GUADALAJARA, Mexico -- Former Argentine international Matias Almeyda was named new head coach of relegation-threatened Chivas on Tuesday, just a day after Jose Manuel "Chepo" de la Torre was fired from the position and club president Nestor de la Torre was also let go.
Matías Almeyda es el nuevo técnico del Rebaño Sagrado: http://t.co/mbatmDq68G pic.twitter.com/OCCOpJFml3
- CHIVAS (@Chivas) September 15, 2015
Almeyda has no previous experience in the Liga MX and is best known as a coach for his work in guiding River Plate back to Argentina's first division in 2012.
"The transition the club is going through necessitates looking for a different path in order to achieve more ambitious goals to reach the high expectations of the fans," read a statement on the club's website.
Almeyda takes over the youngest squad in the league and one that sits in 15th place in the Liga MX table, with seven points from eight matches so far in the Apertura 2015 regular season.
"Chivas is one of the biggest clubs in the world," Almeyda said on arrival in Guadalajara on Sunday. "Its philosophy of not having foreigners stands out strongly.
"I'm passionate about Mexican football [and] I've watched a lot. I know there are great coaches," he added.
The immediate objective for Almeyda -- who favors an attacking style of play -- will be to pick up enough points to avoid relegation. Chivas are currently in penultimate place in the relegation table, above only Dorados de Sinaloa, with one team set for the drop next May.
Almeyda enjoyed an illustrious career for the Argentine national team as well as with Lazio and Inter Milan in Italy and is regarded as a legend at first club River Plate.
Almeyda is the eighth to coach Chivas since the start of 2013 and the 25th (including interns) since owner Jorge Vergara took over the club in 2002.