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Despite not yet having named a new coach or officially announced a team, Mexico has recalled Spanish Primera Division players Jonathan dos Santos and Guillermo Ochoa, their respective clubs confirmed on Monday. Mexico has yet to make an official announcement, but Villareal announced on its club website that El Tri have recalled midfielder Jonathan dos Santos for the two friendlies set for Sept. 4 vs. Trinidad-Tobago at Salt Lake City, Utah, and Sept. 8 vs. Argentina in Dallas, Texas. Argentina's call-up includes Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez in the same squad used for Copa America. Malaga, meanwhile, confirmed that goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa has been recalled for the matches, which are FIFA dates. Ochoa helped Mexico to Gold Cup victory. The Mexico Football Federation on Monday announced its restructuring program at the hands of incoming president Decio De Maria, who took over for outgoing chief Justino Compean on Aug. 1. Former national teams director Guillermo Cantu was named general secretary while Santiago Banos, former auxiliary coach to Miguel Herrera, will head up the national teams. Hector Gonzalez Inarritu will take Rafael Mancilla's post as president of the referee's committee. Banos confirmed on Tuesday that he will not be coaching in an interim role. "It is a complex project," De Maria said during a news conference amid questions about the coaching search. "Today we can't make any comment about who will be the next coach, but we are working to improve this project." De Maria said the federation has already done an analysis but added that the decision regarding a new coach is not being taken lightly and said coach would be contracted with the 2018 World Cup in mind. Mexico, the 2015 Gold Cup winners, face a 2017 Confederations Cup qualifying playoff on Oct. 10 vs. the United States, which won the 2013 Gold Cup. The grudge match will be played at the Rose Bowl, in Pasadena, California. The United States missed a chance to qualify directly for the CONCACAF region's lone Confederations Cup berth after being eliminated in Gold Cup semifinals last month. The 2017 Confederations Cup will be played in Russia. "Our goal is to get the best project for national team direction in place," De Maria said. "We are not closing the door on an interim coach. All of us care about winning the Confederations Cup qualifying match in October and that is what we are working on. This administration's priority is to get to the World Cup and play well there." Critics faulted Mexico's performance at the 2015 Gold Cup, where they finished second in group play and advanced to the final against Jamaica only after winning two knockout-round matches with the help of late penalty kicks awarded in controversial calls. Two days after the win in Philadelphia, Mexico's first major tournament victory since 2011, De Maria's administration voted to sack coach Miguel Herrera after Herrera scuffled with a TV reporter who had been critical of Herrera. Herrera told ESPN he still believes he is the best candidate for the job. Michael Laudrup, as well as former El Tri coach Ricardo La Volpe are reportedly in the picture, after Marcelo Bielsa and Jorge Sampaoli have reportedly distanced themselves from the position.
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