Ricardo 'Tuca' Ferretti, the legendary former manager of Tigres UANL, has confessed that after his 2021 exit from the club he wanted to coach arch-rivals Rayados de Monterrey for revenge against the Tigres board. The Brazilian, now an ESPN analyst, revealed this in an interview this week.
Ferretti explained his motivation was purely personal against the directors who ended his eleven-year reign. "I wanted to go to Rayados for payback against the board, not against the fans, not against the players, against the board," stated the 72-year-old tactician. His dismissal came after a Clausura 2021 tournament where Tigres finished tenth and lost in the play-in round, despite having led the team to the Club World Cup final that same year.
The Tigres UANL board's decision in 2021 ended the most successful era in club history. Under Ferretti's command, the team won ten titles, including five Liga MX championships and one CONCACAF Champions Cup. In his final and longest stint, he managed 541 matches with a record of 253 wins, 160 draws, and 128 losses.
Despite those numbers, league performance had dipped. The team accrued 18 points from a possible 51 in that final tournament, according to historical records. The board, then headed by Alejandro Rodríguez, opted for a change. Ferretti never returned to a Mexican dugout permanently after brief spells at Juárez and Cruz Azul.
During the same ESPN conversation, Ferretti referred to the club's current situation with Víctor Manuel Vucetich as interim manager. He acknowledged the initial fan reaction, given Vucetich's past with Rayados, was understandable. "To fix this, you have to win and then you start gaining a bit of acceptance," analyzed the former boss.
Vucetich, who won five titles with Monterrey, faces the challenge of stabilizing the team. Tigres UANL currently sits seventh in the Liga MX table with 14 points after 11 matchdays. Their next fixture is a key clash against Pumas UNAM on September 14th, a match fans can check on the fixtures page. The squad, viewable on the squad page, aims to find its footing under the new leadership.
Ferretti's imprint on Tigres UANL is indelible. Not only for the trophies, but for the competitive identity he instilled. Under his direction, the club solidified itself as a constant power in Mexico and the region. Players like André-Pierre Gignac thrived in his system, and the team became a regular in the playoffs.
Today, the team is trying to recapture that consistency. With stars like Frenchman Gignac, who has 5 goals this season, and Colombian Juan Pablo Vargas in defense, the squad looks to climb the standings. The challenge for Vucetich is clear: achieve the consistency Ferretti mentioned and that the fans miss. The next test comes against Pumas at the Estadio Universitario.
