Luis Fernando Tena's Shaky Status as Manager Reflects State of Mexican Team

If you are going to make a decision, stick with it.

Apparently, the Mexican national football team didn't get the memo.

It's laughable, really.

After Jose Manuel de la Torre was fired following Mexico's 2-1 loss to Honduras on Friday, trusted assistant Luis Fernando Tena was promoted, according to the Associated Press (via Sports Illustrated).

Now, after a 2-0 loss to a better United States team, Tena could be fired just days after he took over as boss, according to John Sutcliffe of ESPN.

According to Sutcliffe, Victor Manuel Vucetich could be the next man for the job. Vucetich was fired by Mexican football club Monterrey in August.

I don't know what's more laughable: Mexico thinking Tena could turn everything around in one match, or the Mexican club basically expecting Tena to beat the United States if he wanted to keep his job. 

Mexico had one win in seven matches before Tuesday's loss to USA.

One win.

Somehow, Tena was supposed to reverse a slide of gigantic proportions in one match.

One match.

The Mexican football team is in dire straits right now—panic mode, if you will. The sloppiness off the pitch matches the sloppiness on it. The side has no direction, no philosophy, no definitive goals, no blueprint. 

When Tena was hired on Saturday, he said, according to the AP report:

"

Every coach wants to manage the national team, but not under these circumstances. They're not ideal because a friend, a boss has to go. These are not the perfect conditions because the standings are saying that we are in a very tough spot.

"

Tena may as well have left out "because a friend, a boss has to go." This isn't an ideal situation for any manager to take over, regardless of whether he knew the previous manager or not. This is the kind of situation many managers would run from. Heck, Tena didn't run, and look where he is now.

Right now, the Mexican football team may as well be playing darts instead of football, because it is essentially slinging darts, hoping to get lucky. 

When you are in a state of disarray, when nothing is working, it's time to pick up the pieces and create a solid foundation for something to be born anew. You don't just try out any piece and hope to instantly solve the puzzle.