Ratification of the elimination of promotion and relegation
The decision to eliminate promotion and relegation in the Liga MX for the next 4 years is a decision that Gonzalo Pineda, assistant coach of the Seattle Sounders, does not fully understand. Pineda commented to ESPN that he understands the intention of strengthening the second division economically, but he does not see any sporting benefits for Mexican football. He believes that this is because the owners of the Liga MX teams do not prioritize the development of Mexican football.
"I don't understand why we can't create a sports development committee with proven football experts who are pro-Mexican football. For example, Miguel Mejía Barón, Manuel Lapuente, Ricardo La Volpe, discussing the style of play, the best ways to channel talent. But I see that it is mostly controlled by the owners. The team owners know a lot about managing teams and companies, but they know very little about football. So in terms of the sports aspect, there are not enough qualified people to discuss the processes and see how the league can grow and how we can reconcile economic needs with the football side of things."
Pineda acknowledges that Ascenso MX was facing economic problems, but he believes that there were other methods to rescue it without necessarily eliminating it.
"There is no way to force them to invest 20 or 30 million dollars in a franchise that most have decided they don't want to invest in. However, there are measures that could help sustain the league. For example, paying the salary for the entire tournament in advance so there are never any debts and to bring more clarity regarding taxes. These measures could also help in the Liga MX. I really don't understand why the promotion is being eliminated solely because of this economic mess."
Finally, Pineda expressed his concern for the job insecurity that hundreds of players will face as they try to find a place in the new Development League or in any other league around the world.
"The human aspect is what concerns me the most. There will be around 200 or more players who will be unemployed for the next tournament, and, as a former player, I know the difficulties families go through, especially when you are left without a job. In fact, it happened to me that I didn't play for six months in Mexico. So that part is sad, and then there is the football aspect, and I believe that the natural competitiveness of the tournament will be lost without promotion and relegation."