Earlier this week FC Juarez introduced Luis Fernando Tena, the Bravos new head coach, via a virtual press conference. Executive President of the club, Guillermo Cantu, gave the formal introduction in a press conference that last nearly 30 minutes, were Tena addressed both national local media.

FC Juarez had announced last Friday that Gabriel Caballero had been relieved of his duties as head coach for the first division Mexican soccer team. The announcement itself was of little surprise. The timing of the announcement, well that may have been a different story.

Many thought the announcement would be made within days of their last regular season match for the Bravos which took place on Friday, November 6th. It was a match that the Bravos tied to Club America that would leave them out of the playoffs.
This match wrapped up a season that would leave FC Juarez short of their expectations which included at bare minimum making the playoffs, especially considering the fact that 12 of the 19 teams would make the playoffs this 2020 Apertura season. The playoff of field was expanded by 4 teams as a special consideration due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fact that Bravos did not make the playoffs in an season were the team failed to function with any consistency game in and game out left many feeling that Caballero leaving would be a logical conclusion to the dismal season.

A little more than 24 hours later, the announcement would be made that Luis Fernando Tena was named the new head coach for the team from the Borderland. Tena brings a world of experience to the Bravos. His resume speaks for itself and he is undoubtedly one of the most respected soccer minds in all of Mexican Soccer.

Tena’s most notable soccer accomplishment as a head coach was when he lead Mexico to Olympic gold in the London at the 2012 games. Tena has also won a pair of championships in Mexico’s first soccer division.

FC Juarez.
FC Juarez.
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In his opening statement on Monday, Tena was excited to take over Los Bravos and bring success back to FC Juarez. "It’s a great joy to be here and getting to work with a relatively new team and for a front office that wants to do things right and want to grow with an appropriate structure," Tena said. "This is an opportunity to accomplish important things, supported by a fan base that is yearning for joys that this team can give them. We hope they can soon return to the stadium. I like the institution, I like the city, and I like the current roster, which is one of the first things that head coaches consider when considering taking on a new team. It’s a solid roster that may only need two or three additions."

The new Bravos head ccoach was logically vague about how players would be put on the transfer market and who he wanted to stay, he simply said that an analysis needed to be done but, "…from a general standpoint, it’s a good roster doesn’t need many modifications."

Tena was frank about objectives for the upcoming season saying simply that the team needed to "play well." He elaborated, "We have to possess the ball, come out on the attack in an order manner, and arrive to the attacking third with numbers. This team is going to have to play with purpose and of course have an understanding as to what that purpose is. Play with a great intensity and determination."

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