Mexico football coach Miguel Herrera sacked after allegedly punching a journalist

Miguel Herrera was known for his outrageous reactions on the touchline

Mexico City, July 29 (IANS)

The Mexican Football Federation has sacked the national team manager Miguel "El Piojo" Herrera for his misbehaviour, a media report said. The president-elect of the federation, Decio de Maria, told a press conference in Mexico City that Herrera had been let go on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

"After conferring with my colleagues, I have decided to remove Miguel Herrera from the national team. It was not a simple decision, but it was the right one," he said. “Our values have to be maintained and nobody is above the type of situation we saw on Monday at Philadelphia airport."

On Monday, Miguel Herrera appeared to have punched TV Azteca journalist Christian Martinoli, seemingly for his criticism of the Mexican team during the Gold Cup. They went on to win the tournament held in Chile by beating Jamaica 3-1 on Sunday, but their semifinal win over Panama was marred by controversial decisions by the referee.

Martinoli and fellow journalist Luis Garcia were waiting at the TSA line at Philadelphia airport on Monday morning when Herrera allegedly walked up to him and punched him in the neck.

Herrera denied punching the journalist but this did not deter the federation from letting him go.