MEXICO CITY – Mexican club Chivas introduced its new coach on Thursday, selecting little-known Ignacio Ambriz to replace Fernando Quirarte, who resigned on Saturday after the club’s third straight loss to open the Clausura season.
Ambriz coached Mexican club San Luis until last year, and was an assistant for Javier Aguirre at Spanish club Atletico Madrid. Aguirre went on to coach Mexico in the 2010 World Cup. He was fired late last year as coach of Spanish side Zaragoza.
Chivas has won the most Mexican league titles with 11, but it has never before started a season with three straight losses.
“I’m aware of where I am,” Ambriz told reporters, alluding to the club’s popularity in Mexico. “I’m exicted. I know the challenge is very large, but I feel capable to making progress.”
Chivas has been struggling for stability. Ambriz is the 14th coach since Jorge Vergara bought the Guadalajara club in 2002, and the fourth in the last year and a half.
Ambriz coached 70 matches with San Luis, winning 21, drawing 23 and losing 26.
“Perhaps I was not the favourite,” he said. “But my career is very short. I know this will be a difficult challenge.”
Ambriz played for Mexico in the 1994 World Cup in the United States. He will be on the bench Sunday in a match at Mexico City-based Pumas.
