must be absolutely clear on that.”

There was no comment from the coach on his firing, nor has he said anything publicly on the incident with the reporter.

Herrera is the latest to depart from what has become a revolving-door job since Ricardo La Volpe of Argentina was the last to complete a four-year World Cup cycle as head of the team, known as “El Tri.” Mexico has burned through 10 head coaches in the nine years since La Volpe departed after the 2006 World Cup in Germany.