After a rough spell, Tigres looks for a new technical director
Following several disappointing weeks, the university board began the search for a technical director to steady the ship. The team had shown glimpses of potential early in the season, with promising signals and signs of progress, but the slide began as soon as Diego Coco left the bench for the Mexican national team. The shift raised questions about what the club needed to regain momentum and restore belief among its supporters.
Mauricio Culebro, the club president, made his stance clear: no one stands above Tigres. After appointing Marco Antonio Chima Ruiz as interim coach, the expectation was that a trusted figure would guide the squad through a difficult period. Yet recent results did not follow the plan. The defeat in the Clásico Regio against Monterrey became the tipping point, intensifying scrutiny on the interim appointment and the broader project.
With the team slipping out of the direct qualification zone for the Liguilla, questions about performance and reinforcements grew louder. The fans, known for their high expectations, grew more impatient as the days passed. In the current pause for national team duty, the club paused to reassess and began actively pursuing a seasoned quarterback of the coaching world. A well-placed Argentine journalist with strong South American knowledge, Cesar Luis Merlo, reported that Marcelo Gallardo, a multi-time champion with River Plate, is the name circulating in the folder. Still, the path to bringing Gallardo to Tigres is lined with doubts and obstacles that would make such a move seem almost unattainable for the club in its current moment.
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Gallardo is currently without a club after an eight-year stint marked by a remarkable haul of 14 official titles. He has explained fatigue and the need to pause before deciding the next destination. Earlier this year, he oversaw an all-star match between Paris Saint-Germain and Riyadh XI in the Middle East, a routine that often precedes a major career decision. In conversations with trusted sources, it is noted that Gallardo has even spoken with high-profile managers about the English game, including conversations with Pep Guardiola that encouraged a move to England over other opportunities.
In this context, directing Tigres in Mexican football appears unlikely, but the football world remains unpredictable. The team continues to explore options, aiming to restore stability and push back toward the competitive level expected by its supporters and the wider audience in North America. The possibility of a Gallardo-led Tigres remains speculative, yet the situation underscores the club’s willingness to pursue high-caliber leadership to compete at the top of Mexican football.
The club’s management understands that success requires not just a strong coaching mind but also a clear plan for the squad and the development of players who can perform under pressure. As the league schedule resumes and international duty concludes, Tigres will likely reveal its strategic direction and the next steps in a process that many fans hope will end with a return to form and strong performances on home soil.
All eyes stay on Tigres as the search continues and the team weighs its options for the next era of leadership after a season marked by high expectations and a tough stretch of results.