It’s Time for Miguel Herrera to Grow Up
I hate when I give people credit for doing something well and then, almost immediately, they take a crap on their good actions.
Last month, I wrote how Xolos’ manager, Miguel Herrera, had finally grown up after his many blow-ups. I wrote in that piece for EVT that if he remained on his best behavior, the Xolos could become champions at the end of the season.
On Friday, after a very competitive and intense game against Santos, Herrera completely went insane after the referee threw him out of the game. He got into a nasty shouting match with a fan that involved profanity and even a challenge to a fight. The video of the incident is below.
Look, I know that coaches in every sport are passionate about their jobs. I wouldn’t want to limit the emotion that Herrera shows, but at the same time, I want my coach to remain calm when nothing seems to go well.
I know that people will say that Herrera probably didn’t mean what he said and that it shouldn’t be taken so seriously, but we can’t give Herrera a pass after the incident that lead to his dismissal from the Mexican national team. For those who don’t know, Herrera and a very well-known Mexican play-by-play guy came to blows in Philadelphia. I know he has apologized for his actions and most people will forget about this rather quickly.
But Herrera must be called out for his childish and unprofessional tantrum.
There’s a saying in American football that goes like this: “A team takes the personality of its coach” and I think that’s also true in soccer. When the players see their head man acting irresponsibly, they’ll think that they are empowered to do the same.
You also have to take into consideration the overall situation in Mexican soccer. Just last week, the games were canceled because of a dust-up between a player and a referee that happened at Estadio Caliente. What makes Herrera’s actions look even worse is the fact that he went on ESPN and said that the violence needed to stop within the sport. A week after saying that, he acts like this.
Mal por ambos lados, por el aficionado y por Miguel Herrera quien responde. pic.twitter.com/f9baT0Yo9j
— Brandon Ambriz L (@bramlob18) March 18, 2017
You also have to take into consideration that Xolos want to become a regional team, meaning that they want their presence felt across the border. They want to connect with San Diego sports fans and this isn’t a way to do it. The American public is not used to coaches acting like this. It is not clear how these actions will affect their feelings about the sport.
Yes, I know that there are some exceptions (Lou Pinella, Bobby Knight), but for the most part, coaches and managers in American sports know how to represent their organization in a civilized way. Look, I know the Xolos are in a playoff zone right now, but If their manager doesn’t get his act together, this could be a turning point for a once promising season.
I am a lawyer that loves everything San Diego!